Fr. Jacques Philippe

The Gospel of St. Matthew Shares with us astonishing words of Jesus: a promise of everlasting happiness, far removed from the usual recipes for gratification. Blessed are the poor in spirit! Blessed are those who mourn! Happy are the meek!... Fr. Jacques shares with us a profound clarity to the full scope of meaning behind Christ's eight beatitudes, and in turn, outlines for us a way in which we can live them in our daily lives. We learn how each beatitude gives insight into how we can situate ourselves in an honest and fulfilling relationship with God, with oneself, and with others, and how to confront head-on the difficult realities of life. Author Bio Fr. Jacques Philippe is a member of the Community of the Beatitudes, founded in France in 1973. After studying in Nazareth, Jerusalem, and Rome, he was ordained a priest in 1985. He primarily devotes himself to spiritual direction and preaching retreats internationally, and his published books on spirituality are the consolidated result of such work. His books Real Mercy, Interior Freedom, Fire & Light, and Thirsting for Prayer, among others, are also available from Scepter.

In the prayers lives of many Christians there is one person of the Trinity that often goes overlooked - The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is no less involved in our lives than the Father and the Son, yet many are unaware of this. Jesus said about the Holy Spirit, "If I go, I will send you another Comforter." But are we aware of the Holy Spirit in our lives? In the School of the Holy Spirit by renowned retreat master Jacques Philippe will help. It will lead you to be more attentive to the movements of the Holy Spirit in your life as you learn to value the third person of the Trinity as the Sanctifier of your soul. 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. Here then is a valuable aid in your own spiritual journey.

Prayer changes our lives. Through fruitful prayer, God freely graces us with the gifts of joy, peace, courage, and determination.

We can often find, however, that, despite our good intentions, prayer doesn’t come easily. We often have obstacles in our path—distractions from the outside or our own internal weaknesses—that keep us from praying or being faithful to our Christian commitment to Love.

Allow your heart to be guided gently by Fr. Jacques Philippe toward a joyous prayer life that feeds your soul and revitalizes your relationship with the Lord.

"What the world most needs today is prayer. It is prayer that will give birth to all the renewals, healings, deep and fruitful transformations we all want for society today.... I am more and more convinced that everything comes from prayer and that, among the calls of the Spirit, this is the first and most urgent one we should respond to." 

Many have already benefited from Fr. Jacques’ best-selling book on prayer, Time for God. In Thirsting for Prayer, Fr. Jacques revisits some of the themes covered in that book and develops new insights that are both profound and practical. These reflections guide us with simplicity on the path to intimacy with God, helping us to develop an actual taste for personal prayer. This "school of prayer" opens us up to the encounter with God that transforms us from within.