Margaret Guenther II
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:2
This is another quote from the beginning of Margaret Guenther’s book, Holy Listening, The Art of Spiritual Direction. It had been on my bookshelf, half read for some time. I think I bought it around 20 years ago in Washington DC at the National Cathedral Museum Bookstore, attracted to its cover of the newborn by one of my favorite artists, Georges de La Tour. I have attached a copy of de La Tour’s painting, The Newborn, 1640, Museum of Fine Arts, Rennes).
I am guessing that Guenther picked this “work of art” because of the two women, one women not speaking with a gently raised hand, almost like giving a blessing or in adoration, and the other woman looking intently at her sleeping newborn tightly wrapped like a gift or package. What an image for spiritual direction! I had been going for spiritual direction for many years, but it seems that the seed for me to do spiritual direction was planted in my heart and soul so very long ago before it germinated. As people started coming and visiting with me, I realized they were seeking spiritual direction, but they were not calling it that.
I decided I needed to take a course in spiritual direction on line from CDSP (Church Divinity School of the Pacific) about short term spiritual direction to feel out the waters. I kept moving in that “direction” and then five years later this course was affirmed when I spent two years in the Spiritual Direction Study at Kanuga with the Haden Institute. So, my energy was very high with Guenther’s cover selection over twenty years ago, but it took this long to be affirmed!
Our God is a patient God and never gives up on a call.
Joanna joannaseibert.com