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Desert in the City
English, Italian (translation)
106 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 9, 2011
"It is not by fleeing that you will find God more easily, but it is by changing your heart that you will see things differently. The desert in the city is only possible on these terms: that you see things with a new eye, touch them with a new spirit, love them with a new heart." pg 21.
"If peace and quiet were a pre-requisite of prayer, the poor would never be able to pray." pg 23
"If praying means "being in God", then I can say that I pray everywhere because everywhere is His temple. To say, "I can't pray because I have work to do" is absurd. Who is stopping you from praying while you work? Isn't it better to believe that while working you can be at prayer?" pg 32
"It is in loving that you pray, because it is love that carries you to the loved person, and you can love through talking, crying, thinking, walking, sleeping, always, always, always. Twenty four hours out of twenty four." pg 32-33
"If peace and quiet were a pre-requisite of prayer, the poor would never be able to pray." pg 23
"If praying means "being in God", then I can say that I pray everywhere because everywhere is His temple. To say, "I can't pray because I have work to do" is absurd. Who is stopping you from praying while you work? Isn't it better to believe that while working you can be at prayer?" pg 32
"It is in loving that you pray, because it is love that carries you to the loved person, and you can love through talking, crying, thinking, walking, sleeping, always, always, always. Twenty four hours out of twenty four." pg 32-33
March 13, 2025
The author, Carlo Carretto, was an Italian monk who wrote this little book in 1978 as a guide to fully entering into a life of prayer and really getting to know God in Christ. The title reflects the need to enter into the desert, away from the babble of the cities and civilization, as the early monastics and hermits did some 1500 years ago. He explains how we create our own "deserts" in our own times and places, to find the presence of God, His love for us and how to expand our love for Him. Actually, God finds us, because He loved us first. The book is structured in that there is a chapter for each day of the week, with scripture readings for each day of the week, followed by his remarks and meditations. An excellent read especially for a season such as Lent.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews