SPRING 2013 - Ignatius Press

new SPRING books
Contemplative Provocations E
Father Donald Haggerty
great many religious people undertake, at least
A for a time, a serious dedication to prayer. They
are moved by a longing for a deeper encounter
with God, and the possibility of this beckons them
as a distant light at night on the sea. Yet far fewer
in number become true contemplative souls, for it
is difficult to continue the quest for God in the face
of many obstacles.
For those who are spiritually courageous and
full of desire for God, this book cannot but provoke
them to begin or to persevere in this ultimate
adventure in life—the more complete discovery
of the living God. Thematically unified by the
notion of God’s ultimate transcendence to our limited
human knowledge, Contemplative Provocations
offers a rich profusion of insights on the life of
prayer and the pursuit of God.
A key to spiritual growth is the understanding
that the hiddenness of God becomes a paradox in
the experience of a soul seeking him wholeheartedly.
Rather than enjoying a more intimate familiarity
with God, the soul advancing in prayer is likely
to experience more intensely, more provocatively,
the concealment of God. This surprising truth
undergirds true contemplative prayer. It is a reason
why every contemplative soul, and every saint, is
inflamed with a never satisfied thirst for God.
“This is a masterful work. It contains a tremendous
amount of very helpful spiritual advice.”
Fr. Joseph Koterski, S.J., Fordham University
“The work has the feel and style of a spiritual
classic, and I hope it will be recognized as one.”
Fr. John J. Coughlin, O.F.M.,
University of Notre Dame
Fr. Donald Haggerty, of the Archdiocese of New
York, is a Professor of Moral Theology at the Capuchin
Institute of Philosophy and Theology in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia. He previously taught at Saint
Joseph’s Seminary in New York and Mount Saint
Mary’s Seminary in Maryland. He is the editor of
Modern Moral Problems by Msgr. William B. Smith.
COPR-P . . . 200 pp, Sewn Softcover, $16.95
E indicates availability as an e-Book on ignatius.com
A indicates availability as an audio download on ignatius.com
9
Fire of Mercy,
Heart of the Word • vol. iii E
Meditations on the Gospel
According to Saint Matthew
Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis
To the unstudied eye, St. Matthew’s gospel can
seem a terse narrative, almost a historical document
and not the tremendously spiritual (and doctrinal)
storehouse that it is. In his third volume of
meditations on Matthew (chapters 19-25), Erasmo
Leiva continues to show Matthew’s prose to be not
terse so much as economical-astoundingly so given
its depth. The lay reader can derive great profit
from reading this. Each short meditation comments
on a verse or two, pointing to some facet of the text
not immediately apparent, but rich with meaning.
Leiva’s work is scholarly but eminently
approachable by the lay reader. The tone is very
much of “taste and see how good the Lord is” and
an invitation of “friend, come up higher!”. The goal
of the book is to help the reader experience the heat
of the divine heart and the light of the divine Word.
Leiva comments on the Greek text, demonstrating
nuances in the text that defy translation. He
uses numerous quotes from the Fathers and the
Liturgy of the Church to demonstrate the way the
Tradition has lived and read the Word of God. His
theological reflection vivifies doctrine by seeking
its roots in the words and actions of Jesus.
“This is a biblical commentary with
scholarship and, above all, a prayerfulness that is
a great gift to the Church.”
Sr. Wendy Beckett, OCD
Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Ph.D., was formerly a
Professor of Literature and Theology at the University
of San Francisco. Now a Trappist monk, he is
the author of Vols. 1 & 2 of Fire of Mercy, plus The
Way of the Disciple and Love’s Sacred Order.
FMHW3-P . . . 870 pp, Sewn Softcover, $31.95
—Also in this series (see p. 35)—
Fire of Mercy, Heart of the Word, Vol. 1 E
FMHW-P . . . 746 pp, Sewn Softcover, $31.95
Fire of Mercy, Heart of the Word, Vol. 2 E
FMHW2-P . . . 800 pp, Sewn Softcover, $31.95
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