And You Will Find Rest: What God Does in Prayer

For six years, before becoming a well-regarded retreat master, Fr. Wayne Sattler lived as a diocesan hermit in a one-room cabin on an abandoned farmstead in rural North Dakota, striving to avail himself of the mystery of what God can do in prayer, clinging to the wisdom of the sixteenth-century Carmelite saints John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila as his trusted guides. Fr. Sattler was asked many times to write a book sharing the fruits of his time in solitude to help others progress in the spiritual life, and after returning to the active diocesan priesthood in 2013, he completed this long-awaited work. Delving deeply into two of the greatest mystical masterpieces ever written, St. John’s The Dark Night and St. Teresa’s The Interior Castle, Father leads you through the intricate pathways of contemplative prayer, providing clarity on this oft-misunderstood subject. As you journey with these Doctors of the Church and grow in self-knowledge, you will discover: How God communicates with us as a Lover and how you can open your heart to Him What it may mean if you are nodding off during your meditation (You will be surprised!) Four spirits that influence your thoughts and actions How St. John explains the dark night of the senses, and methods to cooperate with God’s grace Ways to grow in stillness, navigate distractions, and rest completely in the Lord Three ways to practice self-denial, cultivate charity, and attain freedom and peace in prayer St. John of the Cross describes contemplation as “nothing else than a secret and peaceful and loving inflow of God, which, if not hampered, fires the soul in the spirit of love.” This book sheds light upon the great mystery of the mystical life for everyone. Join Fr. Sattler as he guides you in developing the capacity for contemplative prayer in our great hope of being led more deeply into union with God. Endorsements My copy of And You Will Find Rest is well-worn. It first served as a wonderful companion on a retreat led by Fr. Sattler and has since been a trusted reference for the wisdom of the great Spanish spiritual masters, St. Teresa of Ávila and St. John of the Cross. Having lived in solitude as a hermit for many years as well as having served as a beloved shepherd of souls, Fr. Sattler is uniquely positioned to open contemporary eyes to the insights of the great Carmelite mystics in a way that leads us into the mystery of contemplative prayer and the beauty of a life lived in union with the God who loves us first. Archbishop Bernard Hebda, Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis With the reprinting of And You Will Find Rest, Fr. Sattler’s wonderful guide to live in prayer with the Lord will be available to many more persons in their quest for a deep relationship with God. Drawing upon the richness of the lives and the prayers of Sts. John of the Cross and Teresa of Ávila, Fr. Sattler offers us a simple yet profound guide to govern our own prayer and to deepen it so that we may not only converse with the Lord but, more importantly, allow Him in the silence of our heart to converse with us as our intimate and best Friend. This is a book everyone should read and keep at hand. As his bishop, I not only recommend this book but also use it for meditation in my daily holy hour. Bishop David Kagan, Diocese of Bismarck Having known Fr. Sattler for over thirty years, I can attest that what has been written has been practiced. This scholarly yet practical guide to a life of prayer will both challenge and encourage the reader to move forward in a faith-filled and loving relationship with God. Fr. Sattler offers an understanding of the best of the Carmelite tradition of contemplative prayer. I would encourage all desiring a serious prayer life to delve deeply into this contemporary classic. Bishop David Toups, Diocese of Beaumont We have benefited from Fr. Sattler’s personal instruction in our Diaconate Formation Program over the past two decades. In simple terms, Fr. Sattler opens up a path we can take to understanding the great mystics, St. Teresa of Ávila and St. John of the Cross, by unifying their respective experiences of prayer. Through this complementary lens, the reader cannot help but grow in desire to be in union with God here and now, and ultimately for all eternity! Dcn. David Fleck This book will change your life. As a wife and mother, the wisdom and guidance on these pages allowed me to know God’s love more deeply and to understand what purification and dryness in prayer can look like. In a society where we strive to achieve and being uncomfortable can be seen as failure, it is freeing to understand how God is wanting us to grow more deeply in those frustrating seasons instead of giving up and feeling that a deeply spiritual life is for someone “more holy.” This book will open your heart and mind to the gift of prayer and reveal how a deep prayer life is there for all souls, not only those living in religious communities. Fr. Sattler has a gift of sharing deeply profound wisdom in such a clear and simple way that will speak to all souls no matter where they are in their journey. Elizabeth Jones This book is an arrow of truth and light challenging us to acknowledge and experience the true nature of God as it is revealed in prayer, a nature wildly compassionate and beautiful and loving and yet always somehow demanding. This is a work that speaks to all of us. It is remarkable in the way it lays bare with such gentle yet unsparing clarity the loving, purifying stages of the journey into God as described by Sts. Teresa of Ávila and John of the Cross. From start to finish, the work has the quality of a personal testimony. Its author is a man of prayer who has clearly experienced the shock of grace, the knowledge, that is, not only of what we ourselves are called to do in the spiritual life but, more importantly, the knowledge of all that God is doing for us at every moment in the life of prayer. This is a treasure of a book, a work to be lived with and prayed with. Fr. Paul Murray, O.P. After reading And You Will Find Rest, I was deeply moved by its profound insights into what God does during prayer. As a library specialist, I felt compelled to share a book review in the library newsletter, encouraging others to read the book. Fr. Sattler writes in clear, concise language and with text that is easy to comprehend and engage with. I recommend this title to all Christians — not only Catholics — who are interested in experiencing a profound prayer life and a deeper relationship with God. Kathy Cline, Library Specialist And You Will Find Rest helpfully and insightfully integrates the sometimes difficult, but important, works of two heroes of the Catholic spiritual life — Sts. Teresa of Ávila and John of the Cross. Combining lived experience with deep spiritual truths, Fr. Sattler makes the mysticism of these great saints accessible and attractive, with all the robust features of the Carmelite tradition. A fruitful read! Msgr. James Shea, Office of President – University of Mary Even for the committed believer, prayer can be a daunting experience. What am I supposed to do when I pray? What if I don’t feel anything? What difference does it really make? With St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Ávila as his guides, Fr. Wayne Sattler not only makes contemplative prayer understandable, but he presents it as something we do not want to live without. And You Will Find Rest is a spiritual gem, which will remind every reader of God’s desire for each one of us: “Remain in my love” ( John 15:9). Msgr. Thomas Powers, Rector, The Pontifical North American College