Hidden Mountain, Secret Garden: A Theological Contemplation on Prayer

Not really a "how-to" book on prayer and contemplation as the author points out early on. But a gem not to be missed for those interested in living a serious Christian life amidst the joys and sorrows of this world.The concept of a "Hidden Mountain" and "Secret Garden" comes up in a number of places (PP. 4,6,7,12-15,25,166,188,139,142,143), but I think the best definition comes up right off the bat:"Prayer seeks a hidden mountain; it searches out a secret garden. The mountain is the presence of the Lord. The garden is friendship with Him. The prize is priceless. In this quest, no sacrifice is too costly. To make this journey is the reason we were made." (PP. 1,2)There are a lot of good Catholic, Christian, and even secular books about forgiveness, but Dr. Lilles takes an approach I don't think I've ever come across before. He points out the good a Christian can do for those who have hurt him or her:"One obstacle to beginning to pray and living within is the struggle to forgive. When someone hurts us in a serious way, there is a spiritual wound that remains. As we begin to pray, it is common that we find ourselves going back over these wounds again and again. What is most frustrating is that many times we thought we have already forgiven the person who hurt us. But when the memory comes back, we can sometimes feel the anger and the pain all over again. ... The 'Catechism of the Catholic Church' explains, 'It is not in our power not to feel or to forget an offense; but the heart that offers itself to the Holy Spirit turns injury into compassion and purifies the memory in transforming hurt into intercession' (#2843) ... The Lord grieves with us and for us when we suffer (various things). He has permitted us to suffer them for a profound reason. ... We have a special authority over the soul of someone who causes us great sorrow. Their actions have bound them to us in the mercy of God. ... When someone hurts us physically or even emotionally, he has demeaned himself even more. He is even more in need of mercy. From this perspective, the injury our enemies have caused us can be a gateway for us to embrace the even greater sufferings with which their hearts are burdened. Because of this relationship, our prayers on their behalf have a particular power. The Father hears these prayers because prayer for our enemies enters deep into the mystery of the Cross. ... Mercy is love that suffers the misery of another, the evil that afflicts someone's heart, so that the dignity of that person might be restored. On the Cross, Christ embraced our misery so that we might know God's mercy. ...Trusting God means to pray for those who harm us, to seek to return good for evil." (PP. 174-176,155)"Hidden Mountain, Secret Garden" focuses particularly on the thought of my favorite order, the Carmelites, and a number of their saints: Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Edith Stein, Blessed Titus Brandsma. But other saints are mentioned, for instance, great Dominicans like St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Catherine of Siena. Outside the Carmelites and Dominicans, a number of other saints mentioned include: St. John Paul II, Blessed Charles de Foucauld, and Pope Emeritus Benedict.There is so much more I could write about this great book, but let me end with my favorite passages from it:"Those who come to realize what Christ suffered for their sake yearn to give a return. They are so overcome by how much they are loved by Christ that they are willing to do anything for Him. ... To make (the) movement in the Heart of Christ the movement of one's own heart is to allow oneself to be as rejected and hated as was the Lord Himself. When someone is really holy, primal hostility towards God in our culture and in the lives of individuals is directed at that person. This is the reason that Blessed Charles (de Foucauld) was betrayed to his murderers. It is the reason why great saints like St. Maximilian Kolbe and Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross were killed in Auschwitz. It seems this is really the reason (Saint) John Paul II was shot. It is also the reason he went into prison, embraced the man who shot him, and prayed with him. ... Contemplating the face of Christ and clinging to the mercy of God was the secret not only of dealing with himself but also of being merciful to others, even those who tried to kill him. ... If we want to follow the pilgrimage of prayer all the way to the end, we must not be frightened by the threats of the world. ... St. John of the Cross calls such worldly forces wild animals. ... The trick to not succumbing to fear is to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and His great love for us." (PP.173,174,155)

Inspires readers to adopt a strong prayer life so faith can truly blossom. Dr. Lilles argues convincingly that once we open the door to prayer, the garden of our faith life comes alive with previously unimagined colors and scents. Excellent for those who have found their faith journey dimming into shades of gray. He persuades us a life of prayer removes the scales from our eyes so we might see the bountiful life God intended us to enjoy.Too often we view faith from a flat, two-dimensional perspective. Catechism, without prayer, lacks perspective. Dr. Lilles teaches us to see faith in three dimensions. That which was once flat and shallow gains texture and depth. Too often we have accepted the desert, but overlooked the garden.The author offers a powerful premise (antidote) for our times - theology should be studied on our knees. Theology, which has become arid, as if bleached dry by a drought, rebounds when infused with prayer. The premise offered in this work is that we must allow the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, delivered in prayer, to transport living water to our lives and our parishes.

Dr. Lilles writes beautifully on the topic of prayer. It should be an easy topic, however true prayer is not always easy to grasp. I found myself highlighting parts that struck me deeply, so that I may return to them for further contemplation.If you desire a deeper prayer life, I would highly recommend this book to further your understanding. Additionally, the style that the book is written, will inspire you to grow in your conversation with God.

I love this book and am already rereading portions of it for inspiration and encouragement. It begins with explanations of prayer and of our relationship with God. Then it gets into deep discussions of contemplation and meditative prayer, opening up the mysteries revealed by God to Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, and others. For those of us who are not called to do great, active things in the world, but who are called to prayer and intimacy with the Lord, who love to spend time with Him, and to know His love and mercy, and who long to bring others to Him through prayer and through our relationships, and who believe that He heals the world through our prayers and those of others of us who are hidden with Him, this is a fabulous book.

This is a potentially a Life Changing book. It is a MUST for anyone who is serious about wanting to pray deeply. It is easy to read and quickly brings one to understand the power and depth of prayer . It is a book that will powerfully help both beginner and the more advanced in prayer. It is beautifully written and for those who read it with the desire for prayer, it will surely lead them to the deep and continuous prayer that is asked of us in Thessalonians 5: 17 "pray always".

I've wanted this book for over a year. I finally remembered to order it 😅.Looking forward to reading it.

I concur with all the other reviews of this book. I had the exact same thoughts as Dan Burke regarding lamenting the death of Fr. Thomas Dubay and wondering who is there to equip the Body like him? I believe Dr. Anthony Lilles is one of those people. His writing is eloquent and deep. I find it rare to find a modern book with this depth. Typically, I will only read the classics that have stood the test of time, but I found in this volume a depth that unusual and I found myself rereading sections and recommending it to others often. It's excellent!

I have just begun to get into this book, but it looks like it's an awesome tract on prayer and one's relationship with God--and, as Dr. Lilles says, "a mystical gaze, a holy silence..." rather than a "how-to" approach. If you've ever read anything else from Dr. Lilles or listened to him speak, you will be driven to acquire and devour this work.

A wonderful book to accompany meditation and scripture reading.