Saint John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation

St. John of the Cross is the unequalled teacher on reflection in the life of prayer in the history of Christian spirituality. He has been given the title of Mystical Doctor by the Church. This sixteenth-century Carmelite priest, a personal associate of St. Teresa of Avila, was a mystic and poet who penned four major treatises and other writings that have influenced spirituality greatly. St. John of the Cross is an amazing guide for people drawn to a life of intimate personal encounter with God in prayer.

Contemplation is a difficult topic to study and a difficult path to tread in the spiritual life. John of the Cross is regarded as a terrifying character, and his wise counsel has frequently been overlooked. This book dispels such notion and reaffirms the power of his contemplative thoughts. This book makes John of the Cross' teaching on contemplation in prayer attractive and approachable through a wide-ranging discussion on his treatises. It reveals all of the requirements for advancing a soul's contemplative relationships with God. At the heart of this book, a thoughtful soul's never-ending search for God and God's loving pursuit of a soul collide.

Bringing the strands of his ideas together in a comprehensible and orderly fashion can greatly improve our knowledge of prayer and genuine spirituality. The book presents crucial interpretive keys for comprehending St. John of the Cross's works on contemplation and holiness in order to live a contemplative spirituality even in the world.