An everyday book of this kind (the "a year with" or "[author] day by day") is like everyday pumpkin pie: it seems like it should be so wonderful, but it's often disappointingly bland, and you tire of it quickly. Fr. Vereb's collection, however, is like my great aunt's pumpkin pie: after one bite, you want to devour the entire thing.
The 'appetizing' quality of this collection rests primarily, of course, on the profundity of John Paul's thought, and the dynamism of his expression. But the editor deserves much credit for bringing together, from such an immense body of writing, a collection characterized, I think, by simplicity and seriousness. Unlike most such books, the editor is not inspired by a vague 'appreciation' for the subject; rather, he has tried to produce a volume with a clear vision. In his preface, the editor delineates three themes that he sees in John Paul's work: ecumenism, his phenomenological philosophy, and his use of the word 'solidarity.' Guided by these "core elements," especially by the meaning of the word 'solidarity,' the editor has produced a collection that will focus the reader's attention, rather than diffuse it. This interpretative framework is by no means restrictive; on the contrary, having a truly coherent collection makes it all the more likely that the reader will find himself able to build up his own understanding of this great man's work. Because of this simplicity of vision, the collection is not bogged down by vapid daily commentaries from the editor on random thoughts from John Paul; each day, each page, is supplied with a simple title (e.g. "The Contemplative Dimension," "The Sermon on the Mount," "My Deepest Thought") accompanied by a typically powerful paragraph from John Paul II. It makes for a very successful collection. The book is simple in its editing; John Paul's thought makes it complex, and we readers are allowed to see his mind, heart, and soul at work.
The collection's seriousness strikes the reader when he first sees its powerful cover, a picture of John Paul II reading, surrounded by dark, with a bold red border. The contents maintain this seriousness. This pope was a joyful man, a 'pope of the people,' and his were a philosophical mind and spiritual life hard to comprehend in their depth. This collection does not intend merely to acquiant us with the thoughts of a man who can help us out, and make us feel better; rather, it intends to challenge us to begin the task of 'unpacking' this great pope's teachings and life, of absorbing them and making them our own. This book is one good way for those of us who are not able to read his encyclicals and books with ease to begin that process, which it is vital for us to take up as we begin to enter the period of history in which the spiritual fruits of the twentieth century, chief among them the great Council of 40 years ago and the life and pontificate of John Paul II, blossom and mature.
