The Reed of God
Quite possibly the greatest book about Mary ever written... this is a book I turn to again and again, every time gaining new and deeper insights into the woman I strive to emulate every day.
First published in 1944 and now a spiritual classic for Catholics across the globe, The Reed of God contains meditations on the humanity of Mary, Mother of God. British Catholic writer and artist Caryll Houselander lovingly explores Mary’s intimately human side, depicting Our Lady as a musical instrument who makes divine love known to the world. This refreshed edition is rich and rewarding reading for all Christians who wonder what Mary was really like.
While the Second Vatican Council led to a renewed interest in the theology and person of Mary, Caryll Houselander offered a simple yet profound reflection on the Mother of God almost fifteen years before the council began.
Confronting the static, surreal “Madonna of the Christmas card,” Houselander provides instead an intuitive, warmly human, and approachable image of the Mother of God. Through the central image of a reed that is played for music, Houselander demonstrates how Mary chose to make herself an instrument for the divine plan, giving her inmost being to the proclamation of God’s greatness. In sharing her distinctive vision of Mary, Houselander offers the Mother of God as a model for all people seeking to be instruments of the Divine.
The essays and poems in The Reed of God also reflect on the mysteries of Mary’s life and her impact on salvation history. In the book’s four parts, Houselander explores key events of Mary’s life, including her fiat, finding Jesus in the Temple, and the Assumption, as well as the themes of fruitful emptiness and the eternal search for union with God.
Editorial Reviews
The best book I've ever read about Mary. It is life-changing.” —Haley Stewart, Catholic blogger, podcaster, and author of The Grace of Enough
“There may be no better entrée into Marian faith and devotion than Caryll Houselander’s The Reed of God.” —Msgr. Michael Heintz, Mount St Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, Maryland
“Such a work can only come from a deep and abiding love for Mary. Take these words to heart, and there Jesus will be conceived in you.” —Curtis A. Martin, Founder and CEO of FOCUS
“Caryll Houselander has profoundly influenced my spirituality. Although written decades ago, her message continues to offer resonance and inspiration for those seeking a closer relationship to Christ in daily life.” —Joyce Rupp, Author of Open the Door
“This gem of a book shows why Mary’s vocation is ours as well: each of us must bear Christ into the world. In words as fresh and relevant today as the day she wrote them, Houselander explains why the emptiness we all feel is a space made especially for Jesus. Whether that space presents as a chalice made to carry wine, a hollow reed formed to play a song, or a nest lined and ready to receive life, we can find its purpose in contemplating the Blessed Mother.” —Sarah Christmyer, Codeveloper of The Great Adventure Catholic Bible study program, Author of Becoming Women of the Word
“The first time I read The Reed of God, Mary’s emptiness—compared to the emptiness of the world—resonated with my own desire to be emptied of everything that gets in the way of a close relationship with Jesus. The image of a hollow chalice ready to be filled with the fullness of God has remained with me for years. Through her timeless and prolific writing, Caryll Houselander gifts us with insights into Mary’s beautiful human heart that remained united to God through her real and relatable joys and sorrows, hopes and disappointments. The Reed of God offers us a constant companion on our journey of faith, with Mary guiding us always closer to her Son, Jesus.” —Sarah Damm, Writer for WINE: Women in the New Evangelization
“I keep a stack of Reed of God books in my office, so often do I give it to spiritual directees in need of a renewed relationship with the Blessed Mother. Caryll Houselander is a genius at holding in perfect, holy, dynamic tension the extraordinary paradoxes that mark the life of Mary and her Son. In these uniquely imaginative pages, readers will find their relationship to Mary and Jesus refreshed, clarified, and beautifully deepened.” —Liz Kelly, Catholic author, speaker, and spiritual director
"As a young mother, I often find myself feeling overwhelmed and discouraged, wondering if my hidden actions matter. This beautiful book has encouraged me in my own vocation, as I try to remain faithful in the little, hidden things. No matter your vocation, The Reed of God will encourage you to be open to the ways that God will work in your ordinary life—for it is little, ordinary saints that the Church needs today.” —Michele Chronister, Catholic blogger and editor of Rosaries Aren’t Just For Teething
