The Stones of the Last Week - by Bonnie B Thurston (Paperback)

About the Book

"In The Stones of the Last Week, Bonnie B. Thurston reflects on the Passion narratives in Luke 19-24, and explores the many references to stones, both literal and spiritual, that impeded Jesus's last week with a view to their significance for our own journey"--

Book Synopsis

By taking a closer look at the "stones" that impeded Jesus's last week, we are challenged to identify the obstructions to our spiritual lives.

When Jesus descends the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem to the acclamation of the crowd, he announces "I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out." In TheStones of the Last Week, Bonnie B. Thurston reflects on the Passion narratives in Luke 19-24, and explores the many references to stones, both literal and spiritual, that impeded Jesus's last week with a view to their significance for our own journey to the fullness of life that resurrection offers.

The Stones of the Last Week reflects on the impediments to Easter, challenging us to consider our own "stones,"--the difficulties, hindrances, and obstructions in our spiritual lives--from the perspective of talking stones, stones of destruction, impermanent stones, stones that measure distances, and the stone marking life and death. Turn to this enriching resource as Lent unfolds into Easter, or for personal reading and reflection throughout the year.

Review Quotes

"This is a book to savor on the Lenten journey to Easter: cracking open the stones that seem to be impediments in our lives, can open us up to new and unexpected treasures."
Conversations-- (3/5/2025 12:00:00 AM)

"This winsome and wise book quickly engages the reader's imagination. By directing attention to the things that are needful, Thurston's deeply personal yet exegetically informed meditations are guaranteed to provoke serious reflection."
Dale C. Allison, Jr., Princeton Theological Seminary-- (2/26/2024 12:00:00 AM)

"Bonnie Thurston furnishes us with a modern example of Patristic interpretation in which every passage and word of Scripture bears spiritual meaning. Drawing on necessary historical-critical scholarship, she builds a whole matrix of geological, cultural, and metaphorical views of rocks and stones and incorporates them into the context of Christ's passion, death, and resurrection. The result is an exegetically sound and scripturally rich analysis of Scripture set within the human condition now bathed in the saving grace of Christ."
Michael Patella, OSB, Saint John's School of Theology and Seminary
-- (4/1/2024 12:00:00 AM)

"Bonnie Thurston's book The Stones of the Last Week is a wonderful series of poetic meditations suitable for the journey toward Easter. Fortified by solid biblical exegesis, the author wends her narrative around the rocks and stones of the Gospel narrative with subtle panache. A great right-brain supplement to the standard treatments, and a exemplary guide in learning the art of drawing life from the Scriptures."
Michael Casey, OCSO, author of The Longest Psalm
-- (3/13/2024 12:00:00 AM)

"In this intriguing volume, Bonnie Thurston reveals how the numerous references to stones in the New Testament, especially in the Gospel of Luke, can help us uncover and remove those 'stones' in our lives that prevent us from entering more deeply into the Easter mystery of Christ. An adept New Testament scholar and a poetic spiritual writer, she provides us with a fresh way of hearing texts we too easily overlook. If you are seeking spiritual nourishment, especially during Lent, this is the right book for you."
Frank J. Matera, Professor Emeritus, The Catholic University of America-- (2/26/2024 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Bonnie B. Thurston, after years as a university and seminary professor, lives quietly in her home state of West Virginia. She is the author of many books on Scripture and spirituality and eight books of poetry. These include Liturgical Press publications Saint Mary of Egypt: A Modern Verse Life and Interpretation;Shaped by the End You Live For: Thomas Merton's Monastic Spirituality; Maverick Mark: The Untamed First Gospel; The Spiritual Landscape of Mark;Philippians in the Sacra Pagina series; and Belonging to Borders: A Sojourn in the Celtic Tradition (poetry). She is a contributor to Give Us This Day.