Books published by Paraclete Press

What Will Soon Take Place is an imaginative journey through the book of Revelation. It offers a poet's view of the prophetic, a means of taking this strange, fantastic book of scripture and letting it read its way into personal lives.

Deepen your spiritual life in 2015 using this simple devotional, filled with short readings of classic Catholic wisdom and spiritual practice. This book includes a daily reflection, phrases from Holy Scripture, and brief prayers.

When Dottie Connell adopts her best friend's daughter out of a combination of spite and loyalty, she must confront her ideas on motherhood, sexuality, and God. This novel spans ten years in Dottie's life. It explores the mysteries of grace, the bargaining of birthright, and the power of vows.

Butcher's life of St. Benedict is an excellent example of modern hagiography, written with imagination in a contemporary style based on historical facts and tradition.

Rooted in the grit of urban Baltimore and the forests of rural Massachusetts, these poems remind us that life's tensions and polarities are energies we carry within ourselves.

A daily devotional reader to guide lovers of the Word through the forty days of Lent and Easter, rich with spiritual insight from leading Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox writersExplore the meaning of Lent, its importance in spiritual formation, its significance in the preparation for Easter, and throughout the holy season of Christ''s Resurrection. Leading North American spiritual writers reflect on what one theologian has called the “bright sadness” of Lent: that it is not about feeling broken and lost, but about cleansing the palate so we can taste and live life more fully. During Lent and Easter, we encounter the God who in all of life is for us—for our liberation, for our healing, for our wholeness. Even in death we can find resurrection.In God For Us readers will find:- Daily readings with scriptures, meditations, and prayers, beautiful edited by Greg Pennoyer and Gregory Wolfe- One beloved spiritual writer featured each weekIntroduction: Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, OMIShrove Tuesday and the First Week of Lent: Richard Rohr, OFMSecond Week of Lent: Lauren F. WinnerThird Week of Lent: Scott CairnsFourth Week of Lent: James SchaapFifth Week of Lent: Luci ShawHoly Week and Easter: Kathleen Norris- Studies throughout the forty days on "The Feasts and Fasts of Lent" by Beth Bevis 

This book is a translation of major selections from: Protoierei Aleksandr Men. Prakticheskoe rukovodstvo k molitve. Second expanded edition, with the blessing of His Eminence Yuvenaly, the Metropolitan of Krutitsk and Kolomna. Moscow: Fond imeni Aleksandra Menia, 1995.

Drawing on her own experience of losing her young husband to cancer, in this poignant offering, Lisa B. Hamilton accommodates the practice of fixed-hour prayer for those who mourn.

"e;I challenge you to get through a chapter of this book without a desire for God being struck in your soul. Roger Owens wears his brilliance lightly and loves words tenderly and lavishly in these pages. He is ferociously gifted, and fast becoming one of the abbas to whom the reading church often turns for a word from the Lord."e; -Jason Byassee, Senior Pastor of Boone United Methodist Church and a Fellow in Theology & Leadership at Duke Divinity SchoolWith a style and warmth of presentation that will remind readers of Henri Nouwen's most popular work, Abba Give Me a Word interweaves the author's personal stories of struggle - and transformation - with reflections on the history and purpose of spiritual direction. The result is a wise introduction to an ancient art and practice of "e;soul care"e; - directed at Christians of all backgrounds. "e;This is a guide for those eager for a serious yet joyful journey from isolation to communion. It is about companionship on the greatest journey anyone can undertake. It is about kindness in the old sense of the word."e; -Alan Jones - Dean Emeritus of Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, and the author of Soul Making

Voted Best Book of 2010 by Englewood Review of Books"e;In whatever place you live, do not easily leave it."e; -Abba AnthonyIn an age where we might email a friend in Africa, skype a co-worker in Brazil, and teleconference with people in different time zones-all in one day-the sheer speed of life can be dizzying. Like children stumbling off a merry-go-round, says Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, we are grasping for something to anchor our lives in a sea of constant change. In The Wisdom of Stability, Wilson-Hartgrove illuminates the biblical and monastic understanding of why staying in one place is both a virtue and good for you. "e;For the Christian tradition,"e; he writes, "e;the heart's true home is a life rooted in the love of God."e; When we cultivate an inner stability of heart - by rooting ourselves in the places where we live, engaging the people we are with, and by the simple rhythms of tending to body and soul - true growth can happen. The Wisdom of Stability is a must-read for pastors, leaders, and anyone seeking an authentic path of Christian transformation.

An invitation to pray as the early Christians once did

Received an Award of Merit from Christianity Today, 2009 and chosen as one of the Top 10 Religion Books of 2009 by Publishers WeeklyIs there meaning in our afflictions?With the thoughtfulness of a pilgrim and the prose of a poet, Scott Cairns takes us on a soul-baring journey through "e;the puzzlement of our afflictions."e; Probing ancient Christian wisdom for revelation in his own pain, Cairns challenges us toward a radical revision of the full meaning and breadth of human suffering. Clear-eyed and unsparingly honest, this new addition to the literature of suffering is reminiscent of The Year of Magical Thinking as well as the works of C. S. Lewis. Cairns points us toward hope in the seasons of our afflictions, because "e;in those trials in our lives that we do not choose but press through-a stillness, a calm, and a hope become available to us."e;"e;The extreme greatness of Christianity lies in the fact that it does not seek a supernatural remedy for suffering, but a supernatural use for it."e; -Simone Weil"e;Like most people I, too, have been blindsided by personal grief now and again over the years. And I have an increasingly keen sense that, wherever I am, someone nearby is suffering now. For that reason, I lately have settled in to mull the matter over, gathering my troubled wits to undertake a difficult essay, more like what we used to call an assay, really-an earnest inquiry. I am thinking of it just now as a study in suffering, by which I hope to find some sense in affliction, hoping-just as I have come to hope about experience in general-to make something of it."e;Scott Cairns is the author of six collections of poetry including Compass of Affection, and the memoir Short Trip to the Edge. His poetry and nonfiction have been included in Best American Spiritual Writing and other anthologies. His poems have appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, The Paris Review, and The New Republic. He is Professor of English and Director of Creative Writing at the University of Missouri.

Here is another gem from the treasury of Basil Pennington's fertile and mature spiritual mind and heart. Dr. Tilden Edwards

Rabbi Sasso explores how Midrash originated, how it is still used today, and offers new translations and interpretations of more than twenty essential Midrash texts.

Gregory Floyd's autobiographical journey through grief after the tragic death of his youngest son recounts the full impact of such a loss on a Christian family. In this thoroughly updated and expanded edition, Floyd more than ever before allows the reader into his heart as he grapples with the interior emotions that question the goodness of God in the midst of unbearable grief. With honesty and candor, this loving father openly reveals the depths of his pain as he struggles to maintain his faith and provide leadership for the rest of his family. He reflect on what it is like to live with the grief fifteen years on, as he watches his other children mature, get married, and begin lives fully on their own. "e;An extraordinary accountat once emotionally devastating, at times spiritually exhilarating, and most of the time both at once."e; -- First Things"e;This is no ordinary book about grief. Gregory Floyd writes from the depth of a father's heart with sensitivity and spiritual reality."e; --Thomas J. Monaghan Founder of Domino's PizzaUltimately a story of profound hope and healing, A Grief Unveiled offers encouragement and empathy not only to those who have experienced the agony of parental bereavement, but to anyone who has suffered a loss.

Revelations of Divine Love, the first book ever written in English by a woman---is dense, deeply intuitive, and theologically complex. The last thirty years have seen several translations, some academic, others literal, but none quite like this one which capture's Julian's deepest meanings and liberates her inspired insights. "e;This elegant translation of a wonderful spiritual classic makes Julian of Norwich beautifully accessible to the modern reader. And that is almost the pearl without price."e; -- Archbishop Desmond Tutu

he Imitation of Christ has enjoyed an unparalleled place in the world of books for more than five hundred years. 5000 different editions have been published over the centuries, and it has been translated into almost every language in the world. Why is this little book so valued? The Imitation of Christ transcends its era and author, having become a testament that speaks to the perennial human condition on the issues of our human relationship to God. It offers insight that is unparalleled in works before and since. The wisdom of Thomas a Kempis is for every age, for every person who seeks to live a more integrated spiritual life of seeking and finding, doing and being still. Br. Benet Tvedten writes a new introduction for this special edition. He brings his trademark insight and humor to bear on the lessons of The Imitation of Christ for every generation.

Kamienska came of age during the horrors of the Nazi occupation of Poland and lived under Communism. These experiences, as well as the sudden death of her husband, led her to engagement with the Bible and the great religious thinkers of the 20th century.Her poems record the struggles of a rational mind with religious faith, addressing loneliness and uncertainty in a remarkably direct, unsentimental manner. Her spiritual quest has resulted in extraordinary poems on Job, other biblical personalities, and victims of the Holocaust. Other poems explore the meaning of loss, grief, and human life. Still, her poetry expresses a fundamentally religious sense of gratitude for her own existence and that of other human beings, as well as for myriad creatures, such as hedgehogs, birds and "young leaves willing to open up to the sun."

Join Wayne Weible and the six original visionaries to pray with the Blessed Virgin Mary. This warm invitation to personal prayer includes unique morning prayers given to Weible over the course of the last twenty-five years, as well as meditations on the rosary that have been inspired by the Virgin's messages at Medjugorje.

Jews have been celebrating the Passover through a special meal, called a seder, for millenia. Jesus himself celebrated the Passover feast with his disciples in what we refer to as The Last Supper. In this special book, co-authored by a rabbi and a pastor, we have the unique opportunity to experience an authentic Jewish Passover seder, from a distinctively Christian perspective. There are many haggadot used in Jewish homes and synagogues, but this one offers meaningful insights on how Christians can both learn from Judaism as a means of deepening their Christian faith, and better understand the Jewishness of Jesus. Always respectful of the differences between Judaism and Christianity, this Passover guide provides:*a complete guide (plan and script) to a meaningful seder experience*a deeper knowledge of the great themes of the Exodus story, in combination with Christian insights*rich opportunities for a better understanding Lent and Holy Week*a fuller knowledge of why Jesus placed such importance on the universal themes of slavery, freedom, and community around the seder table. "e;Explores the rich liturgy of the Passover seder from both the Jewish and Christian traditions without compromising the distinctive beliefs of either faith tradition. Smith and Shapiro have given us a model of interfaith cooperation, based on their evident respect for one another, that contributes to greater mutual understanding. A splendid contribution to worship education!"e;-Timothy George, dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University; executive editor of Christianity Today"e;If Christian churches choose to observe Passover, this is the resource they should use. . . . a comprehensive but easy-to-use tool for broadening and deepening their understanding of Passover. -Jan Turentine, Managing Editor, Acacia Resources, Baptist Center for Ethics

Travel with Wayne Weible as he witnesses miracles of healing and reconciliation worldwide and in his own family. Be challenged to find your own heart's mission.

The modern liturgical movement owes a great debt to Solesmes monk DomEugène Cardine (1905-1988), whose tireless research in the ancientmanuscripts uncovered the elusive secrets of Gregorian Rhythm, thusrevealing some of the original pristine beauty of Gregorian chant. In thisvolume, Dom Cardine sums up the origin, decline, and restoration of thechant, and challenges researchers to continue his work.

Kristin LeMay traces the dimensions of Dickinson's spiritual life and tells the story of her own search for God between the lines of the poems that Dickinson called "hymns."

Amazing Nearness is a beautiful, personal, priestly reflection on the importance of Eucharistic adoration in Catholic life. Father Dajczer wants you to discover the joy and profound gift that comes when you truly encounter Jesus in the Eucharist.

The Orthodox Liturgy is not just an act of worship, but a potentially life-changing journey. Fr Papavassiliou takes you through this journey with clarity and passion, exploring the Liturgy as a reflection of heavenly worship, and an invitation to enter the Kingdom of God.

Teresa of Avila articulated for all of us the wondrous interior landscape of prayer. Journey with her through a week of prayer and meditation. Pray the psalms and confessions Teresa prayed. Use her words for meditation, and become acquainted with the wisdom of the saints who made such an impact on Teresa's spiritual growth and practice. Each day of the week includes morning and evening prayer, and there is a topic for every day, based on themes that emerge from Teresa's life and work. "e;It is love alone that gives worth to all things."e; -Teresa of Avila

Idiot Pslams was called the "Best Poetry Book of the Year" by Englewood Review of Books.

Hope and healing for those who suddenly find themselves in the most terrible sort of grief.