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Obras de Margaret Bullitt-Jonas

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Many people like this book and find it inspiring. I however, found it frustratingly vague, specifically in regards to her recovery from her eating disorder. Bullitt-Jones writes about her extensive involvement with Overeaters Anonymous (OA), but doesn't tell you how she "worked" the 12 steps, or even what they are (the author assumes the reader knows them). She becomes an Episcopal priest at the end, but she doesn't tell the reader how she made this decision. Why Episcopalianism (other than it was the denomination she grew up in)? It's interesting that she mentions God occasionally, the Holy Spirit once or twice, and Jesus not all. If Christian spirituality (as opposed to a generic "higher power") saved her from a lifetime of binging, why is she so reticent about sharing this?… (más)
 
Denunciada
akblanchard | Jun 2, 2012 |
Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, Christ's Passion, Our Passions, Cowley Publications, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2002, 92 pp., $9.95.

Margaret Bullitt-Jonas's little book is described as seven reflections based on a series of sermons written with "white-hot intensity" during Holy Week 2002. It did not arrive in my hands until Eastertide 2003, but it made me want to return to Holy Week and live it more intentionally.

The Revd Ms Bullitt-Jonas is a priest-associate at All Saints' Episcopal Church in Brookline, Massachusetts. She served for several years as a chaplain to the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church, and has previously published Holy Hunger.

Opening with brief introduction, Ms. Bullitt-Jonas describes how these sermons were written for a Good Friday "Three Hours Service." This would be the first such service at the parish she serves since the events of 9/11, and that is reflected in several of the chapters. She also ties in her environmental activism which is, and should be, as timeless a topic, but I admit being slightly disturbed that, while espousing such concern, there was no indication that the book was printed on recycled paper, or with soy-based inks, or other environmentally-friendlier processes.

Before beginning the reflections, three approaches to prayer are provided. These may be somewhat familiar to even casual biblical students (Ignatian Contemplation, Lectio Divina, Grounding in the Cross), but are concise directions in a pocket-size book that, I believe, may find its way into many pockets.

Each of the seven meditations concludes with a section entitled, "To Ponder in Prayer." These may be useful if, for example, the book were to be used in a group Lenten study, but the texts of the meditations themselves were, to this reviewer, powerful and personal enough to evoke the thoughts tugged for in the prayer questions.

In her first meditation, "Father, forgive them," Ms Bullitt-Jonas reminds us that "forgiveness is almost never a single event but a process," that includes the often difficult honest self-examination, but resulting in our own power to share in the divine life by granting forgiveness ourselves.

"Today you will be with me in paradise" focuses on man's desire to be remembered, to belong, to be made whole. Our joy, says the author, is not only in having mercy and acceptance given to us, but in sharing it with others.

The third meditation, "Woman, behold your son" speaks to our need for connection, for community -- the horizontal arm of the cross -- which in Ms Bullitt-Jones' view encompasses not only human beings but all of creation.

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" is the fourth meditation. Messages from much of the evangelical movement can lead us to believe that you, too, can be recovered, not recovering, with the right faith-based initiative; you, too, can have the house and car of your dreams if only in right relationship with Christ. On the contrary, Ms Bullitt-Jones says, "a faith that believes God will not let us suffer is not a Gospel faith." However, the pain and void felt when we think God has abandoned us is, with faith and trust, filled with God. It is, she says, the crucifixion of Christ we are sharing and where we may be most open to him.

In "I thirst, we are reminded that the popular secular culture speaks powerfully and efficiently with consumer answers to what are, really, our spiritual needs and desires. "How would our lives be changed," she asks, "if everything we did, from making our biggest decisions to carrying out the smallest, most mundane tasks of the day, were made with the awareness that we were doing these things with Jesus, for Jesus, and to Jesus?"

"It is finished," asks us to examine what we are to do with our lives, our gifts, our role in creation. Where do your joys and the world's needs meet?

The final meditation, "Father, into your hands," advises us to "let go and let God." The concerns and travails, as well as the treasures and achievements of this world are, after all, of this world. We are only free when we open ourselves entirely to God.

This is an easily approachable book and, while written with a particular Church season in mind, commendable to any who may be experiencing their own Passion Week.

[COVENANT, Number 16, December 2003] http://covpubs.org/cov/iss16/
… (más)
 
Denunciada
jocraddock | Oct 1, 2008 |

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Obras
4
También por
1
Miembros
121
Popularidad
#164,307
Valoración
3.8
Reseñas
2
ISBNs
7

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