How I found a rare and old book

I just finished reading The Seven Storey Mountain. Definitely, I will reread it again next time. So I need to find another to read. Luckily, I stumbled upon a book that I was looking for a long time already. This is how it happened:

I remember in our retreat last March before our first profession of vows, our novice director gave us an excerpt of a book. We were on a one-week retreat in the Trappistine Monastery in South Cotabato. The excerpt was the first exercise of the book Sadhana, which means spirituality. After reading this, I decided to look after this book and get a copy. It’s not easy since it cannot be found in our bookstores here in the country.

Last Friday, our community decided to clean our library since no one is maintaining it due to the lack of a librarian. We re-shelved the books left by some of our brothers who graduated last October. Because of the re-shelving, I got more familiar where to look the books I might be interested reading on the future. But I did not think of Sadhana.

Last Tuesday before our classes starts, I tried to look for a copy of General Directory for Catechesis (GDC). I saw some copies of it during our re-shelving. Before I went up to the library, our Dean of Studies saw me and called my name. I was running that time. I know it was rude but I said “wait” since our classes are about to start and I need to see a book. So I hurriedly looked for the book. During the search, I ended up seeing the book Sadhana by Anthony de Mello. I grabbed it and decided not to pick the GDC. So I have the book I was looking for a long time as I went back to the Dean.

And that’s how I found a rare old book.

Sunday Reflection: How a water drum inspired me

Introduction: This is the first time I will post a Lectio Divina (Diving Reading) Reflection. As a Marist young Brother, I don’t give sermons. But like a teacher (or a future teacher), I can give my personal experiences. I’ll do it the WordPress way. Just pardon my English. Continue reading →

How to read a spiritual conversion story?

“Father, I want to become a Catholic”, said Thomas Merton to a priest.

It’s taking me a long time to finish the book The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton. It’s an autobiographical account of a Trappist Monk on how he, from being a self-confessed “atheist”, became a Catholic and a monk. I just borrowed the book from our teacher since he mentioned it class and I asked for a copy. It is 500-plus pages long and I don’t mind taking a leisurely pace in reading this book. You might accuse me of being lazy since I really am. The book has been with me since June and I have been able to finish a number of books ahead of Merton’s book. Whenever I feel like reading the book, I pick it up and just read it until I get hooked then just stop and reflect. When I read a spiritual book, I change my reading habit. In this book, though I read slowly, my interest doesn’t wane easily and I reread some parts and just ponder. It’s unlike any other books where I read them like I’m just listening to a song. With The Seven Storey Mountain, it’s like I’m reading poetry. Merton mentioned a lot of poets but I would like to focus on Gerard Manley Hopkins, a convert to Catholicism who later on joined the Jesuits as a priest. I think Merton, a self-confessed “atheist”, was inspired by the poems and the life of Hopkins that it pushed him to finally become a Catholic. I have yet to read what happens next since I’m only halfway of the book. I’ll be writing again once I got “struck” again.