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Lift Your Sails: The Challenge of Being a Christian

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Title: Lift Your Sails: The Challenge of Being a Christian
by Vincent Dwyer
ISBN: 0-8264-1139-8
Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group
Pub. Date: 01 February, 1999
Format: Paperback
Volumes: 1
List Price(USD): $15.95
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Average Customer Rating: 3.67 (3 reviews)

Customer Reviews

Rating: 1
Summary: Somewhat non-congruent
Comment: Dwyer delivers what I believe to be some cogent and somewhat fruitful, Spiritual advise in the Catholic Spiritual sense...

Rating: 5
Summary: A Contemporary Spiritual Classic
Comment: A number of years ago I was visiting St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, MA and I purchased a book. The man at the counter asked if I wanted an autographed copy, and to be polite, I said yes. The man then took a pen and autographed my book with the inscription "To Tim, May the Spirit fill your sails and guide you on your journey-With best wishes-Fr. Vincent, O.C.S.O. I was surprised to actually be talking with a real live author, and found it rather surprising he was working at the gift store counter, but he told me he loved the job and saw it as a service to his religious community. He seemed to be an authentic follower of Christ, and I could hardly wait to read his book.

Perhaps because I actually met the author I was more interested in his book, but as I read the pages I discovered the writings of a man who loved God, loved being a priest, and understood modern life and the human condition. While he touches on all the familiar tenets of Christianity: following Christ, love and forgiveness, the importance of prayer, and the dignity of the human person, he shares personal anecdotes from his life, his ministry as a priest, and his meeting such a wide variety of people. We hear about moments when he was sure of his vocation, and moments of challenge. We hear about when he felt the love of God and others, and when this was somewhat difficult. In the end, we find a person who was speaking to his contemporary culture, but does so in a way that even years down the road, the work will be relevant.

It was ten years ago when I encountered Fr. Dwyer in the abbey bookstore, and I have probably read the book two or three times. I have used the book in classes and Bible studies over the years and often look for quotes from the book when I give talks or homilies. I always find the words fresh and alive. On a personal level, Fr. Dwyer's words have always seemed like his prayer for me, and I believe his words as well as his prayer have helped me "lift my sails."

Rating: 5
Summary: A Personal Journey
Comment: Lift Your Sails By Vincent Dwyer

The Continuum Publishing Co. 1999

Lift Your Sails, The Challenge of Being a Christian by Vincent

Dwyer, O.C.S.O. is a short book that is entertaining yet also

can used as a spiritual guide. It deals with our spiritual

journey to the Father. It is a personal suggested guide based

on love and forgiveness.

"Your unique response to God's revealing himself on your journey is what it's all about.Your journey...involves Your whole being, spiritually, emotionally, physically,And intellectually. It is a lifelong process... p. 12

The title of the book, Lift Your Sails, the Challenge of Being a

Christian, comes both from Father Dwyer's love of sailing and

the teaching of an early Church Father who said that "the task

we face is to lift our sails and set out on the journey to the

Father." Lift Your Sails is a reflection of Father Dwyer's own

journey. It shares a personal method of meeting God and

integrating that encounter into your life.

You can read Lift Your Sails quickly as an insightful

approach to prayer. It is entertaining, also. But it can be

used as "lectio divina", too: reading and reflecting your way

through the book. When something in the text seems meaningful,

you can let the Holy Spirit guide your reflection to deepen into

prayer. Lift Your Sails is a wonderful spiritual guide.

The book begins with Jesus' invitation to "Come, follow

me." "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." (John 14:6)

Father Dwyer explains that God invites each one of us on an

adventure. An adventure to a pilgrimage that will lead to God.

"The winds of God's grace are always blowing; we need only make

the effort to lift our sails." P. 36.

Two things are necessary for your journey towards God:

humility and love. By humility, Dwyer means believing that God

loves you as you are, and you are exactly what God intended you

to be. Never consider yourself worthless. You are the image of

God. Love is communicated and communication means staying in

tune. Not everyone says what he or she means. Pay attention to

what people do, not necessarily what they say. Father Dwyer

gives as an example his father who never said in words that he

loved him. Yet his father, who lost everything in the

depression, worked hard for his family to provide everything-

food, clothes, a place that was comfortable.

Of course, communication also includes staying in tune

with all God does for us too. Observe the world around you and

see how God takes care of us because He loves us.

Once we realize how much God loves us, some people feel

ashamed that they wasted so much of their life loving the wrong

things. Father Dwyer explains,

...However, the truth of the matter is that as we

proceed on our journey

We are accountable only for the light we have. There's no point in dwelling on the mistakes we've made; our only task is to nurture our potential for growth. Pp. 57-8

True, love and friendship involve a deep commitment. This is

difficult for a lot of people. Fear of rejection or being hurt,

may be a reason for a fear of commitment. But Dwyer argues that

love is necessary, and well worth taking chances. Keep trying.

God loves us and wants us to love.

Through the centuries, the Church has taught us to

follow Christ message. To everyone, in each generation,

however, that task is different. Whatever our circumstances,

whoever we are, we must always be open to the Holy Spirit. This

shapes our journey. No one sails through life always on calm

seas. We have to learn to trust the Holy Spirit. Dwyer calls

this "dialogue." A dialogue with the God who lives in each of

us and who will always answer when we call.

To enter dialogue one needs to be a friend and be open

to friendship. This involves forgiving and being forgiven. We

have been created to relate. We have been created to be loved

by the Father and to love and adore Him. As we develop our

prayer lives we discover that it's all about relationship-our

friendship with God.

Dwyer relates the stories of his parents' spirituality.

For his father, faith meant going to Mass and prayers. He went

to daily mass and said his rosary and novenas that were popular

in his day. His mother on the other hand, felt that just being

with God was prayer. She spent a lot of time walking the

beach. Both these approaches to prayer brought each one close

to God. At the end of their lives, they were prepared to meet

God.

Prayer has been described in various ways but it always

involves a relationship with God and the individual and God and

the community. Through the book, Lift Your Sails, Father

Dwyer explains that God is always there, waiting for us. "The

winds of God's grace are always blowing; we need only make the

effort to lift our sails." Dwyer ends his book by praying for

the reader and the reader's journey toward God.

Well, done, Father Dwyer, even a "land lubber" like

myself can relate. I enjoyed the Trappist spirituality and

Father Dwyer even makes it palpable. He even suggests that our

centering prayer be three minutes, twice a day. Three minutes!

Now, I can't use the excuse, "I don't have time." Father

Dwyer's own journey makes it easy to relate to him. His growing

up in Scituate, is familiar to anyone who has grown up going to

the beach in New England. His prayer instructions, suggested

readings, charts on relationships and prayer, make his

spirituality understandable, interesting and real. I recommend

this book to all Christians who yearn for a closer relationship

with God. Begin your journey with Lift Your Sails. You will

find the book helpful and enjoyable.

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