booknewb

TL;DR: Joy is a sign of God's presence; Humor and Laughter can be found in the saint's lives, in the Church, and through your own personal spiritual life. This book was a joy to read, enlightening and quite funny. My experience of faith tends to be mixed. As a kid I remember it being repetitive; some times gloomy. To know that there is place for "not gloomy" things in this context is refreshing. Why should you read this book? It provides an understanding of Joy, Humor and Laughter in a place not usually associated with it. It pulls not only from the Catholics, but from the Protestants; Islam and Judaism are also represented. And it was surprising to see some of the recent concepts in Psychology in here also: "Savoring" and "Authentic Happiness". How can you use this information? It boils down to Gratitude. You see life and people differently. Every time you start to take yourself too seriously, don't. People screw up. L...

TL;DR; It is a small part biography of Mother Teresa, and the people at the Missionary of Charity; and part advise and perspective mostly about Prayer, Faith, Love, Service and Peace.  The book opens with "The Simple Path": The fruit of silence is Prayer. The fruit of prayer is Faith. The fruit of faith is Love. The fruit of love is Service. The fruit of service is Peace.

TL;DR: There's a lot here. I'm of the opinion that this is one of those books where you take time, take long to read. It is not encouraged. It even has its own space in the Constitution declaring separation from the State. Whether it wants to or not, the Church does seem to get intertwined with Politics. At least, not directly nor intentionally but when a government becomes oppressive to its people; when it's no longer a matter of public opinion; and actual human values and dignity are crossed; the Church takes action.