St. Jude. Devotional candles. Petitionary prayer. These things work. Here is a practical guide for readers of all faiths to discover the lifesaving power of Catholic devotions.
Unfulfilled at work? Confused in a relationship? Short on money? Trying to sell your home? Or are you suffering from an illness or from loneliness and have exhausted every human option? Well, there's one thing to do: Drop to your knees and pray. But don't do it alone. Ask Jesus, the saints, and the angels for help.
Life Everlasting is about Catholic devotions: prayers, meditations, and small actions you can take right now to direct your life toward the greater good. Devotions are reminders that you are never, ever alone.
Before rolling your eyes, consider: Pope John Paul II had a longtime devotion to Our Lady of Fatima, and credited her intercession with saving his life during an assassination attempt in 1981 (coincidence that the attempt took place on the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima?). Actor Danny Thomas's devotion to St. Jude led to the founding of the prestigious St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, which provides free medical care to children with cancer. Martin Sheen prays the Rosary. Comedian Jim Gaffigan and entertainer and actor Harry Connick, Jr., both have a special devotion to the Divine Mercy of Jesus. And late-night TV host Stephen Colbert's favorite saint is Peter, Jesus's flawed friend who regardless of all his thick-headedness still became the first pope.
Lost causes can be won through prayers to St. Jude, healings can occur by using the Miraculous Medal, and the Novena to St. Matthew (a tax-collector and apostle of Jesus) can aid you during financial difficulties. These practices and others can help you experience miracles, those moments when heaven and earth intersect in unsuspected and meaningful ways. All it takes is your decision to do one simple thing: Embrace a devotion with enthusiasm and faith.
Autorentext
Gary Jansen is the director of Image Books and an executive editor at Penguin Random House where he has edited and published books by New York Times bestselling authors Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis, Deepak Chopra, Michael Singer, Robert Barron, Scott Hahn, Gabrielle Bernstein and Greg Kincaid. He is the author of the bestselling memoir Holy Ghosts: Or, How a (Not So) Good Catholic Boy Became a Believer in Things That Go Bump in the Night; The 15-Minute Prayer Solution; and Station to Station. Paulo Coelho, The New York Times bestselling author of The Alchemist, has called Jansen's work "Wonderful;" while legendary Newsweek Religion Editor Kenneth L. Woodward has called him, "A fine writer." A frequent lecturer, Jansen has been featured on NPR, The Huffington Post, CNN, Coast to Coast AM, A&E, the Sundance Channel, and has appeared numerous times on the Travel Channel's Mysteries at the Museum. His website is www.garyjansen.com.
Klappentext
The time-honored practices in this inspiring book will guide you in unlocking the power of Catholic devotions- prayers, meditations, and even very simple, small actions you can take right now that will bring you closer to God and also offer reassurance that we are never, ever alone. The mystical practices of mindfulness and heartfulness presented can help anyone find solace, healing, and direction during difficult times.
In Life Everlasting readers will discover that lost causes can be won by meditating with St. Jude; healings can occur by praying with the Virgin Mary; and the Holy Spirit can assist us in making important decisions. The Catholic art of devotion can help us experience miracles in all aspects of our daily lives including our health, finances, and relationships. By praying and taking our attention off our own problems for just a few minutes a day, we can take the first steps toward abandoning fear and living a life of forgiveness, abundance, and perpetual gratitude. In other words, we can experience a little heaven on earth, a little life everlasting.