An Inner Music Living a Life in God

by Craig Larkin sm

Reviewed by Sr Eileen Brosnahan RSM

This beautifully presented book provides an introduction to twenty spiritual writers and mystics. It offers a series of down-to-earth reflections on how the insights of the mystics can relate to and transform our lives. In his introduction Father Craig says that these writers used images to describe their experience of God. They spoke in colours, or shapes, or in music. From his many years of pastoral experience Craig was very aware of and sensitive to the struggles of those whom he observed or who shared their life experiences with him. He was a gifted teacher and used drama, visuals and music to communicate his concepts of God to others.

Each mystic is presented in the relevant historical setting, followed by an extract from their writing illustrating one of their images. The author then develops the concept from his own experience and the writings of other mystics. The language used by some of the ancient writers may be unfamiliar to us and while we may not resonate with the ‘demons’ of earlier times, he points out that we need to be aware of ‘ego-pre-occupation, consumerism, or compulsive living.’

The author invites the reader to let the image described by the mystic speak for itself and listen to what the reader is meant to hear.

As early as the second century Origen of Alexandria reminded his readers that we are made in the image and likeness of God, and that hidden spring within us struggles to come to the surface. As readers, we are offered many and diverse images to bring us closer to God from the ‘stitched bag’ of Augustine of Hippo in the fourth century, to the ‘hollow reed’ of Caryll Houselander in the twentieth century.

The themes in the book are illustrated with photographs of the stained glass windows in St Mary of the Angels, the church where Craig was ordained on 1 July, 1967. This book is in itself a work of art and will be invaluable to all those who seek a more intimate relationship with God.