Beholding Beauty: Mary and the Song of Songs

by Greg Cleveland

Mystics have often used the Song of Songs, a classic love poem in the Bible, to express their intense longing for God. In this captivating book, Father Gregory Cleveland shows how the image of the Bride in the Song of Songs helps us to understand Mary the Mother of God. This book sheds light on Mary’s mystical union with the Holy Trinity, a union that each baptized person is called to experience as well. You can use this ~ To pray through the Song of Songs with Mary ~ As spiritual reading to nourish your soul ~ As a personal retreat in daily life ~ To experience Mary’s loving care Explore the Blessed Virgin Mary as a fulfillment of the mystery of the bride in the Song of Songs, showing how the Song points to Mary's life with Christ, with applications to the reader’s own spiritual life

Genres: Nonfiction, Catholic

268 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 23, 2020

Reviews

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Song of Songs has always been a fairly opaque Biblical book for me, one where I’m not quite sure exactly what it is saying or why it was included. I loved this books perspective using Song of Songs as a typology for Mary and illuminating how she fulfilled the role of the Bride in Songs through her union with the Trinity and how we, in the Church, are called to that as well. I marked many favourite passages with flags, and this is going on my list of favourite Mariology books for sure!

[Lisa Goodgion · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading the text but need to go back to the reflection questions and prayer. This book was a beautiful description of the relationship between Christ and us, his bridegroom the church, with Mary as our mother. I will definitely be going back to reread.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A refreshing and beautiful explanation of the Song of Songs. It is filled with history and Catholicism. A must-read, rich with explanation and pure love.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books I will return to again and again. There is so much here to digest and ponder.

[Laura Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this spiritual read!! It had me more in the first half, but the last chapter has a beautiful section on Mary and the Holy Spirit. It was just so cool to read about how the Song of Songs illuminates Mary, and by extension, the Church and our whole faith ❤️‍🔥