Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Book Review: Becoming an Ordinary Mystic

 


Becoming an Ordinary Mystic: Spirituality for the Rest of Us

 If you want to refresh or deepen your spiritual life, this book is for you. Albert Haase’s suggestions will help you connect with God more naturally throughout your day. For instance, he suggests pausing now and then and reflecting on what you experience through your senses. And he then suggests ways to see that experience as a “portal” to connect with God.

 Haase suggests an examination of conscience in light of the 10 Commandments as well as the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-12). We often ponder how to do the right thing when between a rock and a hard place, and this book helps you to develop “cardiac spirituality,” to respond in a way that balances justice with mercy and compassion.

 A chapter on transparency, invites you to “pray from the neck down,” spill your feelings to God when distressed. Haase calls negative emotions “nudgings from God.” He offers healthy comparisons for God—provider, shepherd, etc.—as revealed by Jesus.

 Throughout the pages, you’ll find helpful ways to evaluate where you are on your spiritual journey and you’ll learn very practical doable ways on moving forward. You’ll learn more about how God speaks to you and how to respond. Like the title says, the book is for ordinary people who just want to walk more closely with God.

 Whether a new Christian or have already traveled a long road of spirituality, this book offers insight and challenges you. I borrowed it from the library, but I am going to buy it because I want to reread it and work through some of the exercises that I only scanned.

 Albert Haase is a chaplain and retreat team leader at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center. If you want to deepen your walk with God (and who doesn’t), I highly recommend this book.

 

 




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