In the Arms of Mary 2nd Revised Edition

By S.C. Biela

Book Overview

This book is the fruit of Slawomir Biela's many years of deep reflections and insights regarding the Christian spiritual life. In it he explains and refers to the various stages of one's interior life... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0972143297
• ISBN13: 9780972143295
• Release Date: March 2005
• Publisher: In the Arms of Mary
• Length: 226 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Wonderful spiritual book; a call to self-confrontation and conversion

This book was given to me by a friend. The actual title in the United States edition (the one I have) is "In the Arms of Mary", but the title in all the other countries (45) where it's been published is "Praying Self-Abandonment to Divine Love". That's an awkward but much more accurate description of the book. I don't know why they changed the title for the U.S. edition (Mary sells?). The author, Slawomir Biela, is involved in a worldwide group called the Families of Nazareth Movement. I had never heard of them - I gather there are only about 3,000 members in the United States. But they must be having an impact elsewhere - there are five different forewords in the book, written by five different Cardinals (from the U.S., Spain, South Korea, Mexico, and the Philippines). Biela seems to be a very interesting guy - he is Polish and earned a Doctorate in Physics, before studying the Theology of Spirituality and becoming involved in the Nazareth Movement. The introduction gives a famous Karl Rahner quote to the effect that the Christian of the 21st century will be a mystic, or will not be a Christian at all. I read the book over the time I was in Sloan Kettering for chemotherapy - besides the forewords and introduction, there are fourteen chapters and I read one each morning. My experience has been that it's much more profitable to read this type of book slowly over a period of time, rather then in a couple of days. It is an excellent book; like many books of this type, a call to self-confrontation and conversion. And of course, in many ways that makes it a very "tough" book. Not tough to read, per se. It's actually an easy read. Just tough to buy into. For example the first chapter in entitled "to Pray with the Attitude of the Tax Collector". (Remember that story? The Pharisee and the tax collector? Lk 18: 9-14). Other chapters have titles like "the Lost Sheep on the Shepherd's Shoulder's" and "To Trust in the Example of the Canaanite Woman". The last chapter is "In the Arms of Mary". So I found it to be a fine work - thank you Theresa for the gift. I am going to look into other books by the author, and his collaborator in the Nazareth Movement, Fr. Tadeusz Dajczer. [...]

Behold Your Mother

God Himself entrusted His Son to be formed by Mary. This book helped me to see why Jesus revealed to me from the Cross that Mary is also MY MOTHER and that HE asks me to allow her to form me. She is helping me to accept the unconditional love God has for me. She is an example for me of someone who truly loved God and desired to fulfill His will. This book has opened my heart to follow God's desire for His Son and me too, that is to let my Mother Mary carry me in her arms!

For a deeper interior life

A profound book written in an accessible style. The reflections on the importance of the interior disposition of our heart are effective reminders of the gift of God's love and mercy. The introduction by Rev. Tadeusz Dajczer is particularly insightful. Highly recommended.

An Easier Way

I have read and re-read In the Arms of Mary, usually taking just a paragraph or two at a time for reflection. Sometimes the suggestion of such total abandonment to God seemed too radical to me. What I realized, however, is that the call to holiness I was receiving through a new look at some familiar scripture passages meant I had to be truthful about how much I wanted to be in control of my life. Now I see how much easier it is to stay snug in the arms of Mary, the mother of all the disciples that Jesus loves so much. In this way, I am closer to Jesus now more than ever.

Light for the Journey

Using numerous references to Scripture, this book has shed light for me on many teachings of Jesus. It talks about the tax collector verses the Pharisee, the Good-Shepard and the Lost Sheep, the Sheep without a Shepard, the Canaanite Woman, the Prodigal Son, the Good Thief and then the best part, the last section delves into the deep relationship of our Blessed Mother and her Son Jesus Christ. The Author shed much light on the Pope's encyclical "Mother of the Redeemer" (Redemptoris Mater) bringing to me a personal experience of the Mother of God and how her life is an example and help for my day to day experiences and struggles. After reading this book, there is no where else I would rather be then "In the Arms of Mary" - which means the closest spot to the Sacred Heart of Jesus! I recommend this book for anyone wishing to deepen their prayer life and relationship with their Redeemer.