I thought that for this Substack it would be fun to write about books on Mondays. I am currently reading Therese DesCamp’s Hands Like Roots: Notes on an Entangled Contemplative Life. Therese DesCamp is an ordained minister and spiritual director. She and I were classmates at the Center for Action and Contemplation’s Living School. We got to hang out in Albuquerque when our class met there. We were “sent” in 2020 and have stayed in touch by the wonders of Zoom. I’m a great admirer and so happy to have her book in my hands!
Therese DesCamp took the title of the book, and built its structure around, the quote from St. Francis (above). She is a master of the practice of lectio divina (divine reading), the slow and careful reading of text to tease out its meaning. I learned this method of contemplation at the Living School, and often recommend it to people who complain they can’t meditate, meaning that they haven’t got the hang of the Buddhist sit. We forget that the famous Meditations of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius were simply his reflections on how to be a good person.
Therese DesCamp introduces us to this method as she considers the words of the saint. Then she uses the elements she has deciphered to organize her reflections on life as a contemplative human being. Contemplation, she makes clear, slows us down but it doesn’t free us from aging or jealousy or delight in a baby’s toes. Rather, in contemplation we get to meet our humanness head on. Happily, as we are stunned by our limits, she shows us that we can, in such moments, connect to the Infinite, however it is that we understand the love at the center of the Universe.
What? I say. I have to think about this. It’s not my great moments that open doors, but stubbing my toe (again?) that does it? It’s when I say, I can’t believe I’m so stupid, that I am offered a blessing? I have to sit with this concept for some moments, in lectio divina of my inability to protect my toes. In the full embrace of my limit, there is humility and That Something Else that strokes my heart, There, there. It’s ok and by the way did you notice? Look around and notice — the world is amazing!
A book like Hands Like Roots is not a romance novel, designed to be devoured in one night. It’s a Wisdom book, its short essays both the result of lectio divina and meant to be read as lectio divina. The book reminds me that I have friends on this complicated journey and I treasure that kindness.
My fall semester first class is in a few hours...terrific to read about 'the divine reading' and to engage the fall morning.