The Glenstal Book of Readings for the Seasons

This is a feast for persons of faith in Jesus Christ. A volume of essays scoured from great scholars, past and recent. It is a treasure trove to enrich a believer's understanding of church liturgy. Upon 2nd or 3rd reading, the width and depth of each contribution is revealed, building faith and grasping some little bit of the overwhelming love of God for all humanity from the birth of the first human. We are confronted by many images of an impossible God who did the greatest deed of folly, beyond imagining, this God did not just become a human being but a human who failed, was mocked, assaulted and murdered dying as a contemptible slave hated by most who came across his path.I would mention one name, Odo Casels whose passion for liturgy burns in these pages.This book is a lifetime companion to be devoured over and over.

This little book gets five stars for content.. The readings are tightly keyed to the Matins Office readings and are substantial excerpts from mainly modern theologians and religious writers: e.g. Martin Buber, Raymond Brown etc. So the ideas presented are complex and often challenging. My complaint is that I want more. Only the major Seasonal Propers are covered: Advent, Lent, and Easter, though there are daily readings for these. No readings are offered for Ordinary Time nor for Saints' Feasts. This is a project that cries out for fuller development.

This is a very worthwhile anthology. It provides a thoughtful selection of commentaries on both scripture and feasts which would otherwise be hard to find. The commentaries are of high quality and provoke contemplation. This is a book to read each year during the liturgical seasons it covers.

Great book for having additional readings during the recitation of the hours. It provides seasonal readings that stir the soul and guides one through the seasonal celebrations.

The readings are a collection of the best spiritual writers of our time. It is a joy and honour to enter these readingsfrom this great monastery.

Let me share with you what I recently read on this intriguing subject: Sabbath. Alexander Schmemann in the introduction to "Liturgical Theology" makes good use of the question. His excerpt, titled, "The Day of the Lord," does remind us of the history of Sabbath. He notes Constantine, the emperor, who introduced a day of rest ("day of the sun") that he made an obligatory day of rest. We as Christians reflect on Saturday as a day of rest, and indicate to ourselves the Lord's Day as a day of meditation, Church, and time to renew. I think of it as a day of rest.The essay notes that Sunday, the seventh day, is converted into a kind of "prototype" Christian day of rest. "Converted" is the word used by Schmemann, as is "prototype," and they are well chosen.What intrigued me most, and captured my imagination in this excerpt appearing in the "Glenstal Book of Readings for the Season," was the Eighth day, a kind of mystical concept of depth, perhaps in line with the mystical depths of Israel. Beyond the days of the week, the Eighth day "is the first day of the New Aeon," what we can call the day of the Messiah (his time). It is the first day after creation, so Schmemann points out in this reading for Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent.I do like the quote he uses, and it is from Enoch. I repeat it here: "that the eighth day be the first after my creation, that in the beginning of the eighth millennium there be a time without reckoning, everlasting, without years, months, weeks, days or ours."Interested in this excellent book of readings I've noted in this short note regarding the Sabbath, which became for Christians the Lord's Day instead of the traditional Hebrew Saturday. Though not a Christian "equivalent," but a question of time. For we do note the creation of the world, and that the Almighty rested on Saturday. We note the "goodness" of the world, for from the beginning, "It was very good." We hold joy on Saturday and can in memory, however brief on that Satuday, give thanks for all created things. I must say, Alexander Schmemann writes and intriguing entry, and so I have shared it here with you reader.By the way, "The Glenstal Book of Readings for the Seasons" is published by Liturgical Press. It is neatly small, and a lovely little book with a leather cover. The entire book is 317 pages. This is but one rich and imaginative comment from the work, and I trust intriguing and a good reminder of our Day of Rest, and the Lord's Day.--Peter Menkin, Holy Week 2009 (Monday)

Great little book and something I shall be using throughout the highlights of the liturgical year, thank you again.

I am not a great fan of kindle and wish I had sent for the hard copy instead, have read more inspirational material but I haven't read it all yet

Really useful guide to prayer

I found this very deep and wordy. I wanted a book with readings, reflections and prayers but found tis heavy going

This is a very interesting slim volume that can be used in conjunction with a prayer program such as the Liturgy of the Hours or another similar volume. It gives insightful readings on seasonal celebrations of the Church by "modern" (20th century) authors. I'm not sure where St. Benedict is in all of this.Personally, I was thinking it was a volume of readings from various Church Fathers of the early Christian Church.It stimulates the thinking process for sure and gives a deeper understanding of the Christian seasons.