Retreat with John: a fitting finale

"A Retreat with John the Evangelist: That You May Have a Life," by Rev. Raymond Brown (St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1998)

Reviewed by Rev. Thomas Powers

With his unexpected death this past summer, the prolific pen of Father Raymond Brown, SS, was put to rest. Readers of his scholarly works surely list his "gospel of St. John" (Anchor edition), or his duo of the "Birth of the Messiah" and "Death of the Messiah" as his great gifts.

There is scant argument against such choices, by "Retreat With John the Evangelist," his last work, is a vademecum for all Christians. Its size and format lends itself to being carried, and the content and style make the book a true necessity.

Brown sets up a seven-day retreat, which fits nicely into a commuter ride time. The author plays the part of the translator for John (carefully identified as the author but not the apostle or the Beloved Disciple) and, ever the teacher, carries the retreatent into a three-way conversation.

John places the context and the situation. He explains the situation and the lesson; he lets light in on the community to which he was joined; he speaks with candor about the other Gospels and the other personalities he knew or learned about in a variety of ways.

Brown plays upon the personality of John beautifully with all the grace of a talk show host and soon has the writer of the "Gospel Message" telling all. John has wished to set the record straight for a long time. Brown has given him the opportunity. Carving out a personality for John, Brown’s learning and love of the Gospel have us engrossed in conversation, and we learn without our noticing the experience.

The table of contents gives clue to the questions which the writer "explains" — at times with exasperation over our "limited understanding" and many misconceptions. John explains the Gospel beings with and never departs from "The Secret of Jesus." The other writers, whom he respects, of course, have missed the boat somewhat because they look to the Man of Nazareth being recognized as the Messiah but only after the "journey."

Warming to his topic, John insists on our understanding that Jesus will come again but the whole piece is based on the fact, obviously not clear to the other writers, that "He came from heaven in the first place. Because He was with God, He understood God; because He became flesh, He understands us." Simple!

So why are the others so amazed at the stories and the actions of Jesus? John is in full gear and will share with us other secrets and let us know about the characters of the Gospel and the why of their appearance. (Do not miss the reflection on the Samaritan Woman or the man born blind.)

With each secret uncovered, Brown adds his reflections (gently because of the personality of the retreat master) and then give us a prayer which returns us to our workday.

The time frame of the retreat is of your making, and you will finish with a refreshed mind and heart. You will immediately miss the daily visit with John. There will be the longing for "what will that guy say next." Learning takes place but notice comes later.

The last page of the book will occasion our wishing for just one more character, one more story, one more inside bit of news. Death has taken Ray Brown from us, so there will not be "one page more" but what a true gift he has left us.

This retreat gives us a gift of John’s Gospel, and we can repeat the experience at will. The writer is real to us; the story is dear to us; the role of translator was the life long ministry of Ray Brown. For 40 years, he walked with us as a teacher to assist us to get close to John, the Gospel message and most importantly with the Word, Jesus.

With this final book, Ray Brown writes as a friends, a friend of John whom he knows so well and friend to his readers. We are enriched and gifted with his gentle but scholarly ways.

(Editor’s note: the reviewer is pastor of St. Teresa of Avila parish in Albany.)

(12-10-98)