Holiness

by Donald Nicholl

Goodness cannot be produced by any kind of trick or technique. Moreover who wants to be caught reading a book entitled Holiness? But people do read books on holiness, hoping to grow in holiness. And those who write them do so for the same reason.

Genres: Spirituality, Christian

162 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1981

Reviews

[eryk · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book. Simple, accessible, deep, interesting. A how-to-be-holy book, as unabashedly described by the author, a British lay Catholic with a wide culture and open mind. Holiness in the sense of wholeness so that we can acquire, it is hoped, a deep, abiding inner feeling of peace. I will read it again very soon.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is interesting because it is not just from a Christian or even catholic perspective. Nicholl has much to say about how to be holy in our secular, westernised world. He highlights how and what we do for work, our level of power or money as being all important to holiness. Further, he suggests that we as Christians could learn from Muslims, Hasidic Jews , Hindus and Buddhists. That their daily rituals are centered around their prayer life not the other way round. As westerners we are use to living in a chaotic world. Perhaps that is why there is such a lack of faith. A fourteenth century German mystic , Meister Eckhart, once said, ‘Wisdom consists in doing the exact thing you have to do, doing it with your whole heart, and finding delight in doing it.’ Nicholl believes in that philosophy and suggests that once you start really focusing on every aspect of your day with one mind you are on your way to happiness and holiness. The only thing contrary to this though is that we do not always know what is going to happen next. Nicholl suggests that every event of daily life can serve as a spiritual exercise and everyone can be your teacher. He comments that we are all beginners in the journey of spirituality. Duns Scotus states that each of us is ultimately responsible for our own life. In saying that there is the implication that we are also responsible to God. We can achieve so much more if we belong to a community and that is often what is also missing in the western world. This book is a worthwhile source of inspiration and ideas for the average person precisely because it values the ordinary, the everyday man or woman

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This is a truly wonderful book, the best I have ever read on a spiritual topic. The bar for reaching holiness is really high, and yet reading this book makes it seem possible to progress in that direction. I loved it!

[Kathleen Stark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rose highly recommended this. I thought the beginning to be dry but as I got into it, I found it very insightful and practical. This is a book to conemplate and I am glad I boutht it. Now that I have read it through once, I'll have to go through it again more slowly.