Reasons for the Seasons: Meditations for Living Meaningfully the Christian Year - Paperback

by W. Paul Jones (Author)

Do you ever find yourself drowning in secularization and commercialization, being pulled under as Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas intermingle and fly by in a frantic blur? Have you ever wondered if there is any way to reclaim the true meaning of such seasons as Advent and Lent, and be helped to live more intentionally and meaningfully the other Christian celebrations? Reasons for the Seasons makes that possible in a delightfully engaging manner. With humor and rich illustrations, this widely read spiritual author draws upon life experiences from childhood in Appalachia to his teaching at Princeton University and into his spiritual pilgrimage intent on uniting his Protestant mind with a Catholic heart. Focus is given to the church's central seasons of Advent/Christmas/Epiphany and Lent/Easter/Pentecost. Lesser-known Christian celebrations are engaged, such as Candlemas, Trinity Sunday, and the Feast of the Transfiguration. Additionally, illumination is provided for exploring such secular holidays as New Year's, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Halloween. This book will be informative and engaging not only for personal use but also in enabling families to deepen their celebrative time together. Groups will also find it helpful for study, as will churches in giving depth to their liturgical planning.

Author Biography

W. Paul Jones, Resident Director of the Hermitage Spiritual Retreat Center in southern Missouri, was an ordained United Methodist minister for forty years. He is now an Emeritus Professor of Theology, a Trappist Family Brother, Roman Catholic priest, and author of fourteen books, including the award-winning Becoming Who God Wants You to Be (2013) and A Different Kind of Cell (2011), the account of his work as spiritual director with "the most dangerous person in the federal prison system."