Catholic Divorce: The Deception of Annulments Book

This book is not my favorite Brennan Manning book, that would be "The Ragaumuffin Gospel" and "The Furious Longing of God", but it did speak to me and encourage me to continue to strive to think with the mind of Christ, who in the eyes of the world, was a fool. In 1 Cor. 1:18 "The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." This book reminds me that if I am not intentionally seeking the mind of Christ I am depriving myself of the fruits of the Spirit and the abundant life that Jesus promised. That my desire for security, pleasure and power can easily put me in bondage to worry, frustration, and resentment if I am not seeking the mind of Christ.

It also challenged me to live authentically. Jesus had a transparency about Him that our own insecurities can keep us from. "The glory shining on the face of Christ Jesus does not shine in many of us" Manning says. "In loving God with His whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, Jesus was utterly transparent and therefore revealed God. In Jesus there was no self to be seen, only the ultimate, unconditional love of God."

He sites many example of people that sought after God, like Francis of Assisi, who glorified God by being a Christian fool. Studying the life of Paul clearly reveals his all out passion for Christ. "Paul had the audacity to boast, "But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Cor. 2:16) His boast was validated by his life. From the moment of Paul's conversion, Jesus Christ preoccupied his mind and heart."

One of my favorite quotes from the book is by John Shea who says: "God raised Jesus from the dead not because he never flinched, talked back, or questioned but having flinched, talked back, and questioned, He remained faithful." Manning reminds us that Peter, James, Philip and countless others all started out well, but faltered. That God expected their failure, like He expects ours. It is not a striving after perfection that will count in the end, but grasping and knowing as much as we can know that reckless raging fury that they call the love of God and daring to be foolish.