Grace is everywhere

Brendan Byrne

"The fourth gospel addresses the thirst for life that lies at the depth of every human heart. The life in question is not just physical life but the “more abundant life‘” (John 10:10) that is nothing less than a share in the “eternal life” of the divine communion of love. In Life Abounding, Brendan Byrne, SJ, facilitates a reading of John for readers today so that it may move them from mere existence to a conscious sense of sharing the divine eternal life—and the joy that goes with it." (from the back cover)

Elegant and inciteful, Byrne has produced a fresh reading of the fourth Gospel while simultaneously steering a careful course through a wide range of traditional interpretations. At its heart, the commentary is a profound reflection on Christian theology and practice and the co-mingling of the two that arise out of John's understanding of divine activity in the world in and through Jesus. Indeed, while remainig faithful to the Gospel's historical context, Byrne aptly translates the Gospel's potential impact on modern readers. All along the way, Byrne is able to unfold the varied riches of John's story, managing to always keep one eye on the Gospel's endgame - the deonstration that life is more than mere existence but a participation, with Jesus, in God's abounding life.