Beloved Lover: The Priesthood in the Song of Songs
by Fr. Gregory Cleveland, OMV
In the context of the mystical love poetry of the Song of Songs, Beloved Lover explores how the priest is the living image of Jesus Christ, the Spouse of the Church. The priest is called to spiritually live the spousal love of Christ toward the Church, his bride. The priest is empowered to love others with an ardor that is fresh, magnanimous, and vibrant because his life emanates this spousal nature as an example of Christ’s spousal love. The intriguing imagery of the Song of Songs demonstrates how the priest glows with the beauty of Christ, the Bridegroom, and perfects the beauty of Christ’s bride, the Church. Lay men and women will gain insight into the life and spirituality of the priest and be inspired to live their own priesthood of the faithful more fervently.
Paperback: $24.95 | Kindle: $9.99
TESTIMONIALS
“This book will refresh your heart. Beloved Lover inspires the reader to renew and deepen their relationship with Christ as the Bridegroom. Fr. Greg Cleveland invites his audience to engage Christ’s spousal love as he reflects on the Song of Songs, while weaving Scripture passages, quotes from the saints, and stories that illustrate God’s relentless love. Clergy will find insights for their personal prayer as Christ’s beloved, which will empower them to represent Jesus Christ more effectively in ministry. In fact, Beloved Lover offers every disciple an instructive theology with a beautiful narrative that invites us to embrace Christ’s love and to live more intentionally as a ‘beloved lover’ in the world.” – Most Rev. Steven Biegler, Bishop of Cheyenne
“Fr. Cleveland does a masterful job of presenting a rich source of insights on the Catholic priesthood. He draws heavily on Scripture and Catholic resources to present the priesthood as a ministry of love, done in the love of Christ. Hence, the framing of the work using the words of the Old Testament Song of Songs, where God the lover originally pursues his people, Israel. Now the priest in Jesus Christ continues God’s pursuit of the whole of humanity.” – Fr. Bevil Bramwell, OMI, PhD, author of Handbook for Catholic Religious
“Priests will have their own commitment to contemplative prayer deepened in the reading of this book. Christ the Bridegroom will gift them with a renewed sense of spousal sacrifice, the very spousal gift every priest desired to offer on their ordination day. Christ the Bridegroom is both loving the soul of the priest and in turn enables the priest’s own love and sacrifice to be offered to his parishioners.” – Dcn James Keating, Professor of Spiritual Theology, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, St Louis, MO
“In Beloved Lover, Fr. Greg Cleveland uses the Song of Songs to firmly orient the priesthood as the expression of Christ the Bridegroom’s sacrificial love in the world. Although priests will appreciate the honest discussion about the many demands they routinely face in parish life, the book goes further, offering them a template for transforming the quotidian through a renewed sense of spousal sacrifice. At the center of this transformation is contemplative prayer. Readers of the book, both priests and laypeople, are invited to engage more deeply with their prayer life, resulting in a greater desire to experience Christ’s sacrificial love in and through the priesthood. A beautiful exploration of how profoundly and passionately each of us is loved.” – Elizabeth Valeri, MA, Freelance Editor
“This beautifully written book is a gift to Catholic priests for its inspiration and support and will help lay readers to grow in love and appreciation for priests’ ministry. It is profound and extensive in the theology that it presents, yet easily readable. With the romance of God’s love from the Song of Songs as his template, Father Greg blends a fresh and loving perspective from his own vocation as priest and spiritual director with sound practical teaching, stories, and citations. Every seminarian and new priest should have this book, and an experienced priest who reads it will recognize much that will confirm and reinvigorate God’s call. For the rest of us, it is truly valuable spiritual reading.” – John Linden, Musician and IT Network Engineer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Fr. Gregory Cleveland, OMV is a priest with the Oblates of the Virgin Mary and author of several books. Ordained in 1995, he has served as Associate Pastor, Novice Master, Seminary Rector, and Director of an Ignatian Spirituality Center. He is currently a Retreat Master in Venice, FL.
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