The Bookshelf

Mission Ready Friendship

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"Mission Ready Friendship: A Blueprint for Deeper Relationships and Life-Changing Faith" by Jason J. Simon spells out simple and incremental practices any Catholic can use to develop deeper, more purposeful friendships. Whether we know it or not, we all have family members or friends who are fighting hidden battles of doubt, alienation, isolation, guilt, compulsions, grief, or hopelessness. But often we don’t know exactly how to offer the Good News of Jesus to them in these struggles—at least not beyond offering our “thoughts and prayers.” Mission-Ready Friendship is a roadmap for how to truly befriend your friends, not by solving their problems for them but by going deeper to become the friend Jesus created you to be.

You will learn how to

  • become more invested, curious, and empathetic toward others;
  • pray for the people God has placed in your life;
  • be ready for the ways God is prompting you to build deeper friendships; and
  • bring intentionality to your relationships to accompany them closer to God.

Jesus himself used these practices with his followers and sent each of them to use mission-ready friendship to share his good news with others. It’s a simple but powerful approach to relationships that promises to change lives, including your own.

 

Your Life in the Holy Spirit

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The book, “Your Life in the Holy Spirit” by Alan Schrek, offers a comprehensive explanation of the role of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life. We often talk about the Father and our Lord, Jesus Christ, but do not lose sight of the Holy Spirit who is a friend who longs to be close to our hearts.

"...I would like to suggest a personal image of the Holy Spirit that embodies all that he is and does for us: the Holy Spirit is 'the friend closest to our hearts.'

Granted, this is not a biblical image, but it is found in the fathers of the church. St. Cyril of Jerusalem taught that 'the Spirit comes with the tenderness of a true friend and protector to save, to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strengthen, to console.'

Our friend the Holy Spirit is close to our hearts in order to set them aflame with love for God and with zeal to witness to our faith. He is a friend strengthening us with virtues and gifts for the good of others and the church."