When the Lion Roars: A Primer for the Unsuspecting Mystic

Spiritual Life, Fall 2003 by Jordan, Regis

When The Lion Roars: A Primer for the Unsuspecting Mystic. By Stephen J. Rossetti. Notre Dame, Ind.: Ave Maria Press, 2003. Pp. 160. Paper. $11.95.

"Mystics are not part of a small elite society.... Rather, they are people who have come to experience the intense, personal desire God has to share himself with us." In this lively guide, Stephen Rossetti reminds us that becoming a mystic is not a matter of learning some "mystical secret" but of entering into the divine simplicity of God's unbounded and unrestrained love. This invitation is for all of us. In a series of practical, readable chapters, Kossetti addresses the many questions and concerns that arise on the path to deeper prayer. He draws carefully from the wisdom of Scripture and uses his broad knowledge of mystical writers from the Desert Fathers to Therese of Lisieux to guide us on a road we may never have expected to take. Writing from his own experience of prayer and from his expertise as a spiritual director and therapist, Rossetti helps us to arrive at a deeper understanding of ourselves as wounded and sinful people who are nevertheless caught up in the transforming love of God.