Mary Ford-Grabowsky is the author of Sacred Voices and WomanPrayers. She is a teacher and scholar of mysticism who holds a doctorate in theology and spirituality from Princeton Theological Seminary. She was editor-in-chief of Sacred Journey, the journal of Fellowship in Prayer. Ford-Grabowsky has been the vice-president and academic dean of the University of Creation Spirituality in Oakland, California, and is an active member of the board of trustees.
In this paperback, she shares her interest in the Way of Light, which follows the footsteps of the Risen Christ and his friends for the 50 days from the dawn of Easter Sunday through Pentecost. Here are 14 stations similar to the Stations of the Cross; they were blessed by Pope John Paul II in 1994. Included are the appearances of Jesus to Mary Magdalene in Jerusalem, to the travelers on the road to Emmaus, to the disciples in Jerusalem, and others. Ford-Grabowsky wants Christians to meditate on these events and images as a devotional practice.
She salutes the Way of Light as a path bringing the gifts of a joy that will not stop, contemplative living, peace and happiness, compassion, reverence, the courage to be yourself, help letting the ego go, and optimism about the future. In a chapter on "How to Practice the Way of Light," the author suggests a series of activities, giving specifics for each station. These are relaxation and centering, reading the story, imagining yourself in the story, meditation, journal reflection, insights and illuminations, releasing your creativity, prayer for today, asking for a spiritual gift, and giving back to community. She also includes other practices that would be appropriate, including creating a mandala, using sacred gestures, and praying with a mantra. In addition to these general instructions, Ford-Grawbowsky explains how each of them would be applied to each station.
This is a valuable introduction to what we expect will become a popular devotional practice.
