In a world that seems more chaotic and cruel every day, beauty is one of the best antidotes to despair. And in the wake of the latest headline pointing to a great rift in our Church, I’ve been taking refuge in one particularly beautiful book. Drop Your Nets and Follow Jesus: How to Form Disciples for the New Evangelization (New City Press, 2019) is a lyrical treat for any Catholic striving to focus on our call to be loving, compassionate, and forgiving in a wounded world. Author Susan Muto is a well-known literary scholar and Catholic speaker who heads up the Epiphany Association, an organization dedicated to helping spiritual seekers “integrate the graces of contemplation and action in everyday life”. The Association’s mission is brought to fruition in the 21 chapters of this book through poetry, spiritual meditation, beautifully intimate prayers, and questions for reflection.  In the same vein as the theme of Extraordinary Mission Month (“Baptized and Sent: The Church of Christ on Mission in the World”), Dr. Muto shows us how the heart of our “call” to relationship with Christ and preaching the Good News is intimately linked with our day-to-day lives. She explores the dynamic of being “called” both in the general sense as one baptized into Christ, and in the more particular sense of letting God unfold his specific dream for each of us in the unique circumstances, gifts, and challenges of our lives. Major themes touched on in the book include spiritual childhood, abandonment to Divine Providence, carrying our crosses joyfully, and the practical importance of faith, hope, and charity. The warm, uplifting tone and passionate, poetic rhythm of Drop Your Nets brings its readers to an inner place where prayer is possible and deep truths of the reality of discipleship and mission are made clear. This book would make an excellent daily prayer companion during a 21-day retreat in daily life, or one chapter could be explored each week over a period of five or six months. As a trustworthy companion for the spiritual journey ahead, I know it will remain by my bedside as nightly reading for many months and years to come.