Except that I just came across “The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary” today in the adoration chapel. Someone had left it behind and I never knew such a book existed. This may replace my giant copy of Christian Prayer (alas, large print as well).
I read through all of the comments. I am going to order the one book mentioned so often. Only once did I see, “The Way of the Pilgrim” mentioned. Over the years I have read it a half dozen times and consider it to be one of the best books I have ever read. So I thought I would mention it again. I would think anyone interested in the Jesus Prayer would find this book most valuable.
Would anyone who read the Art of Prayer still recommend the Way of the Pilgrim or is the content similar?
The Way of the Pilgrim is a classic, and I think it’s worth reading.
While I am not the biggest fan of Way of the the Pilgrim, it is certainly worth reading. The main reason that I advise caution when reading it is that its author highly recommends the breathing techniques and mental exercises that other Church Fathers so strongly caution against in the absense of a spiritual guide. That being said, however, the author does make a point of mentioning his own spiritual guide and the necessity of having one. Copies of the Way of the Pilgrim are very easy to come by and very inexpensive. While Art of Prayer is much more thorough in its treatment of prayer in general and the Jesus prayer in particular, Way of the Pilgrim is “a heartwarming tale,” as I’ve heard others describe it. It almost reads like a story my mother would tell about her own spiritual journey, having as it does a kind of “folksy” feel to it. I don’t mean this to denigrate the book at all. I simply mean that the book is written in a very down-to-earth, no-nonsense, no technical theological jargon manner.
While I am not the biggest fan of Way of the the Pilgrim, it is certainly worth reading. The main reason that I advise caution when reading it is that its author highly recommends the breathing techniques and mental exercises that other Church Fathers so strongly caution against in the absense of a spiritual guide. That being said, however, the author does make a point of mentioning his own spiritual guide and the necessity of having one. Copies of the Way of the Pilgrim are very easy to come by and very inexpensive. While Art of Prayer is much more thorough in its treatment of prayer in general and the Jesus prayer in particular, Way of the Pilgrim is “a heartwarming tale,” as I’ve heard others describe it. It almost reads like a story my mother would tell about her own spiritual journey, having as it does a kind of “folksy” feel to it. I don’t mean this to denigrate the book at all. I simply mean that the book is written in a very down-to-earth, no-nonsense, no technical theological jargon manner.
Okay. I see.