The Reed of God

As someone relatively new to Catholicism I haven't grown up with Marian theology. This is a beautiful introduction and even emersion into the life of Mary and why that matters. Very rich and worth many re-reads.
This was written during the second world war, and so there are certainly some mentions that give a modern reader pause - a "blue-eyed" Christ child, a slight dismissal of mental illness when different "moods" are brought up, to name a couple. I get the feeling that were Caryll writing this today she would likely be on the right side of things.
So many excellent remarks on humanity and the human condition as well, like why are those who claim Christianity often the least Christlike? Why has Christ come to us in the small, poor, and show more unimportant? Wonderful contemplations on those topics and more. show less

For being over 75 years old, this book is modern and feels fairly progressive (minus a few “oof—not good” moments). I only know about Catholicism from history (not a good light there) and jokes from people about being lapsed due to Catholic school, but this was actually a fascinating and beautifully written introduction to explaining their big deal with Mary.

Mystic Caryll Houselander focuses on the human side of Mary, mother of Jesus in this book, as she searches for the Lost Child, not with their family or friends on the road, over so many heads in large crowds teaching, as He is laid gently in the tomb. She shares Mary as an empty cup, waiting to be filled and then poured out, a reed, waiting for God's breath, and many other comparisons to medidate on. A beautiful gift with layers of insight to be unwrapped- must look at this again in the future!

Absolutely astonishing. Calling the "Imitation of Mary" kind of points toward what it is, but at the same time fails to capture how revelatory and powerful it is. I will have to read it again.

Lovely, profound, lyrical. But don't try to read it in one sitting. This one deserves to be savored a few pages a day over a long, long time.

First published in 1944 and now a spiritual classic for Catholics across the globe, The Reed of God contains meditations on the humanity of Mary, Mother of God.