When people imaginatively contemplate on the Gospels, they are often surprised by the Christ they meet. The remainder of his thesis is essentially a guide to a personalised and internalised adaptation of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises as a way of `finding' this hidden treasure. I read it a few years ago and was captivated by his thoughts about finding God in unexpected places - such as in ourselves as he has made us in his image. The author, a Jesuit, clearly and effectively expounds the basic methodology of the Spiritual Excercises of St. It is a guide book to the inner journey in which we are all engaged and has much to say to those who have a love/hate relationship with the Church to which they belong or once belonged.

But he is careful to define that treasure as experienced unity with Christ, a goal any Christian ought to hold. We move towards the field and dig towards the treasure through the decisions we make in everyday life. Gerard Hughes covers a lot of ground in a deceptively short-looking book, so there’s plenty to get you thinking, and it will be worth going back to and rereading. Other than that I would recommend the book but be prepared to read it quite slowly and really take the time to dig into the exercises if you want the full benefits.Hughes found human beings complicated "with layers upon layers of consciousness", most of which we never break through. This is problematic for me, because I am also a scientist and more inclined to accept things according to the evidence supporting them than on a premise of faith.

False images we may have of God, constructs of our upbringing, experiences or ideas can disturb and stifle us.What is so special about this book is the refreshing yet gentle way Hughes approaches the reader and the respect he has for the individual paths each person takes towards the great mystery of who God is. It's not a spiritual method of which I am a great fan but this book undoubtedly introduces it well and with great care.

Written for ‘bewildered, confused and disillusioned Christians’ as a guide for the inner spiritual journey in which we are all engaged, God of Surprises has much to say to those who have a love/hate relationship with the Church to which they belong or once belonged. God is a ‘God of Surprises’ because He is not remote or distant, dwelling only in tabernacles and temples of stone, but near to us. The earlier Collins Touring Map was fine but the Comprehensive Map was like a Rolls Royce to a Morris Minor to it. Embracing mystical styles of reflection and prayer such as Ignatian contemplative prayer, he encourages the reader to identify and counter whatever desires are not oriented towards God. Chapter Twelve is not a treatise on decision-making, but offers some basic guidelines for individual and group decisions.The booklet includes extracts from the original book plus new material written by Hughes for the course, and ends with suggestions for different ways of praying. That wherever there is love, joy, and peace, that is where God is, regardless of your background and beliefs. The 2022 edition of this evergreen classic comes with a new foreword written by Margaret Silf and is presented in paperback with a contemporary cover design and French flaps.

The use of the imagination and emotions in encountering what God has to say to you from his word is gently and easily put. If I have got the wrong end of the stick, perhaps someone would enlighten me or direct me to another book that might have a better chance of starting me on a journey.The Final Chapter applies the insights of the book to a very real situation- the threat of nuclear war. Creative and consolatory feelings are those that lead us to discovering more of our hidden treasure, whereas destructive and desolatory feelings lead us away from it. It is written especially for bewildered, confused or disillusioned Christians, who have a love-hate relationship with the Church. I'm sure some of the more conservative Catholics would say he is way off, but, well, he's a priest too and views like his will do a lot more to help people and the Church. This book is very practical yet so often exposes a deep thought in a completely new light and utter simplicity.