"To remain indifferent to good fortune or to adversity by accepting it all from the hand of God without questioning, not to ask for things to be done as we would like them but as God wishes, to make the intention of all our prayers that God's will should be perfectly accomplished in ourselves and in all creatures is to find the secret of happiness and content."
This second volume of Swami Nijananda's Commentary on Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence, is a reflection on the writings of Blessed Claude de la Colombiere, S.J.. This volume continues the discussion of the belief that nothing happens to us in life unless God wills it so. Swami Nijananda leads an illustrious discussion of a process that turns stumbling blocks into stepping stones.
God is to be found in the simplest of our daily activities and especially through total surrender to whatever is His will for each of us. That is the message of this 18th-century inspirational classic by Jean-Pierre de Caussade. Its encouragement to live in the present moment, accepting everyday obstacles with humility and love, has guided generations of seekers to spiritual peace and holiness. In this timeless spiritual classic, de Caussade presents the simple, profound gospel message that Jesus lived and taught: My meat is to do the will of my Father in heaven. The author states, The will of God gives to all things a supernatural and divine value for the soul submitting to it. The duties it imposes and those it contains become holy and perfect because everything it touches shares its divine character.This special volume of the famous spiritual treatise also includes the many insightful letters of Father de Caussade on the practice of self-abandonment. These numerous letters provide a great additional source of wisdom and much practical guidance for how to grow in abandonment and to deepen our union with God in our daily lives.De Caussade shows that this practice of self-abandonment to God's will is the key to attaining true peace and virtue, and that it is readily available to all people - from beginners to those well advanced in the spiritual life. He also shows how to determine what God's will is for us. He reveals that it is not extraordinary feats that God expects for our growth in holiness, but rather heroic attention to every detail in our lives and humble acceptance of our daily lot in life as coming from His hand. The rich spiritual lessons in this book have stood the test of time, offering real and practical assistance to all people because its message is simple and clear, one that the reader will find to be a rare treasure of inspiration and direction to be referred to again and again.
God hides behind the simplest of daily activities; finding Him is a matter of total surrender to His will. That's the message of this 18th-century inspirational classic, "The Sacrament of the Present Moment" by Jean-Pierre de Caussade. Its encouragement to "live in the moment," accepting everyday obstacles with humility and love, has guided generations of seekers to spiritual peace. There are just a few books that a person will keep on his or her shelf over the years and read again and again. Many have found such a book in "Abandonment to Divine Providence." In this timeless classic, de Caussade presents the simple gospel message that Jesus lived each and every moment of his life. "My meat is to do the will of my Father in heaven." De Caussade has a way of saying the same basic truth in so many ways but it never seems to tire the reader. Perhaps this is simply because one never gets tired of hearing the truth. For all its simplicity, "The Sacrament of the Present Moment" serves as a companion to the gospel itself. When the reader is open, De Caussade's words touch the heart urge the person to take the words of Jesus to the young man...."give up everything and follow me." It is the decision that doesn't bring instant transformation; it gives the direction for the journey and the words to pray each moment "all is yours Lord. I want what you want in all things." "The Sacrament of the Present Moment" is highly recommended for anyone who has felt a growing desire to surrender to Christ. De Caussade's words are not just the theology of self-giving but they also treat the specific joys and struggles that come with that surrender of self to God. "The Sacrament of the Present Moment" is a book which will never grow old.
In the spiritual life, we need a central idea: something so basic and comprehensive that it encompasses everything else. According to Carmelite Father Wilfrid Stinissen, surrender to God, abandonment to the One who loves us completely, is that central reality. The life of Jesus shows us the centrality of abandonment, for it is truly the beginning and the end of his mission on earth. In this simple but profound book, Father Stinissen distinguishes three degrees or stages in abandonment. The first stage consists of accepting and assenting to God's will as it manifests itself in all circumstances of life. The second is actively doing God's will at every moment of one's life. In the third stage, abandonment to God is so complete that one has become a tool in God's hands. At this stage it is no longer I who do God's will, but God who accomplishes his will through me.
2020 Reprint of the 1961 Edition. Originally published in 1961 as The Secret of Peace and Happiness, by Alma House publishing house, Staten Island. Saint-Jure exercised a profound influence upon the Christian piety of 17th-century France. His published works include a treatise on the knowledge and love of Jesus (1634); meditations on the important truths of the faith, and on the purgative, illuminative, and unitive ways to perfection (1637); a treatise on the means for the main actions of the Christian life (1644); considerations on the crucified Savior (1643); a treatise in two volumes on the spiritual life (1646); meditations on the principal mysteries of Christ's life, also in two volumes (1653); a consideration of Christ's instructions to men (1649); a treatise on faith, hope, and charity (1646); and a treatise on the vows of religious life and the qualities necessary for living the community life of a religious (1658). This Christian classic will lay to rest many doubts and fears and open the door to peace and acceptance of God's will. To trust in God's will is the secret of happiness and the one sure-fire way to attain serenity in this world and salvation in the next. Trustful Surrender simply and clearly answers questions that many Christians have regarding God's will, the existence of evil, the practice of trustful surrender and other related titles.
Cardinal Vaughn wrote these reflections over a century ago, and they are as pertinent today as when they were first assembled into a book. "There is no Saint however holy and innocent who may not truly consider himself the greatest sinner in the world. It is enough that he knows himself to be man to recognize that he is liable to commit all the evil of which man is capable." This thought alone will inspire us to humility and this book is a great aid to true humility, which is essential to salvation. St. Alphonsus writes: "a single bad book will be sufficient to cause the destruction of a monastery." Pope Pius XII wrote in 1947 at the beatification of Blessed Maria Goretti: "There rises to Our lips the cry of the Saviour: 'Woe to the world because of scandals!' (Matthew 18:7). Woe to those who consciously and deliberately spread corruption-in novels, newspapers, magazines, theaters, films, in a world of immodesty!" We at St. Pius X Press are calling for a crusade of good books. We want to restore 1,000 old Catholic books to the market. We ask for your assistance and prayers. This book is a photographic reprint of the original The original has been inspected and many imperfections in the existing copy have been corrected. At Saint Pius X Press our goal is to remain faithful to the original in both photographic reproductions and in textual reproductions that are reprinted. Photographic reproductions are given a page by page inspection, whereas textual reproductions are proofread to correct any errors in reproduction.
How to make good — and Godly — decisions: Should you take that job? Pursue that relationship? Buy that house? What Does God Want? gives you the tools you need to overcome your doubts and make wise choices...all in accordance with God's will. Here Fr. Michael Scanlan, former president of the Franciscan University of Steubenville, lays out for you the five critical questions you must answer as you wrestle with important – but naggingly difficult – decisions that keep you up at night. Should you have that risky operation? Move mom into a nursing home? Report your son's marijuana to the police? Over the decades, Fr. Scanlan's five simple questions have helped generations of his colleagues, students, and friends penetrate to the very heart of countless hard problems like these, leading them to wise solutions...and welcome peace. From Father Scanlan you'll learn: How you must pray before making serious decisions. How to discover your real motives for preferring certain solutions. The role that intuition should – and should not – play in your decisions. How to determine if that still, small voice is God speaking to you...or the Devil! “Signs” confirming your choices: are they really from God or just wishful thinking? Learn here how to tell. And much more to help you grow in love for God's holy will and make good – and Godly – decisions!
We live in a day and age characterized by an extraordinary amount of agitation and lack of peace. This tendency manifests itself in our spiritual as well as our secular life. In our search for God and holiness, in our service to our neighbor, a kind of restlessness and anxiety take the place of the confidence and peace which ought to be ours. What must we do to overcome the moments of fear and distress which assail us all too often in our lives? How can we learn to place all our confidence in God and abandon ourselves into his loving care? This is what is taught in this simple, yet profound little treatise on peace of heart. Taking concrete examples from our everyday life, the author invites us to respond in a Gospel fashion to the upsetting situations we must all confront. Since peace of heart is a pure gift of God, it is something we should seek, pursue and ask him for without cease. This book is here to help us in that pursuit.
