McQuiston: Finding Time
“That’s when I stumbled across a quote from Rabbi Harold Kushner: ‘for the religious mind and soul, the issue has never been the existence of God but the importance of God, the difference God makes in the way we live.’” —John McQuiston II in Finding Time for the Timeless: Spirituality in the Workweek (Skylight Paths, 2004).
Memphis lawyer, John McQuiston II, is best known for his modern translation of The Rule of Benedict, Always we Begin Again. This third book by the author is a collection of real-life examples of spiritual practices of forty-two people from varied religious and ethnic backgrounds who try to bring their spirituality to their workweek. The quote above is from his story about a Memphis religious writer of a column called “Faith Matters, or as he explains, it is not Religion Matters or Church Matters or Christianity Matters, but Faith Matters.” This became so meaningful for McQuiston that he has it taped to his keyboard to remind him that he is not writing about religion per se, but about how God works in our lives.
A Jewish engineer makes a gratitude list each morning in his thirty-minute drive to work. His office computer is programmed to ask him: “What are you thankful for today?” The founding of an accounting firm develops a “mental peace” each morning by walking to work. A Greek Orthodox dentist wears a cross under his shirt so he can constantly feel God’s presence. He frequently says the Jesus Prayer and has icons in his office.
Interspersed also in the book are five short essays by McQuiston, in which he discusses how spiritual practices increase the quality of the rest of his life, encouraging readers to find a practice that brings them joy.
There is also an annotated reading list, as well as an excellent concluding summary or menu of the different practices described. The book is like a visit to a five-star restaurant, where we experience a little taste of spiritual practices from many modern and varied sources. We are then invited to make a selection to experience our own life-changing diet.
Purchase a copy of A Spiritual Rx for Lent and Easter from me, joannaseibert@me.com, from Wordsworth Books in Little Rock, or from Amazon.