The core ideas of St Matthew

The Deep End: A Journey with the Sunday Gospels in the Year of Matthew

by Tríona Doherty and Jane Mellett

(Messenger Publications, €14.95/£12.95)

Some readers may be familiar with the authors from their first book written together. Jane Mellett is an experienced pastoral worker, while Tríona Doherty is currently the editor of Reality magazine.

God always sides with the poor, those who thirst for justice and peace, those who are persecuted and those who mourn”

But this book may well be for their readers an important experience. For they explain it is the Gospel attributed to St Matthew, that presents us with the Beatitudes – the core statement of Christian belief, whether we all like them or not. For they certainly challenge the notion claimed by many evangelicals, who like to think of “good Christians” being awarded not only with grace, but also with worldly wealth. Christian bookshops in Ireland, Europe and North America often have a section devoted to books expounding this point of view. I find that they make sad viewing.

The authors, however, are anxious to point out that “God always sides with the poor, those who thirst for justice and peace, those who are persecuted and those who mourn”. It is Jesus, too, who emphasises what we should do for those who are imprisoned either in their minds or bodies.

Core ideas

This book provides an excellent presentation of these core ideas. But more than that, they bring to the task in hand the outlook of female pastoral theologians. Merely adding a female dimension to human affairs does not, as so many thought in the past, lead to a gentler, kinder world, as once hoped. To achieve that we need all of us to work together.

This book will provide readers with a very affirmative presentation of the Christian outlook – in itself a very useful thing. But this book will also provide a consoling read in the darkening autumn days which forecast a darker winter.