One of the marvelous spin-offs of the Christian theology of the incarnation is that it hallows everyday objects and makes them fit vehicles for the transport of grace. We come to these things through our senses and find that as part of God's creation, they are good. Unfortunately, materialism has tainted many objects, making them significant only for our greedy impulses. We desperately need a revised understanding of things as signs of God's presence in our lives, not as burdens weighing us down.
Kathleen Finley speaks regularly about family life and spirituality at workshops around the country. She is also an instructor in the Religious Studies Department at Gonzaga University. In this user-friendly paperback, she helps us sense the sacramental value of such things as a comb, a seed, a rock, or a shoe. Items from the natural world, personal objects, and everyday objects are used as touchstones for prayer.
Each chapter has five parts: an opening prayer, a guided meditation on a specific object, related scripture passages, a reflection on the object and its role in our lives, and a closing section with suggestions on putting our prayer into action. Finley applies her senses to nature and appreciates the sun as a sign that we can bask in God's love. Rain, since it can't be controlled or predicted, is a message about grace. She looks at a rock and comes up with a fresh insight into the sturdiness of faith.
We have always enjoyed any prayer practices that bring us closer to a reverence for things. Finley stands in front of a mirror and delights in the image of God in her flesh. Brushing her hair she celebrates the manifold ways in which God loves her. Even underwear can be an occasion to give thanks to the Creator for our bodies and the way they have carried us through the years. This is a delightful devotional resource that will bring your conversations with God down to earth.
