Divine Intimacy

This book was recommended to me by my spiritual director. When I saw the price, I balked a little, especially when I saw a review complaining about the thin pages and ghosting. But, as a lay Carmelite, I was very interested, so I decided to take a chance on it. I think it is fair to say that in just the few weeks since I began reading it daily, it has had a profound impact on my spiritual life. I believe that this book will accompany me for many years to come.Fr. Gabriel has a beautiful writing style that profoundly reflects on the scriptures and seasons of the church year. Every day he offers two meditations and a reflection. He wrote the meditations. The reflections (called colloquy in the book) are usually quotes from Carmelite saints. You could break the meditations up with Morning and Evening prayer, but I read them both in the morning and they fit seamlessly together.It is hard to overstate the impact that these writings have had on me. I find myself meditating on them all throughout the day. I use them as jumping off points for my journaling. These meditations are daily reminders of how much Jesus loves us, how deeply he desires to be part of our lives, and how tenderly he wishes to restore us when we inevitably fail to love. Adding these daily love letters to my morning prayer and journaling has been a great blessing. I am extremely grateful to my spiritual director for recommending the book.About this edition: It is true that the pages are thin and it is possible to see lettering from the back of the page bleeding through (ghosting), but if you look at the photo, you can see that the lines of type are lined up carefully from page to page, so when you are reading, the ghosting is not an issue at all. When I first got the book, I felt the cover was a little bit stiff. I am fairly certain it is genuine leather, but it is not as flexible as, say, a bible. (More like the breviary, I’d say). After a few weeks, I have really come to appreciate the quality of the book. Even with the stiff cover, the book opens widely and lays flat. The pages feel sturdy and secure. The ribbons are a handy way to keep track of the day you are on. All in all this is a gorgeous book that I expect will wear beautifully and last for years.Finally, a word about the cycle of the church year. It is true that this book does not follow the new cycle, but the seasons are close enough and frankly, the book stands on its own. Baronius Press offers a downloadable yearly calendar that orients you by date, which I have found helpful.This book is a treasure. It will become a cherished friend. I highly recommend it for anyone seeking to increase their intimacy with Christ.

I bought this to use as a daily reading and reflection. It has not disappointed me. The reflections are short and well written. They provide a great introspection on various topics. Each day closes with a prayer related to the reflection. There are a ton of bible quotes and quotes from the Saints.Overall it is a great book. My only negative for the book is that it is numbered based on the number of weeks. You will have to find a website online that can tell you how many weeks we are. I believe it uses pentecost as a reference. Currently as I write this, we are in the second period of ordinary time following Easter. The book uses the number of Sundays after Pentecost as a reference. Once I was able to figure this out I could follow along no problem.The book contains reflections for each day of the Liturgical Year. After starting you just keep moving the ribbon each day and continue through.The binding is nice, the cover is sturdy and strong. The pages are a nice quality. This is a book that could even be great for a group reading and reflection. There is a ton of reflection material in it for any Catechist. If you want to give a talk on the Beatitudes they are all in here.I would say that this is a great place to start for spiritual growth. Not as difficult as some of the spiritual classics, and much easier to manage and fit into a busy schedule.

A dear friend recommended this to me as a 'next step' in my spiritual reading, written by a devout Carmelite author. When I saw the price, I was reluctant to spend so much, so hunted for a copy to borrow (my local library had to hunt quite far and wide on interlibrary loan). It didn't take long for me to discover how rich the writing is, moving past the mind and intellect and touching the soul on a deep level of worship. Readings, organized according to the liturgical year, are written to facilitate the Teresian (St. Teresa of Avila) method of meditation (lectio divina). It is wonderful, and it may possible that I may not need another daily book of spiritual readings.And, the book quality seems to be very nice. I don't know for sure, but it appears to be a bonded leather. The feature I really appreciate is that the pages are sewn in, not glued, so I think it will sustain the daily use I plan to give it for a long time to come. There are also 2 sewn in ribbons for bookmarks, and the page edges are gold.If you are ready to take your prayer life more seriously and desire to follow Our Lord at a deeper level, start saving your hard earned funds and invest in this excellent book. It may be one of the best investments you will ever make.

What a Wonderful book to grow closer to God in thought and prayer. Truely Divine.

Excellent Teresian resource

How rare is it these days, that a book actually lives up to its reputation? This book does just that and much more. Having read a lot about meditation, and the theology behind it, I was having difficulty actually "doing" meditation, because I was caught up in questions about method. This book actually gives you the tools to start meditating, as soon as you open the covers. Simply read and you are on your way. The masterful Fr. Gabriel guides you on your way, with the sure hand of a man who was clearly a master of spiritual direction. In addition to his erudite guidance, he provides spiritual gems from the great mystic-saints of the Church, Theresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Theresa of the Child Jesus, Catherine of Sienna, Augustine, and many more.If all of this isn't enough, Baronius Press has done an extraordinary job republishing this classic as a beautiful, leather bound edition with gilded page edges. It is worth every penny!

This is the most wonderful book of meditations I have. It’s a must for anyone who wants to dive deep into meditating on our Lord, His word and works. I love it.

It opens our spiritual world an enhances our understanding towards God. Its a great read.

The following is my review of the so-called revised modern version of this book in a series of four, starting with Divine Intimacy: 001, but which points very much to the qualities of this, the original version. (*Please be VERY CAREFUL to read what I say below within that context, recognising that my criticisms apply to the so-called revision AND NOT this original version):-I very much agree with the reviewer who encouraged buying the original version of this book, which is Divine Intimacy: Meditations on the Interior Life for Every Day of the Liturgical Year or Divine Intimacy: Meditations on the Interior Life for Every Day of the Liturgical Year. Unlike with some old devotional books, following the readings of the old missal, which tend to use dated language etc., it is a real treasure. It would be wonderful if it could be reproduced in Kindle, as well as in less expensive editions.This revision*, to my mind, is very good, but at the same time would really be best described as "adapted from" or "based partly on the original". I appreciate the good intentions of the writers of this version, but to some extent, they have produced a more bland, slight reflection of the original version, which only rates it comparable to other modern devotional books.It would be a great service if someone with the right spiritual experience and insight could do a revision, much closer to the original, adapted to the current cyle of lectionary readings etc. Alternatively if someone could manage to produce a key to the original that directed to passages related to the readings of the week in the current lectionary.On the other hand, if one is not too concerned to follow the current lectionary, working out the equivalent stage of the RC calendar will enable the original to be used, at least, in relation to the major feasts and times of year.Having said all this, as long as readers understand the nature of this present series* of books, they are very good insofar that they may reflect some of the original, as well as helping reflection and prayer in line with the RC Church calendar. Of course they are also very handy being available on Kindle and easier to buy.NB. As I said earlier please be VERY CAREFUL to understand what I have said originally within the context of reviewing the so-called revision AND NOT this original version. My criticisms only apply to the so-called revised version.

Love this book. Taught me a lot and one can read it over and over again. A good spiritual journey book, a book I would take for holiday.

A truly beautifully written book. Recommend to anyone seeking instruction in the higher levels of prayer.