Those familiar with Dan Schutte's music will immediately recognize and understand the spirit of this book.  The same prayerful soul that one finds in his music is revealed here in a new medium.

The "exercises" here are loosely based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, and the goal is also the same: to draw a person into a deeper, living and growing relationship with Jesus Christ.  The language is simple and invites the reader to experience God at the level of simple contemplation.  This kind of prayer, as Ignatius understood, engages both the mind and the heart by drawing on the power of imagination to experience the depth of the gospel stories.

Each of the thirty exercises provides a preparation for prayer, a brief reflection, questions to help one enter into the scripture passage, a closing prayer and a suggested sacred song to accompany the exercise.  These exercises can be used in many ways:

•  by individuals for personal prayer
•  by prayer groups
•  by parish council and staff members
•  by RCIA teams
•  by catechists and teachers