Searching For And Maintaining Peace

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.

Interior Freedom leads one to discover that even in the most unfavorable outward circumstances we possess within ourselves a space of freedom that nobody can take away, because God is its source and guarantee. Without this discovery we will always be restricted in some way and will never taste true happiness. Author Jacques Philippe develops a simple but important theme: we gain possession of our interior freedom in exact proportion to our growth in faith, hope, and love. He explains that the dynamism between these three theological virtues is the heart of the spiritual life, and he underlines the key role of the virtue of hope in our inner growth. Written in a simple and inviting style, Interior Freedom seeks to liberate the heart and mind to live the true freedom to which God calls each one.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux sought a new way to Heaven: “a little way that is quite straight, quite short: a completely new little way.” Blessed with personal limitations that might have discouraged another, Thérèse believed God would not have given her a desire for holiness if He did not intend for her to achieve it. She learned to humbly accept herself as she was and trust completely in God’s love. First given as a retreat by renowned author Father Jacques Philippe, The Way of Trust and Love navigates excerpts of St. Thérèse’s writings phrase by phrase, extracting powerful, resonating insights. To Thérèse, the journey seemed “little” as she traveled it. A hundred and fifteen years after her death, the message of the young saint and Doctor of the Church has traveled around the world inspiring millions. With this newly translated study of her spirituality, many today will rediscover—or find for the first time—the relevance of “the little way,” in all seasons of life. Fr. Jacques Philippe is well-known for his books on prayer and spirituality. A member of the Community of the Beatitudes, he regularly preaches retreats in France and abroad. He also spends much of his time giving spiritual direction and working for the development of the Community in Asia and Oceania where he travels frequently. View Fr. Jacques Philippe's website and App (www.frjacquesphilippe.com)

Using authoritative extracts from the relevant and important sources at the time, this volume, originally published in 1972, deals with the problems and difficulties of maintaining peace in the world. The control of the use of force remains the most intractable, and yet the most important, problem in international relations. Although the antagonists change, antagonism appears to be almost an inherent feature of inter-state relations and although global conflict has been avoided for the past quarter of a century, the risk is always present. The cost of such anarchy in international relations, measured in terms of human suffering and wastage of resources, is appalling. In this book, Dr Bowett looks at the need for peaceful settlement of international disputes, the peacekeeping role of the United Nations, aid to developing countries and disarmament, and suggests that the structure of international society based on the Sovereign State could be modified to lessen the risk of conflict. The extracts include statements by Khrushchev, Mao Tse-Tung, Che Guevara, Dag Hammarskjöld, U Thant, Ho Chi-Minh, and selections from many national and international documents.

In the School of the Holy Spirit will help you get to know the Sanctifier of your soul. It will lead you to be more attentive to the movements of the Holy Spirit in your life as you learn to love the third person of the Holy Trinity. Philippe explains the rewards of being attentive to the Holy Spirit and provides simple and concrete ways to grow in this inner sensitivity. In his clear and simple style, he illustrates his points with many examples from modern life. In the School of the Holy Spirit is a valuable aid in your own spiritual journey.

How do I find fulfillment in life? How do I obtain happiness? Despite a multitude of self-help books in recent years, these eternal questions have become increasingly urgent in today’s directionless world. Author Jacques Philippe provides some answers. In his new book, Called to Life, he explains that a complete and fulfilled life is much more assured when we stop trying to chart our own course, when we realize that we are essentially creatures called by God. He goes on to describe where and how these calls take place: the events of life, the Word of God in Scripture, and interior motions of the Holy Spirit. Learning to recognize and follow these calls is what leads to a happy and full life. Called to Life includes a special section on how to read Sacred Scripture prayerfully (Lectio Divina), making this a timely source of inspiration and guidance following up on the recommendations of Pope Benedict XVI and the 2008 Synod of Bishops on the Word of God.

In Real Mercy, Father Jacques Philippe turns his focus on mercy in this book that developed from talks given on the first three days of the Year of Mercy beginning Dec. 8, 2015. On that feast day of the Immaculate Conception, he explored how Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is an exemplar of mercy to the Church and the entire world. In a discreet but vital way she dispenses graces and favors with the compassion of a mother. His second essay on forgiveness in families hits home with everyone. No one has escaped the ill feeling and bitterness caused by strife and misunderstanding within the family, and yet the same family is intended to be the path for both earthly and eternal happiness. The author brings to light vivid examples of how lack of forgiveness causes severe damage while forgiveness heals and restores broken relationships. Finally, he uses the writings of St. Therese of Lisieux to show how trust in God’s mercy leads to extraordinary supernatural effects in one’s life and in the lives of those one touches.

Many people today are thirsty for God and feel a desire for an intense, personal prayer life that is deep and ongoing. But they encounter obstacles that prevent them from following the path seriously, and especially from persevering on it. Time for God was written with these desires and difficulties in mind. In Time for God, author Jacques Philippe mainly concentrates on mental prayer: prayer that consists of facing God in solitude and silence for a time in order to enter into intimate, loving communion with him. Practicing this kind of prayer regularly is considered by all spiritual masters to be an indispensable path that gives access to genuine Christian life—a path to knowing and loving God that empowers us to respond to his call to holiness addressed to each individual. Philippe draws on years of experience as a spiritual guide to illuminate the fundamental principles of mental prayer and describes some common mistakes and misconceptions that can lead it astray. With simplicity and clarity he explains the foundational principles for a healthy prayer life and gives advice for overcoming the various obstacles that arise when one sets off on the path of interior prayer.