For over forty years, John Garvey was the "ballast" of Commonweal magazine. His award-winning essays and consistently notable columns revealed not only his acuity and alacrity, but his uncommon spiritual insight. These in turn provided momentum and substance for whatever followed in an issue of the magazine because Garvey never hesitated to wrestle with some of the most challenging and intractable topics of the day, and did so with a rich pastoral sensitivity, and a refreshing and rare intelligence. Only Wonder Comprehends gleans from John Garvey's many contributions to Commonweal that reflect his spiritual depth and deep appreciation of history, politics, theology, and culture. Steeped in the Christian tradition, Garvey loved to write and, in return, his readers relished what he wrote. It is hoped that this collection of his writings from Commonweal will inspire readers to cultivate a similar sense of attentiveness and commitment, for as the author himself observed, "Religious traditions are meant to transform us, not to affirm us as we are."

For over forty years, John Garvey was the “ballast” of Commonweal magazine. His award-winning essays and consistently notable columns revealed not only his acuity and alacrity, but his uncommon spiritual insight. These in turn provided momentum and substance for whatever followed in an issue of the magazine because Garvey never hesitated to wrestle with some of the most challenging and intractable topics of the day, and did so with a rich pastoral sensitivity, and a refreshing and rare intelligence. Only Wonder Comprehends gleans from John Garvey’s many contributions to Commonweal that reflect his spiritual depth and deep appreciation of history, politics, theology, and culture. Steeped in the Christian tradition, Garvey loved to write and, in return, his readers relished what he wrote. It is hoped that this collection of his writings from Commonweal will inspire readers to cultivate a similar sense of attentiveness and commitment, for as the author himself observed, “Religious traditions are meant to transform us, not to affirm us as we are.”

Do you have trouble praying? Do you get easily disconcerted? Aggravated? Depressed? Stressed? Anxious? Do you have low self-esteem? Lack a sense of self-worth and self-acceptance? Do you feel socially inadequate? Are you having problems loving and being loved? Do you feel disillusioned in your marriage? Lonely in your single life? Are you bored with the routine of your daily living and relating? With stories, both inspirational and humorous, references to Scripture, movies, novels, TV programs as well as to religious leaders and the works of spiritual writers, the author draws you into the intimacy of the life of the Trinity dwelling within you and you within the Indwelling Trinity. In this dynamism, the world of mystical experience opens up to you and lures you in.

The title of this book, Shhh! The Sound of Sheer Silence: A Biblical Spirituality that Transforms, comes from the biblical narrative about the prophet Elijah experiencing God on a mountain in a sound of sheer silence. Many people seek a way of life that involves silence because it nourishes the individual spirit connected to Spirit. Developing a spirituality of silence enables the individual spirit to connect to the divine Spirit. The transformation that occurs through silence here and now is an experience of what awaits after the last transfiguring experience of our lives: death. The goal of this book is to foster a spirituality of silence as it flows from the Bible. Through the sounds of sheer silence, the reader develops a biblical spirituality that transforms him or her into a raised awareness of, a deeper knowledge of, and a closer relationship with the divine.

The new scientific paradigm of 'embodied mind' or 'situated cognition' is percolating into popular mind science, but its fundaments, autopoiesis and structural coupling, have never been thoroughly explained. Combines the paradigm shift in biology initiated by Maturana and Varela with the recent rush of ideas in social neuroscience to create what hopes to be a refreshingly new explanation of the way our mind works in our everyday experience and reveals the most common blind spots in what we thought we knew about our mind. These blind spots are spoiling our individual lives and harming our prospects for peaceful coexistence and care of our environment, e.g., the mistaken ideas that meaning is transferable, that decisions come from conscious awareness, or that knowledge is a commodity. The biological significance of love and the value of embracing uncertainty and respecting the unknown point to a very hopeful vision for our future. This is a scientific explanation of mind, leavened with process philosophy, also invoking spirituality without any religious connotation.

In these elegant and engaging essays, the internationally acclaimed Thomist, Josef Pieper, defines and defends philosophy as the search for and love of wisdom. True philosophy is not the work of joyless academics pondering over esoteric writings that have no relation to real life. Rather, the philosophical act, in which all reasonable men can participate, begins in wonder at what is, and gratitude for what is given, and ends in love. In his encyclical letter Fides et Ratio (On the Relationship between Faith and Reason), Pope John Paul II called for a revitalization of true philosophy, for man can find fulfillment ಜonly in choosing to enter the truth, to make a home under the shade of Wisdom and dwell there.ಝ Pieperಙs essays make the same ardent and convincing plea. Josef Pieper is renowned for having popularized the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas, a brilliant student of St. Thomas who, in his own voluminous works, has made the deep thought of the ಜAngelic Doctorಝ more accessible and understandable to the modern reader.

A cell phone and a red light strip away the protective framework of Lauren Alexander's life. Knowing she was adopted while her parents still lived was one thing. With them gone, only one man knows the answers to all of the questions in her head""tabloid prince and major league pitcher Jack Mallory. Can the faith of a fifteen-year-old girl dealing with her own grief challenge the demons of her biological father's past to get the answers she wants? Can Jack see Lauren as more than the ghost of her dead mother?

With the sensitivity born of time and experience, Charles Hoffacker presents an unusually warm and caring approach to preaching at a pivotal transition in human life, one which goes to the very heart of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Hoffacker teaches the reader, whether a seasoned preacher or a novice homilist, to find the key to unlocking the mystery of Jesus' promise of eternal life in a mortal life now ended.

In a society always seeking the new and novel, Christians can become more grounded and mature through a retrieval of our common tradition. Alex Sosler sets forth the "transcendentals" of truth, goodness, and beauty--along with community--to help readers follow the way of Jesus. Weaving together church history, theology, and devotional practice, Sosler offers a holistic introduction to spiritual formation, encompassing biblical truth, the pursuit of the good life, the contemplation of God, and communal belonging. Each section includes a biblical and historical precedent for the tradition and highlights an exemplar from church history: Augustine on truth, Dorothy Day on goodness, Teresa of Ávila on beauty, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer on church commitment and community. This accessible book provides avenues for a broader and deeper spirituality that can shape the complexity of our souls. It is ideal for undergraduate students and as a formation primer for church adult education classes, classical schools, and homeschooling communities.