The Sign of the Grail, by Christos Jonathan Seth Hayward

The Sign of the Grail, by Christos Jonathan Seth Hayward

This is a book of sacrament, icon, and symbol, a book of the light of Heaven illuminating the earth. It is at once long ago and now, and you will find a meditation on time amidst encounters with different times. It includes mystical theology, and a novella of a young man's spiritual awakening after he finds in his room a book of Arthurian legends. It is about the greatest pursuit in life: the quest for the Holy Grail and whatever may lie beyond it. Throughout The Sign of the Grail there is something beyond mere earth shining through, a heavenly light that can shine right where we are. It is a deep dream—and a spiritual awakening.

What People Are Saying

John Burroughs of the Midwest Book Review on The Sign of the Grail:

5 stars:

Down through the centuries, the Legend of King Arthur has been used as an icon for so many literary works in the western world. "The Sign of the Grail" is a collection of memorable literary works by CJS Hayward centering around the Holy Grail and what it means to orthodox religion, as well as those who follow those teachings. Tackling diverse subjects such as iconography and an earthly paradise, he pulls no punches when dealing with many of the topics laid out through the legends. "The Sign of the Grail" is a unique, scholarly, and thorough examination of the Grail mythos, granting it a top recommendation for academia and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in these subjects. Also very highly recommended for personal, academic, and community library collections are CJS Hayward's other deftly written and original literary works, essays, and commentaries compilations and anthologies: "Yonder" (9780615202174, $40.00); "Firestorm 2034" (9780615202167, $40.00), "A Cord of Seven Strands" (9780615202174, $40.00), "The Steel Orb" (9780615193618, $40.00), "The Christmas Tales" (9780615193632, $40.00), and "Hayward's Unabridged Dictionary" (9780615193625, $40.00).

John Burroughs
Reviewer
[The Midwest Book Review]

A quote:

When he finally gave up and tried to think about what else he could do, he remembered a book he had seen in his closet, perhaps left over by a previous resident. He pulled out a fan and a lamp that were placed on it, and pulled out a large book. The entire leather cover had only eleven letters, and the dark leather showed signs of wear but seemed to be in remarkably good condition. The golden calligraphy formed a single word: Brocéliande. All across the front lay dark, intricate leather scrollwork.

What was "Brocéliande?" After looking at the leather and goldwork a short while, George opened Brocéliande and read:

The knight and the hermit wept and kissed together, and the hermit did ask, "Sir knight, wete thou what the Sign of the Grail be?"

The knight said, "Is that one of the Secrets of the Grail?"

"If it be one of the Secrets of the Grail, that is neither for thee to ask nor to know. The Secrets of the Grail are very different from what thou mightest imagine in thine heart, and no man will get them by looking for secrets. But knowest thou what the Sign of the Grail is?"

"I never heard of it, nor do I know it."

"Thou wete it better than thou knowest, though thou wouldst wete better still if thou knewest that thou wete."

"That be perplexed, and travail sore to understand."

The hermit said, "Knowest thou the Sign of the Cross?"

"I am a Christian and I know it. It is no secret amongst Christians."

"Then know well that the sacred kiss, the kiss of the mass, even if it be given and received but once per year, is the Sign of the Grail."

"How is that? What makes it such as I have never heard?"

"I know that not in its fullness. Nor could I count reasons even knew I the fullness of truth. But makest thou the Sign of the Cross when thou art alone?"

"Often, good hermit; what Christian does not?"

"Canst thou make the Sign of the Grail upon another Christian when thou art alone?"

Suggested starting point:

Contents:

This "Jorge Luis Borges-style" collection includes humor, homilies and spiritual writing, and a novella:

Archdruid of Canterbury Visits Orthodox Patriarch, a discussion of the meeting of two worlds.

The Eighth Sacrament, a homily on the holy kiss.

Do We Have Rights?, a look at whether we need to understand moral questions through rights.

Lesser Icons: Reflections on Faith, Icons, and Art, a look at artwork in the shadow of iconography.

Our Crown of Thorns, a look at the crown of thorns we all need in order to grow.

The Horn of Joy: A Meditation on Eternity and Time, Kairos and Chronos, which looks at what time is beyond simply being what a clock measures.

The Sign of the Grail, the story of a young college student whose world grows deeper when he finds a storybook telling the legends of King Arthur, the enchanted and enchanting forest Brocéliande, and the great quest for the Holy Grail: many things happen before, in the end, this man arrives and finds the Sign of the Grail.

About the author:

Christos Jonathan Seth Hayward wears many hats: author, philosopher, theologian, artist, poet, wayfarer, philologist, inventor, social commentator, satirist, novelist, web guru, teacher. He is an Eastern Orthodox Christian, has lived in the U.S., Malaysia, England, and France, and holds master's degrees bridging math and computers (UIUC), and philosophy and theology (Cambridge). He has an official website at JonathansCorner.com.

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