Fr. James Martin recently published a book on prayer which was drawn from his column “Teach Us to Pray” in Give Us This Day. Although short and sweet in length, topping out at a brisk 84 pages, In All Seasons, For All Reasons highlights Martin’s mastery of pastoral care. Do not be fooled by his brevity. His writing demonstrates a deep love for Sacred Scripture and the Church, and a thorough understanding of the human condition. This is obviously a synthesis of Martin’s real-world experiences, and his formation in the Ignatian charism. The tone of this book is both pastoral and subtly evangelical; the soul desperately desires to experience this God of love and relationship that Martin writes about.
Fr. Martin’s perspective emphasizes the beauty of unity 
and diversity in the Catholic Church. He dialogues about a wide variety of spiritual practices, some ancient and some contemporary. Rightly, Martin does not suggest that there is a silver-bullet, perfect type of prayer, but encourages his readers to pray in the way that works best for them. After all, prayer is about a relationship with God who calls us friend. You will be given insights on individual types of prayer, and fresh ideas about prayer during various liturgical seasons.
I invite you to pick up Fr. Martin’s book, a loving invitation to experience God in a new and profound way. Every person has the opportunity to learn more about prayer, themselves, and their God through In All Seasons, For All Reasons.
Alex Blechle is a MTS student at St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary, and a Graduate Assistant for the Pray Tell Blog. Alex graduated from Manhattan Christian College in December of 2016 with a B.A. in Theological Research and Bible & Leadership.
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