{"id":7042390,"date":"2026-08-20T03:31:57","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T03:31:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/11-illuminating-books-on-sacred-time\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T03:31:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T03:31:57","slug":"11-illuminating-books-on-sacred-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7042390","title":{"rendered":"11 Illuminating Books on Sacred Time \u2013"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Sacred time is all around us, though we are often too distracted to notice. The standard increments of time as we know it in our modern world \u2014 seconds, hours, days, months \u2014 are tools that help us mark our place in both our own personal experiences of reality and the collective human story. Indeed, these measurements of time are tools which have been formed and modified for thousands of years. Sacred time, on the other hand, is something we can\u2019t change, only observe. <\/p>\n

Sacred time includes paradox and mystery. It\u2019s eternal and temporal. It\u2019s unusual and ordinary. It\u2019s slow and instantaneous. It awakens us to greater meaning, or rather a larger story of God and God\u2019s people. This story is ever expanding. (It is both internal and external reality.) <\/p>\n

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\u201cSacred time is time governed by the rhythms of creation, rhythms that incorporate times of rest as essential to our own unfolding. Sacred time is spent being present to the moments of eternity available to us whenever we choose to pause and breathe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Christine Valters Paintner, Sacred Time: Embracing an Intentional Way of Life<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The question then becomes, how do we engage with sacred time? Or as Mary Oliver puts it in her poem, The Summer Day, \u201d Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

We are each left to answer this question for ourselves. <\/p>\n

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The following books are those I\u2019ve found to approach time with reverence. The authors offer theological wisdom, personal experiences, and historical knowledge that point to Not all of them are based in the Christian faith, though they are all rooted in spirituality. Many discuss time through the church year, others offer a message through their own experience or their connection with creation.<\/p>\n

Books on Sacred Time<\/h2>\n

Books Specific to the Liturgical Year<\/h2>\n

In this brief list I\u2019ve included Dr. Wilda Gafney\u2019s lectionary series because it offers a necessary perspective in liturgical time. An expansive view of sacred time includes the stories of all people, including those historically forced into the margins. The church year uses the traditional lectionary, or weekly scripture passages, to pull us into the story of God during personal study or corporate worship. This particular series of lectionary texts (for each year of the church calendar) focuses on the presence and wisdom of women in scripture. Her work is a rich resource for the contemporary church. <\/p>\n

Reflecting on Sacred Time<\/h2>\n

As we near the autumnal equinox on September 23rd, I invite you to consider how you interact with sacred time. Two practices that help me reflect on my posture towards time are seasonal reviews<\/a> and a rhythm of life<\/a>. <\/p>\n

You may also enjoy taking a few minutes to welcome the new season by enjoying a warm beverage and considering the following prompts: <\/p>\n