Sister Wendy on Prayer

by Wendy Beckett

Sister Wendy Beckett, adored and renowned art historian, has spent years in silence and contemplation in her calling as a nun. Her celebrated television specials and books about art have led her many admirers to ask about her own faith and practices. For the first time, in this thoughtful examination of the nature of prayer, she reveals her deeply held beliefs about her religion and her intimate understanding of God.

What should I do during prayer? Can prayer really be as simple as a conversation? How do I let God enter my being? Do I need to belong to a religion in order to pray? Sister Wendy answers these and many other common questions, all the while imparting the importance of prayer in our daily lives. No book by Sister Wendy would be complete without art accompanying her wisdom are thirteen beautiful reproductions of paintings that Sister Wendy has selected because of the spiritual connection she has with each.

Genres: Christianity, Religion, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Christian Non Fiction, Inspirational, Prayer

126 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Sister Wendy Beckett was a South African-born British art expert, Roman Catholic nun, and contemplative hermit who became an unlikely celebrity during the 1990s, presenting a series of acclaimed art history documentaries for the BBC.

Reviews

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a departure from what I normally read, even in the world of non-fiction. I don't read books about religion, to tell you the truth, and the reason I picked this up is because I really like Sister Wendy and her views on art. The more I learn about her, the more I like her. I don't necessarily agree with everything she says, of course, and I doubt that she would want me to, but it is heartening to read someone's views about our shared religion that are similar to my own. I've often felt like I wasn't a good Catholic because I don't think or believe in some of the things the Church expects us to, but the more I read from Wendy and similar Catholic writers, the more I see that I am not alone in these thoughts, and there are also a good many Catholic women (re: not men) hoping to change and evolve the Church.

She does relate to some select artwork in this book, but this really is more of a series of meditations not just on prayer but also a little bit about Christianity and Catholicism, feelings and emotions, and of course, the selected art. I felt that much of what she says is applicable in a non-religious way; very much is just about letting go and freeing yourself. To love yourself and others. And what makes Sr Wendy different from other religious thinkers for me is that besides being philosophical, she also actually likes people...she says there are different kinds of humanity because everyone is different, and what they feel and who they love shouldn't be treated differently from anyone else.

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Sister Wendy had been responsible for my cathechism I might still be Catholic. What a tremendous spiritual and humble heart. Her words are filled with love, wisdom and generosity. This is a very sweet series of meditations on prayer - practical and deeply profound and simple.

[Yolanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sister Wendy truly sets in to your heart and explores and explains so many types of prayer and how powerful each method can be. Prayer- truly God's time

[RH Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wholehearted and perfectly articulated book, whether you are a believer or not. As with her art criticism, her simplicity is soothing and startling.

[Melanie Rigney · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goodness! I have a confession to make. I had kind of avoided Sister Wendy until this point, and now I'm very sorry I had. What a lovely book, and such a lovely, down-to-earth accessible writing style. I found myself making copious notes. Here's an example: “The astonishing thing about prayer is our inability to accept that if we have need of it, as we do, then because of God’s goodness, it cannot be something that is difficult. Accept that God is good and that your relationship with Him is prayer, and you must conclude that prayer is an act of the utmost simplicity. Yet so many people seem to feel that there is some mysterious method, some way in that others know, but they do not. … What kind of God thinks of tricks, lays down arcane rules, makes things difficult? God wants to love us and to give Himself. He wants to draw us to Himself, strengthen us, and infuse His peace. … Prayer is the last thing we should feel discouraged about." Definitely will be reading more of her work!

[Beth Melillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reflective and contemplative, this book was a good encouragement to spend more time in silence, prayer, and meditation. Probably would be a great Lenten read at some point.

[Robin Wright Gunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

earlier this year during my devotionals, I realized that I was seeking some help regarding prayer. This collection of meditations on aspects of prayer is just what I needed. I checked it out of the library and I got so much out of it that I ordered two copies, one for me and one for my not husband.

PS I am Catholic. I won't say this is only for Catholics but that is the theology. pss I didn't always agree with her take on things, but if I did I probably would like it less.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sister Wendy is a wealth of knowledge. I absolutely loved this gem of a book.

[Adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sister Wendy spent most of her life speaking to no one. She lived in a camper in the English woods, part of a contemplative order of nuns, and she spent decades of her life alone in this camper, reading and studying art. Her many books and TV shows about art are fascinating on their own, and they show the depth of attention her lifestyle has afforded.

This brief meditation pursues a different aim than her other publications, and she approaches the topic with characteristic humility and complexity. She ties her experience of prayer to artworks beautifully displayed in central plates of the book, but she largely writes about the world. She begins by criticizing anyone who dares to write about prayer: "Those glowing pages on prayer are worse than futile; they can be positively harmful. Writing about prayer, reading about prayer, talking about prayer, thinking about prayer, longing for prayer, and wrapping myself more and more in these great cloudy sublimities can make me feel so aware of the spiritual--anything rather than actually praying." She has a sharp sense of our eagerness to fail, even with lofty intentions, and speaks warmly and humorously of our foibles and follies. Reading this book is, in part, simply to enjoy the company of someone wise who cherishes life, and demands the utmost honesty of herself.

She speaks personally about the practice of prayer, and then she cites essays from the New Criterion a paragraph later. She is well-read without being snidely academic, and she forwards the notion that truth-seeking is as bound to the essays, art, people, and music we encounter as it is to the overtly religious. Her acquaintance with literature and art allows her to speak with understanding of the foolish prayers for good weather, good health, good exam results...and also to identify the ways hinging our faith on prayers of petition is a human failure, indeed that our inclination toward justice comes from God but that God is not a puppeteer.

We are lately inundated with fundamentalism. The predominant religious perspective in the United States is Christian fundamentalism. It is, in my experience, but meager meat to feed upon. Without directly attacking anything, Sister Wendy offers us a bulwark against the cheap grace, the easy gospel, so readily broadcast. More than that, she demands self-inquiry that, rather than allowing you to glimpse the acceptance of cheap grace with snobbery, asks you to understand yourself in relation to God alone, and to the development and deepening of that identity by the genius and inspiration available to us through earthly beauty. It is a lovely book.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book and interesting, thorough introduction that helped me when I was getting ready to do a presentation on Sister Wendy for my Art Crit class. I'm glad I got to research her over some of the other critics my fellow classmates' chose. She has had a great life that was fun to read. The actual book itself was cool too.

I was curious about her stance on prayer since I am a Protestant Christian and many of the things she said were very wise. In particular, I loved her reassurance that one does not have to become a nun/hermit /monk to pray to God and serve Him, that there is no mystery to prayer-- it is simply talking to God, no matter who or where you are. Another valuable thing she said was that if one is tired or sick and not really in the mood to pray, it's perfectly acceptable to tell that to God, too; yes, those kinds of conversations count as prayer.

I think that is more real than many planned out elaborate prayers myself, but on the spectrum of spirituality I error probably more on the logical than spiritual side of the Christian life. I've never heard God's voice telling me to do something. I believe I have felt His Presence and overwhelming love at least once, but that may have been an emotional thing so I'm not counting on it-- but these kinds of things are what prayer is for. I can see God's hand at work in my life and others' through prayer and the truth of the Gospel as it changes people's lives. That has to be enough for me until I am in heaven with Jesus.

[Rob McMonigal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike a lot who read this book, I had no idea who Sister Wendy was--I just picked it up as a random library grab about prayer. Putting that out there for context.

Sister Wendy has an interesting history--she knew she wanted to be a nun, but ended up in the wrong Order for her needs and ended up carving out a secluded niche, which later came to include art. She has spent more time in prayer in a year than I probably will in my life, and I found some of her observations stunning--like the idea of praying when and where you can, something that I was taught you don't do--prayers are for regular times only! She also has an amazing, but all too brief, section about how many have their faith broken because of a bad experience, and that she doesn't blame those who find God cruel based on their upbringing to lose their faith. She also is pro-gay marriage, but misses the boat by saying that until the Church changes, she must obey. (Nope, sorry, but then again, that's why I'm not Catholic anymore.)

I didn't find this amazing, and the short, almost paragraph per subject style and the insertion of art comments turned me off a bit, so while I enjoyed reading this, I didn't think it was as amazing as others have. Your mileage may vary.

[Susan Townsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I someone asked me for a beginner’s guide to prayer this is the one book I would recommend. It also makes a good daily devotional book since the entries are short.

Sister Wendy is a realist. She approaches prayer as a natural part of Christian life. I may not agree with every single word, but then when do we ever? I knew this was a book I would be going back to when she said that setting your clock to get up in the middle of the night to pray every night is over-romanticizing prayer. (You wouldn’t communicate this way with a spouse or friend you are going to be with all day, would you?)

There is a fairly long biographical introduction that puts Sister Wendy’s thoughts into context.

I am old, evangelical, SouthernBaptist-seminary-trained, Presbyterian, and a long-time Sister Wendy fan.

[Huw]

Very good - she is has a way with words and is refreshingly direct.
got this from the library on 12/1/09 and will read slowly over next month or so...

"The essential act of prayer is to stand unprotected before God" (8).

when we pray/come to god we "bring [ourselves:] in whatever state [we:] are in and offer that to God.... God does not ask us to pass a test of how beautiful our feelings are. He simply wants us to pray." 16

I am wary of using the word 'God'. Essentially, this is a meaningless word... When we say 'God', we doing no more than pointing a finger. It is a directional word.

[Nancy Gudiswitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend gave me this book to read. It wasn't something I'd choose for myself.

I loved it from start to finish. I found it a fascinating biography of a nun who chose

a life of silence but ended up feeling compelled to share her thoughts on art.

Prayer is a difficult subject but she gives great insight on how to pray.

[Suzie Louis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll read anything written by Sister Wendy although I don't share her faith I really like her style. She is eloquent when tackling this difficult topic making it accessible to a heathen like me. I recommend this if only as an insight into the nature and working of faith. A difficult subject dealt with elegrantly.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought and read this a few years ago. It is a nice, short book. Fairly simple, but sort of an introduction to prayer, how-to, etc. I may re-read again, and then I can put a worthwhile review in here. All I can say is that I recommend it. She's much more open-minded than I'd have expected from a Catholic nun, and maybe that just shows what I know ;)~

[Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read about 40 page of this, but it couldn't keep my attention. It is a mildly interesting story of this nun who has an art critic tv show in Britain (if I remember correctly) she spends a lot of time in prayer...

Probably too anecdotal/devotional for me right now. I'm on a Thoreau trip and can't get enough. So I'm dropping it for now, maybe another time.

[Grant Trevarthen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having long been an admirer of Sister Wendy Beckett, I'm totally in awe
of how she lives solely for service to God, she denies herself everything
in her quest.
She describes in her own quiet way,they way to pray, and the situations
in which to do so. It becomes a more natural thing to do as it should.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved some of her thoughts. Others, I didn't love. Still others, I simply didn't understand. But it was overall lovely. I'd read a few excerpts at a time because they always left me with a lot to think about. Having some of her art commentary incorporated was delightful as well. Would read again in portions simply because the sentiments are comforting and grounding.

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I actually enjoy Sister Wendy's take on art. She cracks me up. And explains so I can understand and appreciate.

Her book on prayer is okay. Nothing extraordinary. She doesn't talk about art at all.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, Sister Wendy shares her thoughts on prayer, which I found to be very intriguing at times. She also speaks about art, and critiques a few famous paintings which are shown in the book. I liked reading it a little bit at a time. Food for thought that way.

[I · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good thoughts on atheists, how to pray, art and prayer, as well as some really good pieces of art. Really easy to pick up and read any part of it and grasp something new and incredibly encouraging.

Thx Ryan

[Sheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gem of a book. Yes, of course if you're a Christian, but I'd recommend it to Muslims, agnostics, or none-of-the-above. It's a treatise on opening ourselves, our real selves in our own messy context, and being with God.

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Regarding prayer as 'our own' is prideful folly. It is Jesus who prays in us. It is Jesus who surrenders us to the Father. It is Jesus who takes us beyond all we can understand and makes us a conduit of His Spirit."

[Malbadeen]

Hey Sarah - remember the sister Wendy years?

[Tracey Wilde · Rating 3 out of 5]

This gives you a lot to think about and I think she is a very interesting writer. My problem is her certainty. Her certainty in God makes her look at things differently from me.

[Bron · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you had told me a few years ago that I'd find the thoughts of a Catholic nun very inspiring - I wouldn't have believed you! But then, I suspect Sister Wendy is an unusual nun, an unusual person.

[Melissa Forbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate the short passages, as Sister Wendy offers much to consider in short spaces. I don't always agree with her thinking, but I adore the humble, sweet way she presents it.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you believe and side in prayer, immensely adoring nun-Sister Wendy. Also, a great scholar and Art expert.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good and informative read. Thought-provoking!