Nobody Left Out - Book Review


Nobody Left Out:
Jesus & the Way of Sorrows: A Messy broken Journey Through the Stations of the Cross
by Michael Murray

An insightful read for all Christians, non-believers, and those searching for their life's meaning.

Jesus goes through the Way of Sorrows because He wants nobody left out. People from all walks of life regardless of beliefs or lack of it can learn something from this book.

Nobody Left Out: Jesus & The Way of Sorrows is a Christian non-fiction read. Its story is focused on the fourteen Stations of the Cross. For the non-Christian believers, Stations of the Cross is a traditional commemoration of Jesus’ suffering that led to His crucifixion and death. It’s practiced during Lent.

Of the two versions of the Stations of the Cross, the author chooses to explain the Scriptural account instead of the Traditional one. Michael Murray calls Nobody Left Out the Way of Sorrows or the Via Dolorosa. It’s apparently because it centers on the last few hours of Jesus’ life on earth. In this book, Murray dissects each of the fourteen significant events that happened to the Lord until His death on the Cross. He makes an analogy between Christ’s life and every person’s journey on earth. Particularly, the author emphasizes that suffering leads to hope. - the hope of Easter.

For the events to be relatable to human life, Murray shares his thoughts and peripheral details of Christ’s journey. For example, he wonders about what might have been running in Pilate’s mind during Jesus’ trial. He also cites real-life events.

At the end of each chapter, the author poses some questions. These questions may lead the reader to take some time to reflect on the events that transpire in each chapter. Hence, it may take the reader longer to finish reading this book.

The 14 Stations of the Cross ends with Jesus’ crucifixion. However, Murray adds one more station just to show what the Resurrection scene looks like.

The Book and the Author

Although Nobody Left Out focuses on a tradition of the Catholics and other Christian denominations, its message is universal. Non-Christian readers may read it with an impartial view, like trying to learn a different culture. After all, the author presents the book as objectively as possible. He does not impose his faith on the reader.

Nobody Left Out: Jesus & The Way of Sorrows is a well-researched book. Michael Murray’s writing is simple and yet it hits home. He takes the reader through the painful journey of Christ during the last few hours of His life. It’s a great devotional guide for Christians to reflect on during the season of Lent.

There are many parts that I like in the book, but I’ll mention only two here. The first is when the author presents the real meaning of Easter. He implies that the hope of Easter is not to go back to a normal life. Rather, the events of Good Friday and Holy Saturday bring new meaning to all mankind that may change their lives. For the better and forever! These events allow us to see things from a different perspective.

Second, the author’s explanation of each chapter gives me a broader understanding of the Stations of the Cross.

Overall, I give Nobody Left Out: Jesus & The Way of Sorrows a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend it to all Christians regardless of the denominations they belong to. And, although the book seems Christian-themed, non-Christian readers may learn something from it. I also encourage people who are searching for their life’s meaning to read this book. After all, nothing is left out in God’s eyes.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Rise and Fall of the Fourth Reich - Book Review

Image
The Rise and Fall of the Fourth Reich by Neal Owens Adolf Hitler may be long dead, but his spirit lives on. Prominent party members of Nazi Germany’s totalitarian government who escaped to Spain wanted to establish the Führer’s legacy in America. I've just read Neal Owens' The Rise and Fall of the Fourth Reich. The book is set in the post-World War II period and explores the idea of what might have happened if the remnants of Nazi Germany's government had tried to establish a Fourth Reich in America. The story follows a group of former SS, Gestapo, and Nazi intelligence officers who fled to Spain after the war. The CIA approached them, through their leader, Heinrich Dorfmeister, and was offered a deal to work as consultants and spies for the Americans. Dorfmeister agrees to the contract and moves to the US with his family under new identities. In the US, Dorfmeister and his group align themselves with the America First Coalition and manipulate their way into positions of po...
Read more

Home for the Bewildered - Book Review

Image
  Home for the Bewildered by Michelle Tobin As much as she tries to, Dorothy finds it difficult to separate her personal struggles from her patients' experiences. How she dealt with such difficulty may resonate among other practitioners in the field of mental health. Home for the Bewildered  follows the struggles of Dr. Dorothy Morrissey, a psychologist at St. Lawrence Asylum. She handles a handful of patients whose issues somehow resonate with her own personal experiences.  Born and raised a Catholic, Dorothy is torn between adhering to her family's strict conservative lifestyle and adopting to her Protestant boyfriend's outlook. Dorothy's struggles do not end here. She. must also deal with her family's dynamics. While people in the mental health discipline call her a doctor, her family does not acknowledge it as a real profession. Dorothy.also feels her patients' individual conditions reflect her personal struggles. The Book and the Author Michelle...
Read more

Out Front the Following Sea - Book Review

Image
Out Front the Following Sea by Leah Angstman Out Front the Following Sea is a tragic story of Ruth Miner. In a culture that frowns upon independent and unmarried women, she needs to stand strong on her principles. Out Front the Following Sea  is a historical fiction set in the 17th century. The year is 1689, the beginning of King William’s War between the French and the English settlers in New England. The story opens with Ruth Miner trying to buy some crops from the market. Sadly, all of the vendors are not keen on selling their goods to her. Every person in town scoffs at her for being a thief, a liar, and a witch. One man even chases her with a stick. Luckily, though, a sailor arrives in time to rescue her. The sailor’s name is Owen, an old friend of Ruth. He escorts and helps the lady get some goods. Ruth goes home to a wooden house in the clearing and takes care of her ailing grandmother. But, one day, a serious incident happens in the two women’s lives. It’s a defining moment...
Read more