The Joy of God: Collected Writings

by Mary David, Erik Varden (Foreword)

Sister Mary David Totah was a nun of the Benedictine contemplative community of St Cecilia's Abbey on the Isle of Wight. American by birth, she was educated at Loyola University, the University of Virginia and Christ Church, Oxford. After a distinguished teaching career, she entered religious life in 1985. For 22 years until her early death from cancer she guided the young nuns of her abbey with enthusiasm, wisdom and wit.

The spirituality to be found in the pages of this book demonstrates to the reader why her influence should have been so great and so deep. Her notes to the novices deal with issues of relevance to a world beyond the cloister: What is the meaning of suffering? How do we cope with living with people who annoy us? How do we relate to a God we cannot see? How do we make the big decisions of life?

Sister Mary David's teaching was both profound and intensely practical, suffused with faith in God's joy in our work, leisure, community and family life but above all in our view and understanding of ourselves. This book, with an introduction by Abbot Erik Varden OCSO (author of The Shattering of Loneliness) shows us how to realize the Joy that is God.

Genres: Nonfiction, Catholic, Spirituality, Religion

208 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 25, 2019

Reviews

[Dieuwke Haverlach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Een mooi boek om te lezen in mijn vreugde jaar!

[Paul Collins]

A super spiritual read! Unputdownable and deeply insightful.

[Deborah Makarios · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoughtful book which needs thoughtful reading.
A line which caught my attention: "fidelity is the will to become the person one has to become if the union is to last and become perfect."

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joy of God is the most inspirational spiritual books of times, written through extracts of personal letters and through interviews of her last moments. Having came across the book by chance, this modern book is reflective and contemplative and echoes the spiritual writings of Julian of Norwich.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cannot express how much I loved this book. It was absolutely delightful, powerful, and beautiful, and so full of warmth and wisdom. I felt like Sr. Mary David was writing right to me, imparting exactly what I needed to hear. I highly recommend it!

[Meg Funk · Rating 5 out of 5]

joy is contagious

A joy to read! Now to live it…

I’ve been to this Benedictine Abbey and witnessed their joy through chant!
Beautiful indeed!

[Tess Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredible. She gives great counsel, much of it applicable to my journey of formation in religious life, but can also be applied to anyone. It’s a book I plan on coming back to again.