Jesus Experience: The Core of Christian Life Journey
by Sahaya G. Selvam, sdb
Mumbai: St Pauls, 2011 (151pp; Rs.90; $6.95)
Born out of personal experience and reflection, the book can be a valuable guide to anyone who seriously desires a God-experience. For a Christian, the experience of God through an encounter with Jesus is a journey that is marked by different milestones. The author traces some of the patterns that emerge in the gospel narratives of the encounter between Jesus and different people like the Magi, the first disciples, Zacchaeus, the Samaritan woman, and the disciples on the road to Emmaus.
At least seven steps are discernible in these encounters: the beginning of the journey as a result of the awareness of an inner thirst (or desire for God), the recognition of the pointers on the way, the search that takes us along meandering paths, the timely invitation from God/Jesus, the peak of the journey in Christ experience, the result of the encounter in a personal transformation that is also marked by a spirit of renunciation, and the expression of the experience in proclamation and mission. These seven steps form the major chapters of the book.
The book attempts to explain in simple terms classical concepts of spirituality like purgative stage, illuminative stage and unitive stage; consolation and desolation; discernment; and prayer. These terms are explained within the framework of the gospel narratives. Therefore, this book could be a good textbook for novices in the study of spirituality.
Sharing his own experience at the Divine Retreat Centre,India, Fr Selvam tries to understand the spirituality of the Charismatic Renewal within the framework of the gospel encounters and the Catholic traditions of spirituality: Benedictine, Carmelite, Franciscan, Ignatian and Salesian. At the end of every chapter, he proposes a method of prayer drawn from the heritage of these classical traditions. The book could be an apt gift to those who are raising questions about Catholic traditions.
As this book evolved out of the retreat ministry of the author, particularly among young people, it could be of great assistance during personal and group retreats.
To the developing world, where the church expresses Christian charity in developmental work, and to the post-Christian world where the church is searching for relevance, this book has a simple but deep message: let us get back to the core of the Christian life journey – the experience of God in Jesus.
However, as participants in the retreats based on the book and the first readers have consistently acknowledged, the tone of the reflections in the book is liberative. It is about love, freedom and happiness.
The book was published by StPauls, Mumbai, India. It is available in any Catholic Bookshop inIndia. In East Africa, Catholic bookshops of Nairobi and Dar es Salaam will have the book. In the UK, it is obtainable directly from Selvam. It is also available for purchase online in India through Indiaplaza and Rightbooks.