Overview
This Inspiring Book by author and composer John Reeves invites readers into a rich but neglected devotional tradition. Following the style of the exquisite medieval prayer books called Books of Hours, Reeves here offers a cycle of spirit-nourishing poems about the life of Christ.In calling his work a "book of hours," Reeves evokes a kinship with his medieval predecessors as well as with Christian writers who, over the centuries, have continued the tradition of devotional writing -- John Donne, George Herbert, Gerard Manley Hopkins, T. S. Eliot, and W. H. Auden, to name a few. Based on the liturgical calendar of the church, Reeves's meditative poems reflect on the story of Christ's time on earth, from the Annunciation to the Ascension. Biblical quotations frame each verse meditation.
While purposely reflecting the form of ancient prayer books, A Book of Hours speaks directly to life in the modern world. Reeves is a contemporary poet writing in the language of our own time. His stirring poems speak of Christianity as a current reality -- not just a legacy from the past -- powerfully connecting the abiding message of the gospel with the challenges of faith today.