Review by Glynden Bode
This book is not about spiritual direction or retreat leadership. It is the encyclical letter from Pope Francis on our “common home” – and has much to say about living in community, and the intrinsic worth of each created being, regardless of purpose or personal benefit to another.
Here are a few quotes:
- We have forgotten that we ourselves are dust of the earth; our very bodies are made up of her elements, we breathe her air and we receive life and refreshment from her waters. (2)
- As Christians, we are also called “to accept the world as a sacrament of communion, as a way of sharing with God and our neighbours on a global scale. …” (9)
- [God] shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace. (10)
- The external deserts in the world are growing, because the internal deserts have become so vast. (217)
- We are always capable of going out of ourselves towards the other. (208)
- The majority of people living on our planet profess to be believers. This should spur religions to dialogue among themselves for the sake of protecting nature, defending the poor, and building networks of respect and fraternity. (201)
It’s a short book, and well worth taking time to read and ponder.