A SEASON WITH THE SAVIOR: Meditations on Mark

Short and simple daily meditations for Lent, one for each morning and evening. Sims, rector of Christ Church in Cincinnati, starts off each of his brisk little homilies with a passage from Mark, and ends with a prayer. Study aids and questions for discussion and reflection round out each weekly section. The style is fresh and natural, the theology low church Episcopalian (or hip conservative), and the general approach ethical-pragmatic (Jesus as our model). Sims knows a thing or two about modern scriptural scholarship, but he doesn't let it intrude into his devotions, and a fortiori he doesn't raise any controversial issues. Once in a while he admits to having difficulties with some of Jesus' sayings (e.g., ""Whoever slanders the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven""), but this is a more personal aside than a recognition of the problematic nature of the gospel. And this personal voice, earnest, sensible, intimate, is what makes the book work. High-quality inspirational writing.