
Thoughts Matter
Discovering the Spiritual Journey
Mary Margaret Funk(Author)
Liturgical Press
Published on 1. February 2013
Book
Paperback/Softback
224 pages
978-0-8146-3525-4 (ISBN)
Description
Cassian taught that real intimacy with God in prayer demands renouncing one's former way of life, the thoughts belonging to that former way of life, and one's very idea of God. In Thoughts Matter, Mary Margaret Funk focuses on the second of these: renouncing the thoughts belonging to one's former way of life. Her eight chapters focus on different thoughts"-food, sex, anger, dejection, acedia (profound weariness of the soul), vainglory (taking credit for good actions), and pride.
Funk explains well how failure to control these thoughts can undermine our spiritual life, and she instructs readers on how effectively to overcome these thoughts and to focus instead on thoughts in harmony with God's will. The result is an experience of joy, hope, and freedom from enslavement to our appetites. Readers will come away enlightened, strengthened, and inspired to delve more deeply into a life of intimacy with God.
Funk explains well how failure to control these thoughts can undermine our spiritual life, and she instructs readers on how effectively to overcome these thoughts and to focus instead on thoughts in harmony with God's will. The result is an experience of joy, hope, and freedom from enslavement to our appetites. Readers will come away enlightened, strengthened, and inspired to delve more deeply into a life of intimacy with God.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Collegeville, MN
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 178 mm
Width: 127 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
216 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8146-3525-4 (9780814635254)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
02/2013
Liturgical Press
€27.49
Available for download
Person
Mary Margaret Funk is a Benedictine nun of Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove, Indiana. From 1994 through 2004, she served as executive director of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue, which fosters dialogue among monastics of the world's religions. In addition to the volumes of the Matters Series, she is the author of Islam Is . . . : An Experience of Dialogue and Devotion and Into the Depths: A Journey of Loss and Vocation.
Content
Contents
Iconographer's Preface ix
Rebecca Cown
Introduction xvii
Chapter 1: About Thoughts 1
Chapter 2: About Food 16
Chapter 3: About Sex 31
Chapter 4: About Things 65
Chapter 5: About Anger 79
Chapter 6: About Dejection 104
Chapter 7: About Acedia 115
Chapter 8: About Vainglory 141
Chapter 9: About Pride 159
Notes 177
Appendix 1: Monastic Practices 185
Appendix 2: Was Jesus Angry? 188
Select Bibliography 195
Iconographer's Preface ix
Rebecca Cown
Introduction xvii
Chapter 1: About Thoughts 1
Chapter 2: About Food 16
Chapter 3: About Sex 31
Chapter 4: About Things 65
Chapter 5: About Anger 79
Chapter 6: About Dejection 104
Chapter 7: About Acedia 115
Chapter 8: About Vainglory 141
Chapter 9: About Pride 159
Notes 177
Appendix 1: Monastic Practices 185
Appendix 2: Was Jesus Angry? 188
Select Bibliography 195