ISBN 306001

The Reed of Godby Caryll Houselander, British Catholic writer and artist, has been cherished by Catholics worldwide since its first publication in 1944. This spiritual classic invites readers to encounter Mary, the Mother of God, not as a distant, untouchable figure but as deeply humanone whose openness to God made divine love visible in the world. This deluxe edition was designed in collaboration with House of Joppa. Featuring a hardcover binding with elegant gold foil, this edition of Houselanders classic is sure to be a treasured gift and a beautiful addition to any spiritual library.
Caryll Houselander portrays Mary as a reed, hollow and open, through which Gods song could be played. With this powerful image, Houselander reveals how Mary gave her whole being to Gods plan and shows how we, too, can become instruments of divine love.
Years before the Second Vatican Council inspired renewed devotion to Mary, Houselander offered her own profound and approachable vision of the Mother of Godwarm, intuitive, and accessible. She counters the stiff, idealized Madonna of the Christmas card with a portrait of Mary that is alive, intimate, and profoundly relevant for Christians seeking closeness with Christ. Drawing from centuries of theological tradition yet enriched by her keen understanding of the human condition and the modern hunger for meaning, Houselander gives flesh and spirit to the Churchs affirmations about Mary and presents her as a figure designed for contemplation and imitation.
Through essays and poems, divided into four parts, Houselander reflects on the mysteries of Marys lifeher fiat, the finding of Jesus in the Temple, her assumptionand on themes of emptiness, fruitfulness, and the souls longing for union with God. In Marys humanity, Houselander finds the model for every believer: to carry Christ into the world.
As Houselander writes, The one thing that she did and does is the one thing that we all have to do, namely, to bear Christ into the world. To this need, the imitation of Our Lady is the answer; in contemplating her we find intimacy with God, the law which is the lovely yoke of the one irresistible love.
Mary was the reed through which Eternal Love was piped as a shepherds song. The question remains for us: Are we reed pipes? Is God waiting to live lyrically through us?