Quick Look
- Explores how the accounts of Jesus's work on earth can offer comfort during difficult times
- Each engaging chapter includes a poem, a short commentary on the Bible story that inspired it, an autobiographical piece and contemplative phrase
- A thought-provoking and personal book from Lory Widmer Hess who is known for her long association with the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America
A candid and courageous book sharing a personal journey to wellbeing, revealing how the healing stories in the gospels can be a source of strength. The reflective poems, commentary, and autobiography will inspire readers on journeys of spiritual growth.
Description
In this candid and courageous book, Lory Widmer Hess describes her experience of inner transformation through her exploration of the healing stories in the gospels. In a unique blend of poetry, commentary and autobiography, she describes how she engaged with and drew inspiration from these stories. Her approach will inspire readers on their own journey of spiritual growth.
During a difficult time in her life, Lory turned to the accounts of Jesus's work on earth for comfort and inspiration. She wrote poems about the lives of the people who had been touched by Christ and, over several years, added personal reflections that explored the difficulties she was facing in her marriage, the challenges of raising a family, and setbacks in her career. Gradually she learned forgiveness and self-acceptance.
This powerful book shows how we can connect our experiences to the gospel stories in a creative way that allows us to draw strength from them. At the end of each chapter, the essential meaning of the story is distilled into a simple, contemplative phrase. Readers interested in Christian spirituality will turn to this unique and remarkable book again and again for inspiration and contemplation.
Table of Contents
Preface - 7
Introduction - 12
1. A Man with an Unclean Spirit - 22
2. A Woman with a Fever - 35
3. A Leper - 46
4. An Invalid by the Pool of Bethesda - 58
5. A Man with a Withered Hand - 71
6. A Centurion’s Servant - 82
7. The Young Man of Nain - 96
8. A Demon-possessed Man in the Tombs - 108
9. A Bleeding Woman and a Dying Girl - 120
10. A Gentile Woman’s Daughter - 131
11. A Deaf Man - 146
12. A Blind Man - 158
13. A Boy with Seizures - 173
14. A Woman with a Disabling Spirit - 191
15. A Man with Dropsy - 201
16. Ten Lepers - 212
17. A Blind Man of Jericho - 222
18. Lazarus - 236
Afterword - 251
Appendix 1: The Anthroposophical View of
Christ and Human Evolution - 256
Appendix 2: The Healing Stories in the Synoptic Gospels - 261
Notes - 264
Bibliography - 271
Reviews
'Unflinchingly honest and courageous... shows how these healing stories bear living forces which are as relevant today as in their own time.'
-- Anthroposophical Society in Great Britain
Author
Lory Widmer Hess grew up near Seattle, Washington, USA. Encountering anthroposophy at the age of 26 set her on a long journey of exploration and discovery that included studies at Sunbridge College, Eurythmy Spring Valley, and the Seminary of The Christian Community in North America. Lory has been a book editor for the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America and has worked for a number of anthroposophical organisations, most recently in communities serving adults with developmental disabilities. In 2024 she completed a spiritual direction program. She currently lives with her family in Switzerland. Visit her website and blog at enterenchanted.com.
