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Holiness for Housewives

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Author:  Dom Hubert Van Zeller

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This item received 5 stars overall. (01/20/2010)

Orthodoxy: Completely orthodox.
Reading Level: Easy

momto5By momto5 (TX) - See all my reviews

Synopsis

An easy-to-read explanation of what to expect in your journey towards a meaningful prayer life.

Evaluator Comments

          This book was first published in 1951 under the title Praying While You Work. It teaches you just that – how to pray while you work. This book is an easy-to-read explanation of what to expect in your journey towards a meaningful prayer life with God. “This is the first lesson for the Christian wife and mother today: to let go of what may once have been – and under other circumstances might now be – a recollected self, and take on, with both hands, the plan of God. Indeed it is the lesson for every Christian in every age; it is the gospel principle of dying on one plane in order to live on another.” Page 15.

            Van Zeller seems to really understand the life of a housewife and gives practical advice for building up your prayer life. “It becomes a matter then, of developing a system of prayer within the framework of your God-given duties. It will be your system of prayer – not necessarily anyone else’s. You will have to find a way of communicating with God by means of and not in spite of the calls upon your time and energy and patience.” Page 26.
            He gives the reader different ways of thinking about prayer. “Prayer, if it means expressed praise, is only one form of communication with God. Prayer, if it means directed effort toward God, can cover all forms of communication with God. Your whole purpose, then, is to work out a way of praying that directs every effort toward God – and to work out a way of directing effort so that everything becomes a prayer.” Page 26. Prayer isn’t just a set time away from all the distractions of motherhood, it is in the midst of the distractions, it is your entire life.
            “If people would only get over the first feeling of shrinking from spirituality when they are tired and on edge, they would find that the acts of the interior life could be far more soothing and rewarding than the acts of ordinary recreation.” Page 47. Van Zeller encourages everyone to reach for the spiritual life no matter what state we are in – tired, sick, busy, distracted. In prayer we will be refreshed and renewed, more able to take on all the tasks in our lives.
            Van Zeller, also, touches on subjects such as obedience and the responsibility that goes along with your marriage vows – topics that tend to be avoided or glossed over these days. He gives clear explanations and solid reasons of the importance of these practices.
            This book contains an abundance of topics on the subject of prayer and growing closer to God. It is a great resource for every woman, not just the stay-at-home mom. The end of the book contains prayers in which to begin your day, end your day, and for special needs. It also contains a list of recommended spiritual reading. Every woman should keep this book handy and refer back to it often to support a growing prayer life.
            In the Biographical Note at the end of the book, it is written, “… van Zeller once described his own writing about the Faith as an effort t use “the idiom of every day to urge people of every day to embark upon the spirituality of very day.” Written with moving depth and simplicity, van Zeller’s books should be read by all Christians seeking to pray and serve with greater fidelity in these difficult days.” Page 94.
 
You can purchase this book here.

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