Book Review: the Impact of God, Soundings From St. John of the Cross by Iain Matthew

Seeking the beloved makes sense to John of Thelove with Jesus, the John who through all his life and
Cross, the mystic. He considers such desire andteaching shows the path to inner liberation and union
action Christian progress: "Christian progress means:with God." I found the book a lesson on John of the
searching for the one who is giving joy to my life,Cross, the liberator.
who seems to believe in me, who makes me alive.An unusual thing to say, yes, but there are many
When I am with him, every moment is a discovery;lessons in this book that have helped me to value
and being without him is like dying."and enjoy, understand the writings and poetry of
So the poet is quoted in the wonderful and inspiringJohn of the Cross. One important lesson and activity
book, "The Impact of God, Soundings from St Johnof John of the Cross is clear. John of the Cross
of The Cross" by Iain Matthew, published by Hodderpoints to Jesus. As Iain Matthew writes of the Saint's
and Stoughton, London, England. This work discussesdictum, "Essentially...choose the person of Christ, and
the Saint, his poetry, and his doctrine. The great Johnget used to making him, not your feelings, your
of the Cross is a writer of wonderful love poetry,ultimate basis for action." Lots of doctrine and good
poetry directed at Christ, and his doctrine includesthoughts in this book.
the idea that one cannot know God, for to ascend inHere is one of my favorite quotes from "The Impact
contemplative prayer is to reach nothingness. Heof God: Soundings from St John of the Cross." I think
writes in a poem:this is a sounding. It is also a strong statement on
To come to savour alllove. Love is explored in the book. I brought to this
Seek to find savour in nothing;quotation a sense that the Ascension of Christ brings
To come to possess all,not only the perfected humanity of Jesus, but also
Seek possession in nothing,the humanity of human kind. I found myself thinking
To come to be all,about what was offered and brought my own
Seek in all to be nothing....questions right along as I read. The concepts of
To come to what you know nothunger, ache, dignity, being shaped for Christ
You must go by way where you know notresonated with me:
To come to what you are not"So our needs--for answers or love or solutions to
You must go by a way where you are not.our problems ache is the price of our dignity. If we
The author of this book explains this love poem, andare meant for this much, we shall suffer that hunger.
many others, and the doctrine of the Spanish Saint."John designates that dignity by the term 'bride'. In
A Discalced Carmelite himself, the author is prior of athe Ballads, creation was intended to furnish the Son
Carmelite Monastery in Dublin. As the jacket blurbwith a 'bride', a whole people who would be his own.
aptly puts it, "John of the Cross testifies to a GodIn Canticle, the bride is found and wedded beneath
who longs to meet us and to love us in our deepestthe 'apple tree' of the cross, where 'the Son of God
need." I, as reviewer, think the writer is successful inredeemed, and so betrothed, human nature, and so
meeting this description, and the book is veryeach soul, with himself'. This means that humankind,
worthwhile reading before reading any of St. John'sand each person in it, has, necessarily, a bridal shape.
works (afterward, too, as did I).We are, from our origin, shaped for Christ, a
John of the Cross writes love poems out ofcapacity, a need for Christ.
encounter with Christ. Here is an example regarding"That -- our incompleteness -- is our dignity, and
Easter morning. Iain Matthew says it is about awhen we feel it we are most truly ourselves. When
visitation St. John received:we utter our appeal from there, we are being
My beloved, the mountains,mature, being what we were meant to be. That
Lonely wooded valleys,appeal is prayer. For the human person, then, prayer
Rare islands,is a supreme value."
Thundering rivers,The book has Chapter names like: "Prayer, a `Being
The whisper of love, carried by the breeze.With'," "The Gospel Has Eyes," "The Right Kind of
The tranquil nightEmptiness," "There is Somewhere to go," "It Has to
At one with the rising dawn,be God," and "The Experience of God..."
The silence of music,If you as a reader find the following words by the
The mighty sound of solitudewriter of the book ones that resonate with you,
The feast where love makes all new. (Canticle Athen by all means read this book. Regarding prayer,
13-14)Iain Matthew says of John of the Cross: "But in each
Jean Vanier writes a short introduction to the bookas the need, though real, is a symptom of a deeper
(mine in paperback, and loaned to me by an Episcopalneed, of a craving that is as close and as vital as we
Deacon--good fortune for me to be introduced toare to ourselves. The mystic sounds human needs;
the book). At the end of the introduction, this quote:and about the person John has said many magnificent
"For some people, John of the Cross, the John ofthings. But the most real thing he says about us is
Pain and of Ecstasy, seems too austere andthat we are created to need God--`infinite capacity,'
complicated: for others he seems too pantheistic, notfor God." The book and John of the Cross speak to
sufficiently Christ-centered. Iain Matthew revealspeople who have a need, craving, vital arousal in the
beautifully the true John, firmly centered in Jesus, inheart for God.