Book Review: "Too Deep for Words"

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is part of a series of book reviews featured monthly in The Globe. The review is sponsored by the Religious Education Media Center as a service to those interested in developing their own spirituality. Books featured in this column can be borrowed from the diocesan media center.

You may request this or other books by writing Deacon Larry Sitzman, Religious Education Media Center, 1821 Jackson St., Sioux City, IA 51102, e-mail him at larrys@scdiocese.org or phone (712) 255-7933.

March 11, 2004

Father Jim Bruch offers this review on "Too Deep for Words", by Thelma Hall, R.C. The book was published by Paulist Press, copyrighted in 1988. To order this book from the diocesan media center ask for book - pr 2022.

If there is anyone reading this who is totally satisfied with the quality and time spent in prayer, this book is probably not for you. Sister Thelma Hall gives such a simple and yet profound introduction to contemplative prayer, and makes one aware that this is not just for cloistered nuns or monks. It is there for anyone who wants to respond to that hunger we all seem to have for real communication with our God.

If anyone is really interested in improving their prayer life, I highly recommend this book. Perhaps I have just arrived lately to a better understanding of what leads to contemplation, but this short treatise by Thelma Hall has to rank toward the very top in aiding us to understand a wonderful process that leads to real contemplation.

Sister Thelma Hall is a member of the Religious of the Cenacle. She has been involved in spiritual direction since 1974, and so she writes with considerable experience.

The title of this book is itself an invitation to take and digest what is within its covers.

The first 56 pages gives probably one of the finest descriptions of reading Scripture, meditation and contemplation that I have ever read. The second part of this book gives over 500 selected Scripture passages that one can turn to, with specific themes for each part, such as accepting love, anxiety, Call to Conversion, etc.

In her research, she kept noticing that in the monks schedule, there was always ample time set apart for "reading." Further study brought her the knowledge that this reading was Sacred Scripture. As both her research and own personal experience testify, the reading of Scripture led to meditation and then to contemplation.

(Father Jim Bruch is pastor at St. Joseph Church in Milford.)