Bøger af Judith Valente

The great poets help us look carefully and deeply at the world. When we do this, we find that God is there. This is the powerful spiritual truth that drives Twenty Poems to Nourish Your Soul, an extraordinary celebration of the poet's craft that opens the attentive reader's heart to the world of the spirit. Author/compilers Judith Valente and Charles Reynard, noted poets themselves, select poems that probe the classic themes of the spiritual life. With sensitive commentary, they show how great poetry can help us recognize and respond to God.

This book is a dialogue between two spiritual seekers—one a Trappist monk and the other a married professional woman. It is two people “stuttering to articulate life's universal questions from diverse contexts and perspectives.” Brother Paul writes as one steeped in silence and the daily rhythms of the ancient prayer practices of monasticism. Judith Valente writes as a professional woman attempting to bring a sense of prayer and contemplation to a scattered life in the secular world.Valente uses the story of Brother Paul's interview for a PBS documentary as a jumping-off point: When asked the purpose of the Trappist life in the modern world, he said that it is “to show you don't need a purpose.” The purpose of life, he said, is life. “You're to live your life.”HOW TO BE offers a window into two people living their lives on purpose (or not) and struggling to come to terms with the big issues everyone faces: faith, mortality, mystery, prayer, work. It is a book that provides insight and inspiration for those walking the spiritual path—particularly for those interested in the contemplative path.

The Rule of St. Benedict (the rule) arose in an era when a great civilization was threatened by violence, economic forces that favored the wealthy, political leaders that lacked the trust of the public, and rampant xenophobia. The events that occurred in sixth-century Rome were much those like on the nightly news.

"How to Live helps us see what we are losing; to make us taste what we're in danger of dismissing as unimportant. It reminds us of what we've missed but is still at hand, waiting to enliven the age in which we live as well as to be remembered for its contributions to the past."--Joan Chittister The Rule of St. Benedict arose from an era when a great civilization was threatened by violence, economic forces that favored the wealthy, political leaders that lacked the trust of the public, and rampant xenophobia. Similar to the anxieties and frustrations of the 6th century, we are living in a time where societies need to stress community over competition, consensus over conflict, simplicity over self gain, and silence over the constant chatter and distractions of our lives. In How to Live, Judith Valente explores the key elements of the rule and clearly demonstrates how incorporating this ancient wisdom can change the quality and texture of our lives offering a way forward from the divisions gripping our country. These fresh and profound explorations are inspiring and thoughtful, and will motivate readers to live a meaningful life.