Reiser’s Ramblings is a delightful book written by a priest who clearly exhibits the joy, peace, love, thankfulness, and generosity of Christ. I’d have to say “ramblings” is sort of a misnomer. I found each brief reflection on daily life, faith, gratitude, and everything from farm living to an eternity in Heaven to be thought-provoking and poignant. I was curious, and truth be told, a little concerned when I was asked to read and review Reiser’s Ramblings. At the time, I knew nothing of Fr. Bernard Reiser, and I wasn’t sure how much an avid reader/writer like I am would enjoy reading anyone’s “ramblings.”
Fortunately, I did a bit of research into the book and the author and found out this remarkable priest had put together a collection of his best columns/reflections from the past thirty years. This sounded (and soon proved to be) significantly more intriguing and promising than the prospect of reading some unknown man’s, possibly incoherent , definitely longwinded, thoughts on various topics of little interest to the average American.
I enjoyed each story, lesson, and faith/ministry reference included. The writing style is comfortably conversational. I can easily imagine Fr. Reiser writing these cheerful pieces during his evening ritual involving a huge bowl of ice cream and some quiet time to jot down his thoughts.
It’s refreshing to find someone who has experienced so much in his life, yet still gets wrapped up in the joy, wonder, and appreciation which God’s Creation truly deserves. Fr. Reiser’s undeniable awe and gratefulness for the simple things in life are as endearing as his notes about the extreme poverty and suffering in Haiti are heart wrenching.
The top two reasons to buy this book: you’ll love it and all the profits go to help Haiti’s poorest of the poor.
