In this book Fr Arnold looks not so much at Mary but along with her, in the same direction. He starts by tracing, from the biblical texts, the important stages of Mary’s life from the annunciation and birth of Jesus, through his public ministry, to the cross and resurrection. He suggests that each Christian is called to become receptive to God as Mary was, in silence and prayer, and to learn from her how to bring Christ to other people and allow their relationship with Christ to bear fruit in everyday life. This includes looking at the passion experience of Christ and Mary and finding there a reflection on the painful transformation processes which we as Christians have to go through, like John of the Cross’s Dark Night of the Soul.A third stage shows how this process of growth can develop within the community of believers, the church. Examples from history show that, in order to grow both internally and externally, the church had to go through painful processes of transformation and suffering. The author is deeply convinced that this is what is happening today, and his hope is that in this way we will come to new life.The final chapter is a concluding meditation on the theme of the book by means of contemplation of the image of Mary, Salus Populi Romani, in St Mary Major’s Basilica in Rome, which is illustrated on the front cover.
Fritz Arnold was born in Bavaria, Germany. He became a marist in 1964 and was ordained in 1970. From 1977-81 he lectured in Systematic Theology in Osnabrück and Vechta. He was provincial of the Marist Fathers in Germany from 1986-1992, and has been Vicar General of the order in Rome since 1993.
- 55a Spruce Avenue
- Stillorgan Industrial Park
- Blackrock
- Co. Dublin
- IRL