Biblical Piety and Prayer

Father Patrick Henry Reardon explores several different figures from the Old and New Testaments (among whom are Joseph, Deborah, Abigail, Job, Esther, Judith, Susannah, Tobit, and the sons of Zebedee) to examine the concepts of piety and prayer from a biblical perspective, especially focusing on the exilic and post-exilic diaspora context that directly shaped the piety and prayer of the New Testament. Reardon examines both the Hebrew and the Septuagint texts, and the commentaries and interpretations of the Church Fathers of both East and West are continually consulted. The word “piety” is now seldom used outside the Church. What precisely is piety, let alone biblical piety? To answer this question, Father Patrick Henry Reardon introduces us to many figures from the pages of Scripture, especially those from the period during and after Israel’s exile and diaspora, which shaped the piety of the New Testament. Joseph, the first exile in Scripture, served as the model for men like Daniel and Mordechai, who learned how to remain faithful while living as strangers in a strange land. They all serve as examples for believers who are called to be in the world but not of the world.Dominant themes emerge, especially divine Providence, Wisdom, and prayer. Father Patrick traces divine Providence at work in the lives of Joseph, Esther, and Tobit, and he introduces us to Deborah and Abigail as the Fathers of the Church understood them—types and figures of divine Wisdom. As Jews in the diaspora came to pursue Wisdom in a sustained philosophical manner, the Wisdom tradition of Proverbs was put to more critical reflection, as can be seen in the book of Job, which is examined here in both its Hebrew and Greek forms. Prayer is, of course, present in the lives of all these figures, but it becomes a dominant theme in later parts of the book, which move to New Testament figures and sources. The concluding chapters connect the life of prayer to our sacramental life, relate the prayer rule to the Passion of Christ, and conclude with a reflection upon the Lord’s Prayer. Throughout the work, Father Patrick delves deeply into the biblical text while constantly making reference to the readings and interpretations of a wide range of Church Fathers from both East and West.