Ronald Rolheiser, one of the most influential spiritual writers of our day, offers profound reflections on the central mystery of our Christian faith. His beautifully written meditations on the passion and the cross invites you to a new understanding of redemption and offers insight into the meaning of your own loss and suffering. Take a journey into the deeper meaning of pain with guidance from a trusted spiritual advisor.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My overall opinion of this book is mixed. Some of the insight here is interesting, some of the reflection is helpful and quite beautiful, but there were some aspects I just didn't agree with. We do not know everything about God and so ideas and insight that present themselves as the definitive answer, always leave me questioning.
In contrast, there is much about this book that I appreciated. It is accessible and easy to understand. There is something here for everyone as we look at our lives and our faith. I think anyone who reads it will find something in it that resonates with their own lives and in what ever situation they find themselves.
The most helpful part for me was understanding what the Passion means and then using the meaning to reflect more deeply. Passion comes from the Latin 'passio' meaning "passiveness, non-activity, absorbing something more actively than doing anything". The passion of Jesus refers to the time where his meaning for us is not defined by what he was doing but by what was being done to him. I found it helpful to reflect on times of my own passion and this book helped me to do that.
I liked the way the book explores the themes of helplessness and vulnerability and I used the early parts of the book during my morning prayer and reflections, reading a few pages every day. It is just the right length and having an e-version makes it easy to read anywhere. The chapters were set out clearly and made sense in terms of the way in which the book progressed. On the whole I found the content to be informative and helpful but also very encouraging to me on a personal level but I didn't agree with everything the author explored.
For example the author believes that the Gospels want us to focus on what Jesus endured on the cross emotionally and morally, but not physically, and the author believes that this is why the Gospels do not focus on the physical aspects of the crucifixion. I don't see why it should be 'either' 'or' and I think all the aspects of the crucifixion are important. We don't need a graphic portrayal of Jesus' suffering to know that he suffered but we should reflect on all the aspects of his suffering including the physical. The Gospel writers were not writing a novel and so did need to go into detailed descriptions about anything. A healing takes place - we are not given details about the bandages, or the leprous spots, or the colour of blood etc etc that doesn't mean we can't reflect on the physical nature of illnesses and the relief that comes from healing. So when it comes to the passion I don't see why we cannot reflect on every aspect and I don't see why it has to be a choice. The passion of Jesus may be a moral drama but it is very much a physical one.
I did appreciate the part of Chapter one that focuses on the 'Agony of the Ultimate Athlete' and the readying and preparing ourselves for certain tasks and the need 'to die before we die'. 'In any situation that is dominated by fear we need to be living the resurrection before we die.' This resonated with me because I have seen in the workplace what happens when managers base their work styles on fear. It has a corrosive effect on the work and the people that do it.
I liked the way in which the book takes high and serious sounding concepts and brings them down to everyday life and every day choices so that we can see the way life and death play out in ordinary life. To me this is the first step towards a life without fear and a life that is one of faith. I learnt that this goes against our natural inclination of self preservation but to learn to live in this way is truly glorious and is part of living abundantly. Easier said than done because of the price or agony that may accompany it. Jesus does this. In the Garden of Gethsemane he dies before he dies. I think that truly courageous people do this and not just Christians. People face death and die before they die. This then leads them to freedom from fear and to courageous acts and feats beyond human endurance and I appreciated the way the book enabled me to reflect on this from a personal position. We may not be called to feats but this can help us with the daily choices we have to make. Many people live in this way and I was left to reflect on my life. 'Choosing self-preservation is not necessarily choosing life.' We need to train for courage.
So this part of the book was very helpful.
Other Thoughts:
* I was disappointed by Chapter 1 section on 'Undergoing Moral Loneliness'. It seemed to me that the theology had been replaced by emotional self help, especially the part about soul mates. Really?? For me 'soul mates' belong in the realms of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. What is it doing here in a book about the Passion of Christ? It just didn't make sense to me and I nearly gave up reading the rest of the book at that point.
* I felt that the book overeached in its description of Mary standing at the foot of the cross passively. I don't think we should read passivity into a Gospel scene. This is the same Mary who spoke the words of the Magnificat at a very young age. Words which are powerful and in a way subversive. Why should we then picture Mary stoically and passively standing at the foot of the cross? We were not there and I don't think we should read those emotions or actions into the text.
On the other hand I do recognise that imagining the Gospel stories and seeing ourselves within them can be a helpful form of meditation for some people.
Other aspects of this book that resonated with me:
*Giving love, duty and service without resentment and learning to give with true freedom.
*Tranformation through prayer.
* Taking up our cross and the reflections on Simon of Cyrene as our example. This idea of being unexpectedly caught up in the suffering of another person really resonated with me.
* The final chapter on the resurrection and the physicality of the resurrection. I really like the insight into creation.
In summary it is an interesting book and a helpful guide to reflections on the passion and I am glad I read it.
The Passion and The Cross - A Beautiful Book of Reflections
Not long after Christmas and the celebrations of Christ’s birthday, Christians begin their long journey of lent, towards the most important Christian celebration, Easter with the crucifixition and the resurrection. The weeks prior to the most important of Christian festivals throughout Lent is a time for reflection and learning to remind them that it is through Christ’s death and resurrection that they may live.
Ronald Rolheiser in his book The Passion and The Cross some moving and quite profound teachings and reflections, that help to explain the energy, strength and freedom was rooted in love, and it is through his love and sacrifice that our personal transformation will begin our spiritual journey. This book also teaches us that we need to remind ourselves that true love is sacrificial, and those who have loved will recognise the sacrifices they have made and will continue to make in the name of love.
Rolheiser in one of the chapters explains how in Luke’s Gospel a picture of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and one is left to wonder what is happening inside Jesus’ mind at this time. He knows what is about to happen, and he knows why, but there is a passive calm about Jesus and the love that he showed to Judas and to those who would later torment him. While explaining that this was not easy for Jesus to do that we all will want to find another way, an easier path, and explains what we need to do in depth.
One of the great helps and reminders for me was about The Passion itself and how we can use it to reflect more deeply within ourselves. How we can take a step back and how Jesus can be defined not just by his teaching but by what was about to happen to him and was at peace with his love of God.
It would be easy to go through each chapter and give reflections upon what is written in each one, but that would be counterproductive on your own spiritual journey. Each one of the chapters will mean different things to those who read this book and it is their spiritual journey that this book will aid.
One thing that is an excellent bonus of this book is that Ronald Rolheiser explains the significance of the Cross and of The Passion, its meaning to Christ and what Christ wants us to learn from it. He does this with the experience of guiding you through the journey, without preaching to the reader, but helping and loving the reader.
The Passion and The Cross is a wonderful and short book that you can use in personal study not just in Lent but at other times to aid with learning and remembering the love that has been sacrificed for us all. This is a book that will be read, cherished and re-read as there will always be something new to learn.
This book, literally, changed my life in its generous and challenging lens on the crucifixion and resurrection .. that on the cross, Jesus took in resentment and returned love; that the post Easter "return to Galilee" is about returning to our places of first inspiration and hope. But he says it much better. One of the books that I will re-read, as I've done with his others.
This book was very deep. I had to take my time to make sure that I absorbed the finer points and understood the details of what was said.
The opening preface the author stated “we sense that suffering is working to mature us, to make us grow up, to make us more compassionate, and is opening us up more to hear the voice of God.”
This book is filled with so many sticky notes of moments and words that spoke to me. The one that stood out most was was his definition of passion is that it refers not to what Jesus was doing in his ministry but what was done to him.
So many thoughts and insights came to light. Definitely an excellent read during the Lenten season.
Reading this book added a depth and newness to my Lenten journey. I learned new insights into the Passion narrative which then led me into prayer. I highly recommend this book by one of my favorite spiritual authors.
Vintage Rolheiser. Handy daily readings no more than a few pages long. Insights in to Scripture and life, using stories, art, music, literature and theology, Rolheiser does it again. Great read for Lent and Easter.
As always, Fr. Rolheiser's clear writing makes complicated theological ideas easily accessible. Beautiful meditations on the Passion especially. Perfect for Holy Week.
It's a collection of many interesting ideas and images for Christians to consider during Lent. But I was hoping it would be tied together by a strong thesis and didn't find this to be the case.
I came across the writings of Father Ron Rolheiser quite by accident. I found one of his articles online, and I was so moved that I did a Google search and found he had his own website, and on that website, about 40 years’ worth of “weekly devotionals”. Since there were 40 years’ worth, I decided to read one per day make them part of my daily devotions.
I should point out that I’m really not a “devotional” type person. Often when I try for regular devotion time, I confess that most authors that I read don’t really move me that much. Sure, reading a familiar passage with some key insights is worthwhile, but I was never really blown away by any particular author, nor was the material such that it radically transformed my thinking and I rarely would come away with any ‘ah-ha’s.
Ron Rolheiser, for me anyway, is a wonderful exception. This book, from what I can tell, is basically some of his cherry-picked devotions that he has written over the years that focus on Jesus’ last few days on Earth, including his crucifixion and resurrection. A cynic may argue “why should one buy a book when the author has all of this material on his website for free?” A fair argument, I guess, but having the above-mentioned devotions all in one compact book is rewarding if one wants to focus on the primary part of the life of Christ; specifically his death and resurrection.
Although this book isn’t told in “devotional” format, one could easily incorporate this as a daily devotional if they wish. Each chapter is broken into several sub-sections, and each sub-section is about 3 pages in length. So nice digestible chunks for one’s spiritual nourishment. I’m not sure if it was the author’s intention, but there are a total of 40 of these sub-sections throughout the entire book, which means this book WOULD be perfect to read during, say, the 40 day season of Lent.
I must reemphasize, though, that what makes this book so special are the unique viewpoints that Father Ron shows us concerning this period of the life of Jesus. I was able to view things much more clearly and come up with entirely new perspectives. I mean, yes, Christians know and believe that Jesus “died for their sins”, but what does that really mean? Why did the death have to happen the way that it did? What elements of scripture can help elaborate on things relative to our own lives as believers? He also expounds on things such as: What does it mean when we say the ‘Passion’ of Jesus? What is the relevance of Jesus praying in a garden? Why do we read so much about the ‘blood’ of Christ, and why is the blood such a vital element of Communion? What is the relevance of the “veil” that we read in our Bible that hides the “holy of holys”? What did Jesus really mean when he cried out “Forgive them Father. For they know not what they do?” And most importantly (for me anyway), why is it so important that when Christians are attacked by anger, hatred, and bitterness that they should respond with warmth, compassion, peace, and forgiveness?
And there’s more. Oh so much more. This author’s writing is such a treasure trove of peace and comfort. I never once felt as though I was being judged nor being felt guilty because I wasn’t holy enough. I never once heard the author bemoan the fact of how horrible the world is and the problems of the world are “everyone’s fault who aren’t Christians.” This book was loving, kind, compassionate, and a joy to read. I highly recommend this book. If you want a taste of the style of the author, go to ronrolheiser.com, and you can view his many articles that he has written in the last forty or so years. I wish I would have discovered this author much earlier in my life.
This book took a long time for me to read. It seems like every other paragraph I was putting it down to think about what was written. This book is so full of ideas and imagery that I had not thought about before. The first that struck me was Jesus' Passion included his passion for humanity.
My favorite part was the discussion of the many ways were are Simon helping Jesus carry his cross. So many things we do that never are noticed much less thanked for. It struck very close to my life.
Although I have promised to pass this one on to a friend, I may have to get another copy to read it again. Please read this one, it may change your life.
This was my reading for Holy Week/Triduum 2021. Like other Rolheiser works, it combines insights with precise, concise language. Father Ronald Rolheiser has long been my spiritual director from a distance for years. Though some of the stories he tells may be familiar from his books, newspaper column, talks, and retreats, he always provide new ways to look at scripture and comforting reflections in the face of grief and challenges. This book felt too concise; I was left wanting more.
Loved it! Again, with the simplicity in writing he somehow makes the grandiose nature of God easy to understand. I enjoy all his books and I read this around Easter but would recommend it for anytime during the year. I would come back to it through out the year to reflect on and pray with his words.
Explains a lot about the passion of Christ. What the cross means in terms of one's burdens and what God expects of humans. Rolheiser is different from other Catholic authors in that it can be read by any faith -- his writing dispenses advice that centers on hope, love and a deep examination of one's faith.
Some good insightful parts, but most of the book seemed to me that the author was trying too hard to sound novel and even shocking, flirting with a new theology. He didn't come across as a Catholic writer. Also, some thoughts were not well explained and were left hanging, and a few parts didn't seem to connect well.
In a relatively small book, the author meaningfully unpacks the key elements of the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. I have a friend who rereads this book every Lent and Easter, and I can see why. Rolheiser breathes life into our understanding of the gifts of the cross and the resurrected life we can experience every day.
I read this book slowly during the Lenten season. There was a lot to meditate on and words to apply to my life. Father Rolheiser is a very good writer and this is another of his good books.
THE PASSION AND THE CROSS is a reverent reflection on our Catholic foundation. I used each chapter as a daily meditation and found Father Ron Rolheiser's writings to be inspiring. Read as a Kindle eBook from Franciscan Media through Amazon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
It's been more than 25 years since I've reconsidered the Catholic faith. Reading this book felt part self-help and the words I needed to hear to continue dipping my toe back into faith.
This is soul food at its best. A perfect read, anytime, but most especially for a deep dive into the meaning of the events of Jesus' last week and crucifixion. I have a fuller understanding of passivity, love, tension, and resurrection.
This book is perfect for Lent. He does an excellent job of delving into a modern understanding of the Cross and Resurrection. I find he speaks to me in a way I can apply to my own life. He emphasizes the spiritual and mental struggles of Jesus ‘s passion. The depth of Jesus ‘ mental struggles are evident throughout the meditations .
A fresh and more meaningful explanation of the passion death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. Especially significant since I read it during Holy Week.
I read this book with my prayer group/ book club. It provoked many good discussions and insights. Of course now we met Saturday mornings via our church’s zoom account!