Book of the Beloved - Softcover

Colme, Mairi

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1434344029 ISBN 13: 9781434344021

Publisher: AuthorHouse, 2008

Synopsis

A Christian mystical text containing the revelation made to a young girl in a Benedictine monastery in the mountains of Austria in 1974. It is a revelation of the extraordinary quality of the love of God communicated, not through light and joy, but through a dark and powerful suffering, which she identified as "the mystery of Christ's cross." The original manuscript was faithfully written down as a direct record of this experience. It takes the form of a dialogue or interaction between God as the Lover of the soul, and "Maria" as His Beloved. A major theme is the struggle of the Beloved to overcome the "Yes buts" of human nature in order to be able to say a "perfect Yes" to her Maker. Each dialogue moves through suffering and miscomprehension towards final happiness and liberation, prefiguring the change from death to resurrection. The manuscript remained a puzzle to its writer for eighteen years, at which point she gained an insight into the moment of "self-yielding" which transforms the suffering into bliss. It was then, whilst staying in an Austrian farmhouse on a mountain-side, that she wrote the poetry which re-interprets the text, as a hymn to "the Star-Love" of ecstatic intensity. Over thirty years after the original event, realising the experience may also have meaning for others, the writer worked on the manuscripts. During a period of deep reflection at her home in Scotland, she then wrote the commentaries. She hopes that this book, a lifetime's endeavour, may prove enlightening to others as to the nature of God's love.

About this title

About the Author

Mairi Colme, born in 1953, grew up in Yorkshire. After achieving high exam-results at a grammar school she took it in her head to go to Austria, and wrote to Rome to ask if a place could be found for her working in a monastery in the mountains. As a crazily brave 18-year-old with an address in her hand of such a place, she set off . For several years she had adventures in Austria, working with young people and cleaning guesthouses, being intoxicated by Gregorian chant, climbing mountains and having mystical experiences. When she returned to England she continued to work with children, and then tried her vocation in an enclosed Benedictine convent. Realising she was too young for this, she went to St.Andrews university at the age of 23, and graduated with an MA Honours degree in English language and literature. At that point she embarked on writing a book about the life of Jesus. There followed a dark troubled period of fourteen years during which she struggled with bringing up a son and with mental health issues. She transcended this however and found a healing catharsis through writing a book about her story. For years she then campaigned for mental health, did training courses, and studied Mathematics. She now hopes to return to university to study Theology. In the last few years she has been working to finish the mystical text which she considers her "magnum opus." Upon returning to Austria in May '07 she was accepted and blessed as a Benedictine oblate. So she now feels she is fulfilling her calling to be "a contemplative in the world."

Edition details

• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1434344029
• ISBN 13: 9781434344021
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 708