A Season in the Desert: Making Time Holy

In the womb, surrounded by the beating of our mother's heart marking time, we begin to sense that we are "someone" as we stretch tiny arms and legs to the beat of swimming-like rhythms. But at birth, we are exiled--destined to a lifelong sojourn through time and space. For some, this pilgrimage is an impossible effort to "return." For others, it is a frightening but exhilarating search for an unknown land. Kansas or Oz, Eden or the Kingdom--our life becomes an ongoing pursuit of that place called home.

This thought-provoking book explores the concept of time not only as a defining dimension of our existence, but as the natural pulse of Christian spirituality. Imparting practical tools and spiritual insight from his own fascinating life journey, W. Paul Jones peels away our standard perceptions of time and demonstrates the potent beauty and intuitive rhythms of time within the Christian tradition.

W. Paul Jones' background is remarkable for its juxtaposition of religious experiences. He was an ordained United Methodist minister for over forty years, and more recently was ordained a Roman Catholic priest. Born and raised in the hills of Appalachia, he taught for many years at Yale University, Princeton University, and Saint Paul School of Theology. He and his family lived in the inner city, actively involved in radical social action. In the last decade he has become a Family Brother of the Trappists and presently lives as a hermit in the Ozark hills.

Fr. Jones's writings have appeared in numerous journals, and his most recent books include "Theological Worlds: Understanding the Alternative Rhythms of Christian Belief" and "Trumpet at Full Moon: An Introduction to Christian Spirituality as Diverse Practice."