Spirituality at Work: August 2010

August Spirituality

By Woodeene Koenig-Bricker

April may be the cruelest month, but August is the oddest, at least to me.  In some parts of the country, it’s still high summer, but in others, it’s time for school to start.  The days can be warm, even hot, but an undercurrent of chill can be felt in the dusk.  The plants are green and verdant, but a hint of color lurks beneath their leaves.  It is a month of the fullness of life and yet the beginning of the end.

Because August is such an odd month, betwixt and between the seasons, I find it ideal for introspection and soul-searching, for renewal of spiritual promises and the letting go, especially of self-recrimination and false guilt.

 That’s why this month, I’m going to suggest that instead of planning for the upsurge of activity the fall will bring, you take a little time to read a good book—not a “beach” novel, but something that will engage your heart and soul.  And no, I’m not going to suggest that you read the Summa or Pope Benedict’s latest encyclical.  It IS still summer, after all.

 Here are a few books that I have found to be heart-changing, even on a second, third or fourth read.  (If you have others you’d like to share, join me on Facebook!)

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis:  Probably the best treatment of heaven and hell I’ve ever read, this modern parable is one I reread every few years.  I particularly love the quote: “Reality is harsh to the feet of shadows.”

Dance of the Dissident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd.  I don’t agree with all of her conclusions, but reading her exploration into the sacred feminine has helped me understand and yes, appreciate, those in my life who have taken a very different path than the one I walk.  I read it to understand, not to judge and in doing so I have been able to deeply reaffirm my own conviction and faith.  Sometimes you have to see what another believes to fully understand what you know to be true.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.  If you’ve never read this classic, close your browser and immediately download it to your e-Reader, go to the library or your local bookstore.  Just get a copy and start reading now.  Justice, prejudice, honor, love…they’re all there, covered in an absolutely unforgettable story.

The Shack by William Paul Young.  It’s been perched on the best-seller list forever and people either love it or hate it, but when I finished reading it, I literally had to sit for a few minutes and ponder what mental picture I’ve carried with me of God.  I was shocked to realize my default image was still Michelangelo’s father figure stretching out his hand to Adam.  Despite all the theology I’ve studied, on some level, I still believed that God was entirely, completely and utterly male.  So reading The Shack has forced me to rethink my idea of god, gender and grace.  Perhaps it will do the same for you.

Finally, In this House of Brede by Rumer Godden.  A haunting novel about a convent of Benedictine nuns, it may be the best piece of fiction about vocation and its challenges ever written.  As for your trivia of the day, Godden converted to Catholicism and lived outside the gate of a convent for three years researching the book.  Not to mention, actors Bruce Willis and Demi Moore named their daughter Rumer after Godden.

Happy reading!