Book review: The Way of Prayer

This book by Father Gabriel of the Carmelite Order originally was published in Italian in 1955,  in English in 1965 and this second edition of the English translation in 2017. Father Gabriel lived from 1893 to 1953 and is the author of the four-volume title “Divine Intimacy.” He was an expert on the spiritual and mystical doctrine of Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint John of the Cross, Saint Therese and other Carmelite saints.
 
I am a Benedictine monk and not too familiar with Carmelite spirituality. I do read a daily reading from Saint Teresa, though, and every once in a while short readings from Saint John of the Cross and Saint Therese come up in my daily readings. With this disclaimer, I wish to express that, at times, trying to write about this commentary has been difficult; still it was very educational and I now have a better understanding of Saint Teresa’s book “Way of Perfection.”
 
“The Way of Perfection” was written by Saint Teresa of Avila for her Carmelite nuns before 1567. She lived from 1515 to 1582. She wrote her autobiography before 1567 at the request of her confessor. She wrote “The Interior Castle around 1577.”
 
Father Gabriel says in his commentary that there are three originals of “The Way” with some minor differences in them. He talks about that a bit. Saint Teresa was asked by her superiors to write an edition that not only could be for her nuns but for other people. Her topic for “The Way and The Interior Castle” is contemplative prayer.
 
Father Gabriel’s commentary is not a verse-by-verse discussion, but rather he comments on a chapter or a few chapters at a time based on Saint Teresa’s themes.
 
Part 1 has two chapters: Ch. 1 is about Saint Teresa and her book. He gives a “plan” on her book with Chs. 1-3 about Saint Teresa’s reform of the Carmelites. Chs. 4-15 are about humility and selflessness needed for contemplation. Chs. 16-25 are about “prayer that leads to contemplation;” Chs. 26-31 are about particulars on the degrees of prayer based on the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer or the Our Father. In Ch. 2, Father Gabriel gives a history and a survey of Carmelite life.
 
Part 2 has four chapters that cover ascetical works that Saint Teresa is writing about on mutual love, detachment and humility. Part 3’s chapters are about mental prayer, contemplation and vocal prayer.
 
Part 4 has nine chapters that follow how Saint Teresa splits the Our Father into different parts. This is a commentary of Saint Teresa’s commentary on the Our Father. Father Gabriel concludes the book with a short conclusion. There is no index or illustrations. He not only quotes from Saint Teresa, but he also quotes from Saint John of the Cross, Saint Therese and a few other Carmelite saints.
 
This commentary by Father Gabriel is not for everyone. Probably a very limited number of people would be attracted to it. Mainly Carmelites and those interested in Carmelite spirituality would be interested in this book. It is not a hard book to read nor is it a very lengthy book.
 
Brother Benet Exton, O.S.B., Saint Gregory’s Abbey in Shawnee, is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.