The Selfless Way of Christ: Downward Mobility and the Spiritual Life Book

A short, profound book. I have probably read more books by him than anyone else in the last 8 years--though they are all short. But they are dense and demand care and attention. As an academic it is easy to think one is escaping (all) the temptations of upwardly-mobile modern society, yet he shows how they pop up again in other ways. We certainly have our own forms of achievement. I aspire to downward mobility, and yet see that success at that aspiration is yet another trap. All I can say right now is that I am trying to rethink/re-feel.
8/23 update: I just got back from a few days with my parents. My father can no longer stand up. He has suffered from Parkinson's for a dozen years. A year ago he had a fall that has left him unable to walk. A month ago he had an infection that has left him unable to stand. He can hardly articulate a complete sentence (though I think he sometimes has complete thoughts in mind). Should we simply hope for his death? Should we vigorously work with him to regain abilities--at least to be able to stand? Should we find a way to accept his downward trajectory as a spiritual gift? The first two options are upward-oriented: Give up on him b/c he is no longer upwardly mobile, or Keep trying to make him upwardly mobile. This book opens up the latter downward option.