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Greg Smith

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Review of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything (#0246)

2011/01/18 By Greg

James Martin, SJ.  The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life.  HarperOne: 2010. ISBN: 9780061432682.

Meet the Author

The Rev. James Martin, S.J., is a Jesuit priest, and is the culture editor of America, the national Catholic magazine. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania‘s Wharton School of Business with a bachelor’s degree in finance. After working for six years in corporate finance and human resources, he entered the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) in 1988. Father Martin is the author of several books, including the New York Times Bestseller The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life (2010) and My Life with the Saints, which was named one of the “Best Books of 2006” by Publishers Weekly. He has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Additionally, Father Martin has commented on religion and spirituality for CNN, MSNBC, PBS, The History Channel, The BBC, Vatican Radio, and many others.

Book Basics

The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life offers an accessible Jesuit spirituality that is experiential and practical.  By weaving together life experiences (his own and those of others as they have been related to him), excerpts from St. Ignatius (especially The Spiritual Exercises and The Constitutions of the Society of Jesus) and a variety of Jesuit authors (ranging from contemporary writers back through the centuries to the 16th), and wisdom from Scripture and church tradition, he crafts a 400+ page book able to nourish and enrich the reader wherever he or she may be on the  journey of faith.  Or, put in the author’s own words,  “it’s a friendly introduction to a general reader” (p.27).

For those not familiar with Ignatian spirituality, the author suggests it is characterized by:

  1. Finding God in all things
  2. Becoming a contemplative in action
  3. Looking at the world in an incarnational way
  4. Seeking freedom and detachment (p.10)

So What?

While there are numerous  examples of the practical and experiential nature of the Jesuit spirituality, I offer just one from Martin’s chapter on vocation: “Be Who You Is.”  People of faith are challenged to find God in their work.  While this comes easily for some, for many it is a challenge.  For that group, he suggests, “trying to find God in all things, not just the work itself” including

  1. Through the people around them
  2. By understanding that your job is directed toward a larger goal
  3. By acting as leaven (a change agent) in unhealthy work situations (p.351-355).

How have you found God in your work of late?   How might you have a richer experience of God in your work by recognizing God in more than just the work itself (i.e. via one of the three additions above)?

Primary Sidebar

Greg Smith

Greg is a follower of the Way of Jesus who strives to make the world a better place for all people. Currently, he serves as Chief Executive Officer of White Rock Center of Hope and as Interim Senior Pastor of Advent Lutheran Church. He has served ten congregations, taught religion to undergraduates for eight years, and helped three organizations provide quality healthcare to underserved populations. (Read More)

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