A Brief Review of
15 Days of Prayer with Saint John of the Cross
Constant Tonnelier.
New, Updated Edition.
Paperback: New City Press, 2012.
Buy now: [ Amazon ] [ Kindle ]
Reviewed by Scot Martin.
Reviewing a prayer book is a bit like reviewing a chainsaw. One can take the chainsaw out of the box, admire its design, feel its heft, but if the fuel and bar oil tanks remain empty, and the saw not started, what’s the use? How does one judge the efficaciousness of a prayer book anyhow? To go further, how does one mark the success of a prayer life? The Benedictines have a Latin expression ora et labora—prayer and work—they are meant to be one and the same. Prayer is work and one’s labor can become a prayer if approached intentionally. But, if one reads a book on prayer, yet fails to pray, then one can’t claim to have prayed. That kind of labor seems to be in vain.
A successful prayer life is one that is practiced. We could mark off prayers answered, but that seems beside the point. The point of prayer is (to steal from – sigh! – Nike) is to just do it. To pray is what is important, not whether God has given us all the goodies we have asked for (I’m still waiting on a winning Mega Millions lottery ticket). Prayer changes us by bringing our attention to the Father, by thinking about the good and need of others, by asking Christ to help us deal with that ass at the office (or helping us realize that, to paraphrase the prophet Nathan: “We are the ass!”) or trying to be a better spouse, parent, friend, a more generous giver, whatever virtue we might pursue. Prayer is action, quiet, unobtrusive action, but still action.
15 Days of Prayer with Saint John of the Cross is supposed to give one a nudge toward action, or if one already is active, then a nudge out of the shallows and into the deep end of the pool. The book is set up like nearly any other devotional with extended quotes from John’s writing to focus one’s thinking, commentary by the author, and a smattering of Bible verses to back up the points being made, followed by reflection questions at the end.
It is helpful that 15 Days includes a timeline of the eventful life of this Doctor of the Church. He was imprisoned a couple of times by his fellow monks, and during the second time he wrote his best known work, Dark Night of the Soul.
I was disappointed with this slim volume. Perhaps it was just when I read it, perhaps it was just my disposition. As a very recent convert to the Catholic Church, I expected this would be something to deepen and discipline my prayers. I found the commentary to be a bit long for me to focus on for praying. For whatever reason, the good Doctor and I just didn’t connect. That doesn’t mean the book isn’t worthwhile, it appears to be better than much of the dreck that one can pick up in a “Bible Book Store.” John’s mysticism left me cold, perhaps you would find an opposite reaction. There are 25 other “15 Days” books, two with Protestant subjects, and I’m nearly certain there’s one in there for me, and for you for that matter.
So, I give this book a qualified recommendation. Perhaps you, dear reader, can spend better time with Saint John of the Cross than I did.
C. Christopher Smith is the founding editor of The Englewood Review of Books. He is also author of a number of books, including most recently How the Body of Christ Talks: Recovering the Practice of Conversation in the Church (Brazos Press, 2019). Connect with him online at: C-Christopher-Smith.com
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I’ve always thought of pray as my way of telling God how I’m feeling, how grateful I am, my hopes and fears. This looks like a great read, I will certainly check it out.