Translation of Wonder The Mysteries of the Rosary and Stations of the Cross in Verse - Tim Bete

Translation of Wonder 

The Mysteries of the Rosary and Stations of the Cross in Verse 

Tim Bete

ISBN 9798274571227

ASIN B0G5M7NHCW

I forget how this volume came to be on my wish list. When I went to purchase it I realized I had previous picked up Called to Carmel, Called to Community: Reflections on the Carmelite Rule, Secular Constitutions, and Statutes, nearly a year ago but had not got around to reading it yet. When I picked up this one I also picked up another because the title caught my attention. 

The description of this volume states:

“In Translation of Wonder, poet Tim Bete reflects on the life of Jesus through the Mysteries of the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross. Through 34 poems that encompass the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries, as well as the Stations, Bete presents a poetic journey from the Annunciation to the Crowning of Mary in Heaven. These poems are perfect as reflections while praying the Rosary or the Stations of the Cross, or can be read consecutively as a meditation on Jesus' entire life.”

About the author we are informed:

“Tim Bete is a Discalced Carmelite Secular and a member of the Community of Our Mother of Good Counsel in Beavercreek, Ohio, where he has served as a Formator, on Council, and as President. His writing has appeared in media outlets and anthologies, including Amazing Grace for the Catholic Heart, Catholic Philly, Catholic Exchange, Integrated Catholic Life, Presence: A Journal of Catholic Poetry, Apostolate of the Little Flower magazine, and The Carmel Clarion. He served on the faculty at the Catholic Imagination Conference and appears on the Carmelite Conversations Podcast, which he also helps produce. Tim has published five books, including Called to Carmel, Called to Community; The Raw Stillness of Heaven; and Wanderings of an Ordinary Pilgrim.”

The chapters and sections of this volume are:

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Prologue

Joyful Mysteries

1st: The Annunciation

2nd: The Visitation

3rd: The Nativity

4th: The Presentation in the Temple

5th: The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple

Luminous Mysteries

1st: The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan

2nd: The Wedding at Cana

3rd: The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God

4th: The Transfiguration

5th: The Institution of the Eucharist

Sorrowful Mysteries and Stations of the Cross

1st Sorrowful: The Agony in the Garden

2nd Sorrowful: The Scourging at the Pillar

3rd Sorrowful: The Crowning with Thorns

1st Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death

2nd Station and 4th Sorrowful: Jesus Carries the Cross

3rd Station: Jesus Falls for the First Time

4th Station: Jesus Meets His Mother

5th Station: Simon Helps Jesus Carry His Cross

6th Station: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

7th Station: Jesus Falls for a Second Time

8th Station: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem

9th Station: Jesus Falls a Third Time

10th Station: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments

11th Station and 5th Sorrowful: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

12th Station and 5th Sorrowful: Jesus Dies on the Cross

13th Station: Jesus’ Body is Removed from the Cross

14th Station: Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

Glorious Mysteries

1st: The Resurrection

2nd: The Ascension 

3rd: The Descent of the Holy Spirit

4th: The Assumption of Mary

5th: The Coronation of Mary

Epilogue 

I highlighted a few passages  and selected different stations and mysteries to share they are:

“This book includes 34 poems — 14 for the Stations of the Cross and 20 for the Mysteries of the Rosary. Two of the Stations overlap with the Mysteries (The Carrying of the Cross is Sorrowful Mystery #4 and Station #2; and The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus is Sorrowful Mystery #5 and Stations #11 and #12). I also included Prologue and Epilogue poems.”

“My two previous poetry books (The Raw Stillness of Heaven and Wanderings of an Ordinary Pilgrim) were written in free verse, without emphasizing rhyme or meter. The poems in this book rely heavily on both rhyme and meter, and each follows the same form, which I hope makes reading the poems in sequence easier and more enjoyable. The consistent format mimics the feeling of praying the Hail Mary repeatedly during the Rosary or singing the Stabat Mater at the end of each of the Stations of the Cross.”

“Another difference between the poems in this collection and my previous poetry is the purposeful lack of metaphor. Because my goal was to enter into Christ’s humanity and into specific moments of His life, I purposely minimized the use of metaphor to more clearly see and feel what Christ and those around Him experienced. It’s helpful to know that, in all the poems, “you” refers to Jesus.”

     “THE SECOND SORROWFUL MYSTERY

        The Scourging at the Pillar

        The flagrum had six braided-leather thongs,

        Equipped with sharp sheep bones and iron balls,

        Designed to cut down deep with metal prongs,

        And from the head to toe, the body maul.

        Chained to a pillar, your torso exposed,

        They flailed your shoulders, arms, back, legs, and neck,

        Each stroke revealing blood, muscle, and bone,

        Their goal was to ensure your body wrecked,

        But more than that, with each hard stroke that clawed,

        They seemed to want to sever Word from man,

        As if their blows could disincarnate God

        And put an end to your salvific plan.

        You lay there in a growing pool of blood,

        And prayed for them — the Word exuding love.”

“THE FIRST STATION OF THE CROSS

Jesus is Condemned to Death

Decision made; you were condemned to die,

They didn’t want to hear you preach again,

False witness filled with viciousness and lies,

By Pilate, Caiaphas, and other men.

They washed their hands and cleansed their minds of guilt,

Unwilling to admit their actions wrong,

It was your precious blood that would be spilt,

Encouraged by the angry, raging throng.

And, Peter, he denied he was your friend,

How did it feel to be rebuked, alone?

In silence, there was no one to defend,

The Son of Man, the Word of God, disowned.

Ignoring their own spite and hateful shame,

They claimed that the messiah was to blame.”

        “THE THIRD STATION OF THE CROSS

        Jesus Falls for the First Time

        Your knee went out, like a slow-motion dream,

        The cross above, you feared the ground below,

        The upright slipped, and it began to lean,

        You braced yourself, extending an elbow,

        Your body spun around, you saw the sky,

        Your back hit first, your wounds were filled with sand,

        The cross was fast behind and amplified

        The pain as it smashed down upon your hand,

        Onlookers stepped away, giving wide berth,

        A tangled heap of flesh and wood and dust,

        You came from Heaven; now you fell to Earth,

        An older man spat at you, in disgust.

        “Pick up your cross,” the booming soldier’s cry,

        There was no time to waste, so you could die.”

“THE FIFTH GLORIOUS MYSTERY

The Coronation of Mary

On Mary’s head, you placed a twelve-star crown

And sat her on a gem-encrusted throne

But did not think she’d spend time sitting down,

Your mother loved poor souls and not rare stones,

She was the Queen of Heaven, that was true,

But also Queen of Martyrs and of Peace,

She had so many people to tend to,

First she bore God, now graces she released.

Good Counsel, Wisdom’s Seat, Health of the Sick,

The Sinners’ Refuge, Queen of Patriarchs,

The Comforter of those who pain afflicts,

All were embraced by your dear mother’s heart,

Apostles’ Queen, and Queen of Families,

Queen of Mount Carmel, Fatima, and Lourdes,

Queen of all Saints, and the Star of the Sea,

She interceded and she pointed toward:

Her son, the Christ, our Lord — she points to you;

The Word of God, the King of Kings, God true.”

I hope the quote and sample mysteries and stations give you a feel for this volume. As mentioned it does not have the Stabat Mater or prayers with each station, or the mysteries but you can easily add them yourself. They poems flow well, and many are moving. I personally would have preferred if the stations and sorrowful mysteries were separated even if some of the poems were duplicated. Or if separate poems had been composed for the overlapped ones. But, even with that being said, this is a wonderful collection. 

I enjoyed working through the 4 sets of mysteries and the stations. They Poems are well composed and many are deeply moving. Before I was even a third of the way done I picked up the remaining volumes that are currently available from Tim. 

I really enjoyed this volume. It was well worth the read, and I will occasionally add the stations into my regular praying of that devotion. I try and pray a stations ever day during Lent and every Friday the rest of the year. If the stations was available as a standalone volume with all the prayers I would likely use it more often. But either way this is an excellent volume I can recommend. Almost any Catholic would benefit from these reflections on the 20 Mysteries and the 14 stations. So I encourage you to pick it up and give it a try.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!  For all Stations of the Cross review click here. For all Poetry review click here.

Books by Tim Bete:

Translation of Wonder: The Mysteries of the Rosary and Stations of the Cross in Verse

Called to Carmel, Called to Community: Reflections on the Carmelite Rule, Secular Constitutions, and Statutes

Catholic Poetry Volume 1 The Raw Stillness of Heaven

Catholic Poetry Volume 2 Wanderings of an Ordinary Pilgrim

In the Beginning . . . There Were No Diapers

Guide to Pirate Parenting: Why You Should Raise Your Kids As Pirates And 101 Ways To Do It

…

 

Selected Poems - John Irvine

Selected Poems

John Irvine (1903-1965)

The Arden Press

Belfast

1948

This volume will mark the eleventh volume of poems I have read by Irvine. I stumbled upon this author. I was reading one of the Vision Books for young readers, Irish Saints by Robert T. Reilly, and there was an excerpt of a poem from A Treasury of Irish Saints A Book of Poems. It was really intriguing and after reading that first volume I made it a mission to try and track down everything Irvine published. At first my dyslexia had me thinking it was John Irving, and I have read a few of his fiction books. But some quick searching put that idea to rest.  This author John Irvine lived from 1903-1965. This volume was originally published in 1948. 

About the author on a site with information about Irish authors states:

“John Irvine was born in Belfast and published several collections of poems: A Voice in the Dark, 1932; Willow Leaves: Lyrics in the Manner of the Early Chinese Poets,1941; Lost Sanctuary and other poems among others. He edited The Flowering Branch: An Anthology of Irish Poetry Past and Present.”

Another online description of the author states:

“Irvine, born in Belfast, published about six collections of lyrics between 1932 and 1954, mostly from small presses in Belfast and Dublin.  He also edited an anthology of Irish poetry, The Flowering Branch.”

This volume is different than the other ten I have read. It is a collection of poems all drawn from other volumes. The other volumes, year of print and number of poems from them are:

A Voice in the Dusk, 1932 – 11 Poems

Winds From the South, 1936 – 15 Poems

Willow Leaves, 1942 – 15 Poems

Nocture, 1943 – 14 Poems

From Fountain of Hellas, 1944 – 13 Poems

With No Changed Voice, 1956 – 25 Poems

Voces Intimae – 12 Poems

The volume Voces Intimae does not have a date so I wonder if it was forthcoming at the time of publication of this volume. There is a large acknowledgments at the beginning of the volume:

“I wish to tender my sincere thanks to the editors of the following publications for permissiqn to reprint poems which first appeared in their pages : "The Best Poems of 1938", "The Best Poems of 1942", "Northern Harvest", "The Cornhill", "Country Life", "The Argosy", " Chambers's Journal", " Hellas ", " The Dublin Magazine", "The Irish Times", "The Irish Independent", "The Irish Weekly Independent", "Lagan", "The Northman", "T he New York HeraldTribune" and the American poetry magazines "Wings" and "The Lyric".

I am also indebted to the following publishers : The Quota Press, Belfast; Wm. Mullan & Sons, Belfast; The Orwell Press, Dublin; The Talhot Press, Dublin; The Runa Press, Dublin; The Three Candles Press, Dublin; Mr. G. Morrow, and to Messrs. Boosey & Co. Ltd., for permission to reprint "·Spring" and "In the Faery Hills'' which first appeared in the song cycle "A Voice in the Dusk", the musical setting by C. Armstrong Gibbs. The poem "Highways and Byways" appears in this collection by the courtesy of The Ulster Tourist Association.”

But there is no mention or explanation for Voces Intimae. Each section has the original Title Page and Dedication before the selected poems.  As such the sections and poems in this volume are:

From "A Voice in the Dusk''

Enchantment 

To One Gone Hence 

Quest 

Sanctuary 

Nightfall 

Pity 

Three Cinquains 

The Lovers 

I Could Have Loved Thee 

Invocation 

Last Night's Wind 

From "Wind from the South"

Sorrow In Spring

Heartsease

To The Unfaithful Beloved

Captive

Canticle Of Spring

Four Cinquains 

Song -

Evensong -

The Prisoner

Moon Magic

Leavetaking

In The Mournes 

Night Piece

The Quiet Night

Unending Quest

From "Willow Leaves"

(Poems in the manner of the early Chinese poets)

Tu Li-Po

Nocturne 

Dusk 

We Are As Dust 

The Sorrow Of Ming Huang 

Spring 

Wu

To Yuan (In The South)

The Soldiers

The Dancing Girl

Impatient For The Spring

Meeting With Friends

Music At Dusk

Cheng

Farewell 

From "Nocturne"

Chopin

Trees 

At The Coming Of Night

October

By A Riverside

Mairi

All Lovely Things

The Island 

Craigey Woods

Spring

Jean

In The Faery Hills

Migration 

Valediction

From "The Fountain of Hellas," 1944

(Adaptations from the Greek Anthology)

The Grecian Garland

The Poet' S Ascent

Enduring Wealth

The End Of Beauty

A Bower

A Dead Child

The Unfairness Of Wine

A Bumper 

Erinna

A Dead Herdsman

To A Virgin

Astronomy

The Pastoral Pipe

From "With No Changed Voice"

Song

The Swans -

The Throstle

To A Blackbird -

Lines Addressed To A Great Artist

Lyric 

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi -

The Undying Dream -

London Sketches

A Lost Cause

Beyond

Sibelius

Dark Red Roses 

Sea-Haunted

Hellas

The Mother

Carrowdore

The Barley Field

The Changeling 

Faery

To One Grown Old 

Restless Woods 

Night

The Heart Remembers Morning 

Vale 

Voces Intimae

Romance

To A Poet In Early Youth

The Rebuke

Highways And Byways

Padraig

Winter Sorrow

April

The Burden Of Unrest

Invocation In Winter

Pastoral

Lebanon

Transience

I will only share a few poems from that final section as I have shared three poems from each of the other volumes when I have reviewed them. This section begins with this quote:

“The waves of the sea have spoken to me; the wild birds have taught me; the music of many waters has been my master.”

     -Kalevala

This final section is dedicated to W.H. Conn. Three sample poems from this section are:

     TO A POET IN EARLY YOUTH

     Poet, listen while I speak

     Now that youth is on your cheek,

     And the dream within your eyes,

     Tell me all the ancient lies.

     Tell me you have found love fair

     You who have not known despair.

     Tell me life is kind and sweet

     You who have not known defeat.

     Tell me of unclouded years

     You who know not bitter tears.

     Poet, you are dreaming yet

     Things that gladly I forget.

     Listen poet once again,

     Songs like yours are sung in vain.

     Such unquestioning belief

     Ends in bitterness or grief.

     Youth is ecstasy but blind.

     Life will teach you, you will find,

     That above our puny sighs

     Each slow dusk the J?leiads rise,

     And behind his prison bars

     Man looks upward to the stars.

     Each day that dawns, each sun that sets

     Brings its yearnings and regrets,

     But wisdom draws the veils aside.

     Then the eyes are opened wide,

     And suddenly the truth will ring

     In every stanza that you sing . . .

     And may be when a long time dead

     Your verse will be admired and read.

     I who keep a silent tongue

     Once felt like you, when I was young,

     And loved the beautiful and true,

     But then, I was a poet too.

          HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS

          Meadows I love, and orchards and tall trees,

          The little burns that sparkle and are bright,

          And fields of barley in the sunny breeze,

          And curlew calling in the dim half-light.

          Old villages that lie among the hills,

          The lonely glens and rivers that are slow,

          The fuchsia hedges, and the fairy thorns,

          And cottage doorways where the roses blow.

          The little fields of Antrim and of Down,

          The mountain paths and woodlands by the sea,

          The rocky headlands and the sheltered bays,

          And moorlands where the winds are blowing free.

          The dusty· roads are waiting for our feet,

          The country inns and many a leafy lane,

          Oh come then, for the sake of old desire

          And walk with me the Irish roads again.

     WINTER SORROW

     Even if the heart be numb with grief

     There will be sweet days c0me again,

     Of daffodil and fluttering leaf,

     Of bird song and the silver rain.

     Of childrens' voices and the sun,

     Of whispering winds and twilights grey,

     And quiet peace when day is done

     And memories of yesterday.

     The well-loved hills eternal stand,

     White in the moon the meadows lie;

     In life and death we are at one

     With wind, and sun, and earth, and sky.

This final section is the only volume I am not able to track down in some library around the world. And I do not know if it was ever published. This collection was published 17 years before Irvine passed, so I do hope to track it down some day. I enjoyed this eleventh collection of poems that I have read from the pen of Irvine. 

I was able to track down a copy of this thanks to the National Library of Ireland. The NLI has all volumes I have found written by Irvine and 5 of the 8 edited by him; which I will now be tracking down to review. I am now trying to hunt the remaining volumes down. These poems were very enjoyable, and I am certain they would be to you as well, if you give them a chance. It is the largest collection of Irvin’s work. 

If you can track down a copy to read it is well worth it! Another great collection of poems I can easily recommend it.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Books by John Irvine:

A Treasury of Irish Saints A Book of Poems 

A Voice in the Dusk 

A Voice in the Dusk Lyrics  

By Winding Roads 

Fountain Of Hellas: Poems From The Greek Anthology 

Green Altars: Poems  

Lost Sanctuary and Other Poems  

Nocturne: Poems 

Selected Poems 

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi 

The Quiet Stream  

Two Poems 

Voces Intimae 

Willow Leaves: Lyrics in the Manner of the Early Chinese Poets  

Wind From the South 

With No Changed Voices: Poems 

…

Edited by John Irvine:

A Christmas Garland - as J. Pennington Irvine

The Flowering Branch: An Anthology of Irish Poetry Past and Present 

The Poems of Robert Burns 

The Poems of Robert Louis Stevenson 

The Poems of Tennyson 

The Poems of Thomas Moore  

… 

No Greater Love Stations of the Cross for Teens and Young Adults - Amy Welborn

No Greater Love 

Stations of the Cross for Teens and Young Adults

Amy Welborn 

Creative Communications for the Parish

This past Advent I read two devotional books from the pen of Welborn intended for families and both were excellent. The first; Wonders of His Love Family Devotions and Activities for Advent, was a new read. The other was a reread Prepare Him Room: Advent Family Devotions, which I had a read a decade earlier but had not reviewed. This year Welborn promoted two volumes for Lent:

With Your Whole Heart: Family Devotions and Activities for Lent

No Greater Love Stations of the Cross for Young People

While looking into them I also discovered I had read Daybreaks: Daily Reflections for Lent and Easter, 9 years ago but had not reviewed it. So I read both volumes over a few days in order to review them and promote them for Lent this year. And I read this Stations that same Friday.

I picked up this volume for two reasons. The first it was by Amy Welborn and I have loved everything I have read from her masterful pen. And the second I was looking for a few new books for Lent reading in 2026 I picked it up a month before Lent with the plan of adding it into my regular rotation of ‘Stations of the Cross’. I try and pray a stations each day during Lent, and every Friday the rest of the year. I have read over 50 different versions. And I absolutely love this one from Welborn! It is a wonderful little volume with clear concise reflections; it is theologically sound, and very moving.

The description of this volume is:

“Catholic youth will respond to this Way of the Cross written by Amy Welborn, a syndicated columnist and author of several books for young Catholics. Presenting each of the traditional stations with a brief meditation and prayer, Welborn addresses the concerns and hopes of young people in a simple, direct style. Bold new illustrations in this redesigned Stations of the Cross capture the somber yet hope-filled mood of this devotion.”

Some online descriptions begin with ‘For Teens!’ but it can easily be used by individuals, in small groups or even corporately. I ordered 4 copies, one for each of my youngest two children, one for me, and one for their High School Chaplain. I worked through the physical edition of the book, and I found a digital copy of just the text on Welborn’s site. I really wish there was an eBook edition. I know I would use it far more often and I know a few who would pick it up who just do not do physical books anymore. The chapters in the volume are:

No Greater Love

Prayer Before the Altar

First Station Jesus Is Condemned to Die

Second Station Jesus Carries His Cross

Third Station Jesus Falls the First Time

Fourth Station Jesus Meets His Mother

Fifth Station Simon Helps Jesus

Sixth Station Veronica Wipes Jesus’ Face

Seventh Station Jesus Falls the Second Time

Eighth Station Jesus Meets the Women

Ninth Station Jesus Falls a Third Time

Tenth Station Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments

Eleventh Station Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross

Twelfth Station Jesus Dies on the Cross

Thirteenth Station Jesus Is Taken Down from the Cross

Fourteenth Station Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb

Closing Prayer 

There is no Stabat Mater, and no prayers at the end of each station, but they can easily by added personally. Each station has three parts:

Meditation

Prayer

Bible Verse 

A sample station is:

“THIRD STATION

Jesus Falls the First Time

Meditation

The streets of Jerusalem are narrow and winding. Crowds have gathered to watch Jesus make his way to

the place of crucifixion. Under the weight of the cross and pressed by the crowds, Jesus stumbles and falls.

Prayer

Jesus, the cross you carry is not just made of wood. It is made of the sadness of the world’s sin and all its

consequences in human suffering. That is a heavy burden to carry, and under its weight, you fall.

Sin brings me down to the ground, too. I may think I can handle it at first, but after a while, I find that my lies

or my casual cruelty or my closed heart is making it hard for me to walk upright. I fall.

I see you fall under all the weight, but I also see that you refuse to let the heaviness of the world’s sin keep

you down. You rise and keep walking out of love. Help me to rise, too, and find the path of love once again.

No one has greater love than this,

To lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

(John 15:13)”

In the introduction Welborn states:

“Love is important to all of us. We spend our time on earth engaged in so many activities, but in the end, it all comes down to love. We are seeking a place in life where we can safely love and be loved. We were made for love, and we all hope for a love that never ends and that accepts us just as we are.

What is love, though? The wrong idea of love can take us down sad or even dangerous paths. The Stations of the Cross are, above everything else, about love. When we journey with Jesus on the Way of the Cross, we learn what real love is, what it requires of us and how it gives us hope for the future.

The Gospel of John tells us that at the Last Supper, Jesus told his disciples that they were no longer servants but friends of his-which means friends of God. "No one has greater love than this," he said, "To lay down one's life for one's friends." In this Way of the Cross, we see what this "laying down" means for Jesus-and for us.”

I hope that sample meditation and the introduction gives you a feel for this volume. This was a Way of the Cross I am very thankful I have worked through and look forward to praying it again. If it was available as an eBook it would be one I used often.

This is an excellent Lenten resource, a great volume. I can easily recommend that Way of the Cross. I encourage you to pick it up and give it a try!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan! For all Stations of the Cross review click here. 

Books by Amy Welborn:

Reconciled to God Daily Lenten Devotions
Wish You Were Here: Travels Through Loss and Hope
A Catholic Woman's Book of Days
de-Coding Da Vinci: The Facts Behind the Fiction of the Da Vinci Code
Loyola Kids Book of Saints
Loyola Kids Book of Heroes: Stories of Catholic Heroes and Saints throughout History
Here. Now. a Catholic Guide to the Good Life
The Words We Pray
Praying the Rosary: With the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries
Decoding Mary Magdalene: Truth, Legend, and Lies
Come Meet Jesus: An Invitation from Pope Benedict XVI
Be Saints! An Invitation from Pope Benedict XVI
Friendship with Jesus: Pope Benedict XVI talks to Children on Their First Holy Communion
Mary and the Christian Life: Scriptural Reflections on the First Disciple
Adventures in Assisi: On the Path with St. Francis: On the Path with St. Francis
Prepare Him Room: Advent Family Devotions
Daybreaks: Daily Reflections for Lent and Easter 

Parables: Stories of the Kingdom
The Absence of War

Relatable and Authentic, Transparent, So Real

All Will Be Well

Nothing Else Occurs To Me

A Reason for Everything

Hope: An Anchor for the Soul 30 Daily Devotions 

Wonders of His Love: Family Devotions and Activities for Advent 

With Your Whole Heart: Family Devotions and Activities for Lent 

No Greater Love Stations of the Cross for Young People 

...

Prove It Series:
Prove It! God
Prove It! Church
Prove It! Jesus
Prove It! Prayer
Prove It! You
Prove It! The Catholic Teen Bible

...

 

True Serenity 30 Days with Thomas à Kempis - John Kirvan - Great Spiritual Teachers Series

True Serenity 

30 Days with Thomas à Kempis 

Great Spiritual Teachers

John Kirvan

Ave Maria Press

ISBN 9781594711572

ASIN B005JD1M6Y

This is the fourteenth volume in the Great Spiritual Teachers series I have read. It is one of the older titles in the series, it was originally released in 1995, and was part of the rebranding in 2000’s, it has not been updated to the rebranding that started in 2024. Over a year ago I read my first book in the series, it was Born to Do This: 30 Days with Joan of Arc by Jaymie Stuart Wolfe, and loved it and the concept of the series. I have read one almost every month since that first one, and if I can track down all the out of print, will do so until I finish all 24 released to date in the series.

The description of this volume states:

“Hailed as Christianity’s second bestseller, The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis is made accessible to the modern reader in condensed and accessible form. This attractively redesigned edition of True Serenity presents the wisdom of Kempiss fifteenth-century classic in a months worth of daily devotions."”

About the series we are informed:

“Each book in the Great Spiritual Teachers series provides a month of daily readings from one of Christianity's most beloved spiritual guides. For each day there is a brief and accessible morning meditation drawn from the mystic's writings, a simple mantra for use throughout the day, and a night prayer to focus one's thoughts as the day ends. These easy-to-use books are the perfect prayer companion for busy people who want to root their spiritual practice in the solid ground of these great spiritual teachers.”

I believe there are 16 volumes in this series currently in print. There are also a number that are currently out of print, The oldest I have seen are from the mid 90’s and it looks like they went through a rebranding and format change in the mid 00’s, and they have undergone yet another rebranding in the 2020’s including some new titles available in the series. I must admit I do not recall running across this series prior to that first volume on Joan. I have however added all of them to my ‘to be read list’. I love the most recent rebranding, and hope Ave Maria completes the rebranding across all volumes, and brings back into print some of the volumes currently not available; specifically the volumes on John of the Cross, Evelyn Underhill, Mother Theresa and others. This specific volume was released in 1995, making it one of the oldest in the series. 

The sections in this volume are:

Foreword 

Thomas A Kempis And The Imitation Of Christ  

How To Pray This Book 

Thirty Days With Thomas A Kempis 

One Final Word 

While reading this I several a few passages, some of them are:

“Life is an ongoing journey of change and choice, a surrendering of the old and a trust in new beginnings. What these saints ultimately realized-and revealed to others-is that refining a relationship with God is the life choice on which all else is built.”

“As Teresa of Avila taught her nuns so well, "Learn to see God in the details of your life, for He is everywhere."”

“Life is an empty journey without the companionship ship of God. And developing a sense of divine intimacy requires time set aside to be with God in prayer, reflection, and contemplation.”

“But in our own times, we must admit, many have never even heard of The Imitation of Christ and many others have relegated it to history as propagating a spirituality that is out of date and out of touch.”

“We have gotten used to a life centered on a search for self. I read a Kempis is to be challenged to turn that world inside out, upside down. Our search for self, he insists, must give way to a search for God. In God alone, we are told, we will finally find ourselves.”

“A second theme runs through the meditation passages. sages. It is God's promise of everlasting, true peace and rest to anyone who loves and serves him. The cost of this peace will be to put God above everything else, above the "world," above self. Any other peace is illusory, any other price is not enough.”

“The purpose of this book is to open a gate for you, to make accessible one of the world's great spiritual masterpieces, The Imitation of Christ, and the spiritual experience and wisdom of its writer, Thomas a Kempis. This is not a book for mere reading. It invites you to meditate and pray its words on a daily basis over a period of thirty days.”

“My friend, let not the world’s fair and subtle words move you, for the kingdom of heaven lives not in their words but in virtuous works.”

“Do not read and study just to be thought wise, but rather to still the world in your spirit and to hear more clearly my voice. This shall be more profitable to you than the knowledge of many difficult and subtle questions.”

“Inflame my heart and enlighten my understanding. Bring sorrow to my heart for the sins of my life and comfort to my soul. Let the only wisdom I seek be yours, 0 Lord.”

“My friend, you shall never be safe from temptation and tribulation in this life. Therefore you will need to protect your spirit as long as you live. For you live and walk among spiritual enemies who will trouble and vex you from every side; Unless you use at all times and in all places the shield of patience, your spirit shall very soon be wounded.”

“Grant me a night of silence with you. Keep me in your embrace through the night, give me quiet rest and your peace, now and forever. Amen.”

“O Lord, you have been with me all through the day. Now evening has come. The shadows have lengthened into darkness. Let my busy world now grow quiet, the feverish concerns of my day be stilled, my work put away.”

“Lord you know what is best for me. Give me what you will, as much as you will, and when you will. Do with me as you know best, as it most pleases you, and as is most to your honor.”

“Take heart, Turn to me for comfort And put your whole trust in my mercy”

“I must remember that you are the source of comfort for all those who call on you, and that without you there is no real comfort in our times of trouble. Let me never forget that you are always near. Let me take heart and turn to you and put my whole trust in your mercy.”

“It is often asked whether one is rich, strong, fair, able, a good writer, a good singer, or a good laborer. But it is seldom asked whether that person is poor in spirit, patient, meek, devout, or inwardly turned to God. The world judges by appearances but we must look to the Spirit.”

“But our old enemies resist our turn to goodness in every way, and hour after hour assault us to see if they can catch us unaware. Therefore stay awake, and pray that you be not turned from your spiritual goals by temptation (3:49).”

“This book was created to be nothing more than a gateway-a gateway to the spiritual wisdom of a specific teacher, and a gateway opening on your own spiritual path. You may decide that Thomas a Kempis is someone whose experience of God is one that you wish to follow more closely and deeply. In that case you should get a copy of the entire text of The Imitation of Christ and pray it as you have prayed this gateway journey.”

Each day follows the same format with three main sections from a newer book in the series:

MY DAY BEGINS: “As the day begins set aside a quiet moment in a quiet place to do the reading provided for the day

The passages are short; they never run more than a couple of hundred words. They have been carefully selected, though, to give a spiritual focus, a spiritual center to your whole day. They are designed to remind you, as another day begins, of your own existence at a spiritual level. They are meant to put you in the presence of the spiritual master who is your companion and teacher on this journey. This is especially true of this journey with Catherine of Siena. The readings are her report of God’s words to her, God’s side of the dialogue. And since the purpose of the passage is to remind you that at every moment during you are in the presence of a God who invites you continually, but quietly, to live in and through him, what better source than the words of God himself?”

ALL THROUGH YOUR DAY: “Immediately following the day’s reading you will find a single sentence, a meditation in the form of a mantra, a phrase meant as a companion for your spirit as it moves through a busy day. Write it down on a 3" x 5" card or on the appropriate page of your daybook. Look at it as often as you can. Repeat it quietly to yourself, and go on your way.

It is not meant to stop you in your tracks or to distract you from responsibilities but simply, gently, to remind you of the presence of God and your desire to respond to this presence.”

MY DAY IS ENDING: “This is a time for letting go of the day, for entering a world of imaginative prayer … This exercise is not meant to last more than a few minutes. End it when you are comfortable doing so. It has two parts. The first, in keeping with Catherine’s model, is a personal response to the words spoken by God in the day’s reading. Just as God has spoken to you, so you speak to God. Second, you are invited to turn to the familiarity of a prayer based on Catherine’s own words. It is an act of trust and confidence, an entryway into peaceful sleep, a simple evening prayer that gathers together the spiritual character of the day that is now ending as it began—in the presence of God.

It is a time for summary and closure.”

A sample day is:

“DAY 13

 My Day Begins 

My friend, says our Savior Christ,

here is how you should pray for what you desire:

Lord if it be your will, be it done as | ask;

and if it be to your praise, be it fulfilled in your name.

And if you see it good and profitable to me,

give me grace to use it in your honor.

But if you know it to be harmful to me

then take from me such desire.

Every desire does not come from the Holy Spirit

even though it may seem right and good,

for it is sometimes very difficult to judge

whether a good spirit or an evil one

is behind this or that desire;

or whether you are being moved

only of your own spirit.

Many are deceived in the end

who first seem to have been moved

by the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, with fear of God

and with meekness of heart,

you should desire and ask

whatever comes to your mind,

and forsaking yourself completely

commit all things to God and say:

Lord you know what is best for me.

Give me what you will,

as much as you will,

and when you will.

Do with me as you know best,

as it most pleases you,

and as is most to your honor.

I am your creature and in your hands.

Lead me where you will.

Iam your servant, ready to do all things

that you command,

for I desire not to live to myself but to you (3:15).

All Through The Day

You, Lord, know what is best for me.

My Day Is Ending

O Lord,

you have been with me all through the day.

Now evening has come.

The shadows have lengthened into darkness.

Let my busy world grow quiet,

the feverish concerns of my day be stilled,

my work put away.

Lord you know what is best for me.

Give me only what you will, when you will.

Do with me as you know best,

as it most pleases you, and is most to your honor.

I am your creation and I rest in your hands.

Lead me where you will.

I am your servant;

I desire to live not for myself but for you alone.

Grant me now a moment of silence with you.

Keep me in your embrace through the night,

give me quiet rest

and your peace,

now and forever.

Amen.”

A second that really impacted me is:

“DAY 16

 My Day Begins 

My friend,

why do you complain?

Consider my passion and the sufferings of my saints,

and you shall see that you suffer very little.

Remember how greatly others have suffered

in my name so that you may the more easily

bear your little griefs.

But whether your sufferings be great or little,

learn to bear them with patience.

The more you learn patience the wiser you shall be,

the more merit you shall have,

and the lighter will be your burden.

The patient soul,

whenever any adversity or wrong comes its way,

no matter from whom or what it may be,

or how often,

receives it thankfully,

as though it came from the hand of God,

and considers it a rich gift and a great blessing.

For we know that there is nothing

that we might suffer

that need pass without great merit.

Be ready therefore to do battle if you seek victory.

Without battle you will not achieve the crown of patience.

Resist strongly and suffer patiently.

For without labor no one can come to rest,

and without battle no one achieves victory.

O Lord Jesus,

make possible to me by grace

that which is not possible to me by nature.

You know well that I suffer very little

and that I am easily cast down by the smallest adversity.

Therefore, I pray that trouble and adversity

may hereafter, for your sake and in your name,

be welcomed by me,

for truly to suffer and be vexed for you is very good

and profitable for the health of my soul (3:19).

All Through The Day

My burden is light.

My Day Is Ending

O Lord,

you have been with me all through the day.

Now evening has come.

The shadows have lengthened into darkness.

Let my busy world grow quiet,

the feverish concerns of my day be stilled,

my work put away.

You have, Lord, taken this day to remind me

that without labor there is no rest,

without battle there is no victory.

Make possible to me, Lord Jesus, by your grace

that which seems impossible to me by nature.

It takes very little, the smallest adversity

to discourage me.

Let me by your grace,

begin again tomorrow.

But for now grant me a moment of your silence.

Keep me in your embrace through the night,

give me quiet rest

and your peace,

now and forever.

Amen.”

I hope those quotes and the sample days give you a feel for this excellent volume. This volume does not have the section Night Prayer to end the day that some have. But the My Day is Ending is mostly a prayer and as can be seen from the times I highlighted and shared them above. 

I have now read 14 volumes in this series, and currently working on a fifteenth and final that has an digital edition available currently, and I can state this is another great offering in the series. I find that some speak to me more than others. With one I did not highlight as much as in previous volumes, or even extensive highlights. I still greatly enjoyed it. I can state I benefited from the month with each person being profiled. And if I went back and did a volume again at a different point or season in life I might interact with it differently. I already plan to circle back to both this volume and the volume on Joan and reread them once I have completed the series, or at least those I can track down.

I will note the eBook formatting on this is terrible. You can only highlight full paragraphs, and even then when I went to export my notes of share on Goodreads most only showed the first word. Hopefully when they rebrand this to the current branding the formatting will be fixed up. 

This was one another of the volumes I connected with. This is a great read, it is one I really enjoyed reading it. I can easily recommend this volume and the series as a whole, and I look forward to reading others in the series. If you have not given any in this series a try this would be an excellent starting point or whichever one seems to call to you.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Books in the Great Spiritual Teachers Series:

Abide in love: the Gospel spirituality of John the Evangelist – John Kirvan 

All Will Be Well - Julian of Norwich and John Kirvan 

Born to Do This - Joan of Arc and Jaymie Stuart Wolfe 

Come into the Silence - Thomas Merton 

Draw Ever Closer - Henri J. M. Nouwen and Robert M. Hamma  

Fear Not the Night - John of the Cross and John Kirvan 

God Awaits You Based on the Classic Spirituality of Meister - Richard Chilson 

Grace Through Simplicity - Evelyn Underhill and John Kirvan 

Hope Without Borders: 30 Days with Frances Xavier Cabrini - Amy J. Cattapan   

Let Nothing Disturb You - Teresa of Avila and John Kirvan  

Let There Be Light - Hildegard of Bingen and John Kirvan  

Living in the Presence of God - Brother Lawrence and John Kirvan 

Love Without Measure - Mother Teresa and John Kirvan 

Peace of Heart - Saint Francis of Assisi and John Kirvan 

Rejoice in the Lord - Augustine of Hippo and Trenton Mattingly  

Set Aside Every Fear - Catherine of Siena and John Kirvan  

Set Your Heart Free - Francis de Sales and John Kirvan 

Simply Surrender - Thérèse of Lisieux, Caroline Myss and John Kirvan    

That you may have life: let the mystics be your guide for Lent - John Kirvan 

True Serenity - Thomas a Kempis and John Kirvan 

We Are Beloved - Thea Bowman and Karianna Frey MS 

Where Only Love Can Go - The Cloud of Unknowing and John Kirvan  

You Shall Not Want: The Psalms - Richard Chilson 

…