Nine Days to Strengthen Your Faith - Jacques Philippe

Nine Days to Strengthen Your Faith
Jacques Philippe
Timothée Berthon (Editor)
Neal Carter (Translator)
Scepter Publishers
ISBN 9781594173974

eISBN 9781594173981

ASIN B0B71Q6KHX

My introduction to the writings of father Jacques Philippe was Time For God, which I first read 15 years ago. I have reread that book four times now and every time I read it, I get something more out of it. And when he has a new book come out in French, I eagerly await it being available in English. This time it looks like the two editions are publishing at the same time, and this is the third book I have read in the Nine Days Series. Nine Days to Welcome Peace and Nine Days to Rediscover the Joy of Prayer both were an excellent reads, and this one was as well. I will be extra diligent about keeping my eyes open for other books in this series. Father Philippe states about this series that:

“The “Nine Days to” collection offers a guided retreat to be lived at home or on vacation, in the subway or on the train, for people who have little time but wish to devote ten minutes a day to spiritual growth.

Each book in the collection offers nine days of inspiring meditations that surround a specific theme for advancement in the spiritual life. Each serves as both a school of prayer and an authentic tool of self-transformation.

Two meditations are offered for each day. One can be experienced in the morning and the other at any opportune moment during the day or evening.

The journey includes reflection exercises, the Word of God, a meditation from a saint or another great spiritual author, and a resolution—all geared to help the participant dive into an authentic spiritual experience.”

The description of this volume states:

“Faith, simply put, places us in real contact with God. Faith is our strength as Christians, because it teaches us to rely on Him in all things. Often lived most fervently when experiencing spiritual desolation, faith bears the fruit of peace, hope, and love. Take nine days with Fr. Jacques to meditate on your faith and learn how to deepen and strengthen it, so that through both times of ease and times of burden, your faith can keep you focused on God, as he faithfully keeps his focus on you.”

When I read this volume I did part in the morning and part at lunch. Returning to it at lunch helped to focus my afternoon in a new way. 

The chapters in this volume are:

First Day: 

     Faith, a Source of Life

Second Day: 

     My Faith Is the Faith of the Church

Third Day: 

     Faith: Gift of God and Human Decision

Fourth Day: 

     Faith, Hope, and Love

Fifth Day: 

     Faith Grows in Prayer

Sixth Day: 

     Faith Put to the Test

Seventh Day: 

     Living in the Simplicity of Faith

Eighth Day: 

     Celebrating, Sharing, and Declaring Our Faith

Ninth Day: 

     Giving Ourselves to Mary to Partake in Her Faith

And each of the nine days follows this pattern:

Introduction

Invitation To Contemplation

Sign Of The Cross

Prayer To The Holy Spirit

The Word of God

Meditation From Fr. Jacques Philippe

Prayer

A Grace to Request

Light from a Faithful Witness

Meditate on the Word

Blessing

The format changed slightly with this volume over the previous two. The sections in each day vary slightly from the other volumes currently available in the series. The section The Light from a Faithful Witness sometimes comprises quotes from more than one source. Each day is preceded by a full color photo from Christian artworks. We are not told where the excerpts from Father Phillipe are from, or if they were written specifically for this book, or this series. But in the grand scheme of things that does not matter. In the preface to the other volume it states that these meditations are available as a pamphlet or on CD. So I assume the original French versions come from retreats that Father Philippe has lead. And even if in English we do not have access to the audio, the book itself makes a wonderful 9-day personal retreat. It could also used by a group or family. I highlighted a few passages while reading this volume, some of them are:

“The “Nine Days to” collection offers a guided retreat to be lived at home or on vacation, in the subway or on the train, for people who have little time but wish to devote ten minutes a day to spiritual growth.”

“The journey includes reflection exercises, the Word of God, a meditation from a saint or another great spiritual author, and a resolution—all geared to help the participant dive into an authentic spiritual experience.”

“We could say that, in a sense, all our sins and all our faults come from a lack of faith. We don’t believe enough in God’s power and love, and in the end that is our real problem.”

“Our only problem is our lack of faith. If we live through our difficulties and personal limits with faith, if we put them in God’s hands with full trust, he will take care of us, and even those events in our lives that seem to be the most negative will wind up being positive.”

“This is essential: Faith gives us life, real life on this earth, the eternal life of the Kingdom. It puts us in true contact with God, lets us touch God. And our God is the God of life!”

“Faith is a beautiful adventure; we don’t always know where it will lead us!”

“The two aspects of faith, the subjective aspect—this personal act of belonging—and the objective aspect—the content of faith, the truths to which we adhere—are actually closely linked to each other. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said, “There exists a profound unity between the act by which we believe and the content to which we give our assent.””

“Faith is a gift of God’s mercy. It isn’t based upon personal merit; it’s simply a gift that he gives us, whether through our education, from our family, or by the grace of a moment of conversion.”

“But this gift from God comes through a personal decision: Faith is also a decision by a person, a fully human act. It is an act that is possible thanks to God’s help, but an act that also implicates our freedom, our intelligence, and our will.”

“There are moments in life when faith is natural, easy. But there are other moments when it is a courageous decision, a fight. We could have a thousand reasons to doubt, to not trust God, to revolt against him, but, in spite of all that, we decide to believe.”

“Living in faith means walking in light, but doesn’t mean that we can understand everything, explain everything, master everything—far from it. Sometimes we see what we believe, but sometimes we must believe without seeing, to accept plodding along in a bit of darkness while putting all our trust in God.”

“These virtues are called the theological virtues because they unite us to God, letting us enter into God’s life. They are a gift from God but also a decision by man.”

“When we are fearful, doubtful, worried, or discouraged, the heart closes and becomes incapable of loving.”

“We must also recognize that loving isn’t always easy, and that some acts of love, like forgiveness or love of enemies, require a lot of hope and faith.”

“The question we are going to consider now for the next five days is, How do we grow in faith? How can faith be developed and strengthened in our lives?”

“The first response, and perhaps the most important one, is faithfulness to prayer. That is, persevering in prayer without getting discouraged, as Jesus says in the Gospel.”

“The simplest and most normal way of expressing our faith, and therefore of making it grow, is to pray, addressing ourselves to God, putting ourselves in his presence.”

“The very fact of praying is an act of faith. If I pray, I believe that God exists, I believe that he is interested in me, and I believe that he loves me and listens to me.”

“Praying isn’t always about seeing, feeling, experiencing, or understanding. Even in the greatest poverty, in dry spells, even with distractions, if our prayer is an act of faith, it will really make us touch God, whose secret movements will little by little strengthen and grow our faith.”

“What shall we do during these times of trial? We must not despair or be worried. We must persevere in prayer, confiding in God and making acts of faith and trust.”

“It’s necessary to accept these difficult times, living one day at a time, humbly, simply, accepting that we cannot understand or master everything.”

“I take a few moments to compose myself. I put myself in the present moment. . . . I breathe calmly. I put aside all worries and stress, and I confidently welcome God’s presence. He is here, close to me, and he loves me.”

I hope those quotes give you a feel for the volume. This is another excellent resource for spiritual growth from Father Philippe. And I know I will be reading them all as the series becomes available and will return to them again and again. It is a wonderful little volume. I highly recommend this and also the other Nine Days book that is available, really anything by Father Philippe.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Other Books By Fr. Jacques Philippe
From Scepter:
Called to Life
Time For God
Interior Freedom
In the School of the Holy Spirit
The Way of Trust and Love - A Retreat Guided By St. Therese of Lisieux
Thirsting for Prayer
Real Mercy: Mary, Forgiveness, and Trust
Fire and Light: Learning to Receive the Gift of God
The Eight Doors of the Kingdom: Meditations on the Beatitudes
Nine Days to Rediscover the Joy of Prayer
Nine Days to Welcome Peace

Nine Days to Strengthen Your Faith
Priestly Fatherhood

Prayer: Oxygen for the Soul

…

St Paul's Alba House:
Searching for and Maintaining Peace
Discerning Your Vocation: A Catholic Guide for Young Adults (Forward)

...

Pauline Books and Media:
Time For God

...

SingTala:
Time For God
I Choose to be Free: the Power of Faith Hope & Charity (a different edition of Interior Freedom)

...

Contributed to:

Beautiful Hope
…

Thirsting for Prayer - Father Jacques Philippe translated by Helena Scott

Priestly Fatherhood:

Treasure in Earthen Vessels

Father Jacques Philippe
Helena Scott (Translator)

Scepter Publishers

ISBN 9781594172083

eISBN 9781594172120

ASIN B00IRKFPVE

Reading this volume marks the 19th time I have read a work by Father Philippe. Though several of those 19 were rereads. Everything I have ready by him has been excellent. I mainly read this volume while on a 4 day silent retreat and much of the material lined up with the meditations and talks that were given during the retreat. This is an excellent volume.

The description of this book states:

“"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. This book of reflections will 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.”

About the author we are informed:

“Fr. Jacques Philippe is a member of the community of the Beatitudes, founded in France in 1983. 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. His published books on spirituality are the consolidated result of such work. He is the author of Fire & Light, Interior Freedom, Time for God, and The Eight Doors of the Kingdom, among others. You can find out more about Fr. Jacques and his preaching schedule at FrJacquesPhilippe.com.”

The chapters in the book are:

Introduction 

I What Is at Stake in Prayer   

     1.  Prayer as a response to a call   

     2.  God comes first in our lives   

     3.  Loving freely, not for what we get out of it   

     4.  A foretaste of the Kingdom   

     5.  Knowing God and knowing ourselves   

     6.  Compassion for our neighbor is born of prayer   

     7.  Prayer, a path of freedom   

     8.  Prayer unifies our lives 

II Conditions for Prayer to be Fruitful   

     1.  Prayer as a place to find inner peace   

     2.  The dispositions that make prayer fruitful   

     3.  Prayer vivified by faith, hope, and love   

     4.  The gateway of faith   

     5.  The role of emotions in our prayer life   

     6.  The role and limits of the mind   

     7.  Touching God   

     8.  The faith that opens all doors   

     9.  Prayer and hope 

     10.  The power of humility 

     11.  Going down into ourselves 

     12.  Prayer as an act of love 

     13.  Conclusion on the “theological virtues” in prayer 

III The Presence of God   

     1.  God’s presence in nature   

     2.  God gives himself in the humanity of Christ   

     3.  God’s presence in our hearts   

     4.  Praying the Word   

     5.  Word and discernment   

     6.  The Word as a weapon for the fight 

IV Practical Advice for Personal Prayer   

     1.  Outside the time of prayer   

     2.  Establishing a rhythm   

     3.  Beginning and ending prayer   

     4.  The time of prayer itself   

     5.  When the question “What should I do?” does not arise   

     6.  When we need to be active in our prayer   

     7.  Meditating on Scripture  

     8.  Toward continual prayer   

     9.  Repetitive prayers 

     10.  The Jesus Prayer 

     11.  The Rosary 

V Prayer of Intercession   

     1.  God refuses nothing to people who refuse him nothing   

     2.  Intercession, a place for struggle and growth   

     3.  When God does not seem to hear us

I highlighted a number of passages while reading this volume, some of them are:

“There are plenty of excellent books about prayer. Is there honestly any need for another one? Not really. I have already written a book on this subject some years ago, and I was not planning to write another. However, in spite of the risk of repeating myself on certain points, I recently felt impelled to write this present book, in the hope that it could help certain people to persevere along the path of personal prayer or to start out on it.”

“To be renewed in prayer is to be renewed in all the aspects of our lives, to find a new youthfulness. More than ever, God the Father is seeking those who will worship him in Spirit and in truth (cf. Jn 4:24).”

“I shall be talking essentially about personal prayer. Communal prayer, especially participation in the Church’s liturgy, is a basic dimension of Christian life, and it is not my intention to undervalue it. However, I shall speak mainly about personal prayer, because that is where people generally encounter most difficulties.”

“All men and all women are in search of their identity, their personality at the deepest level. “Who am I?” Sometimes we ask ourselves that question in anguish halfway through our lives.”

“Prayer and the meeting with God make us discover God’s unique love for us.”

“There is a much greater difference between people’s souls than between their faces, says St. Teresa of Avila. This unique personality is symbolized by the “new name” that Scripture speaks of.”

“Because of what we have just said, and for many other reasons besides, the discovery of God as Father, which is the essential fruit of fidelity to prayer, is the most precious thing in the world, the greatest of all the gifts of the Spirit.”

“One of the most beautiful fruits of prayer (and a way of discerning whether prayer is genuine) is that it makes our love for our neighbor grow.”

“Experience teaches us this. Faithfulness to prayer, even if it passes through difficult stages, times of dryness and trial, leads us progressively to find in God the deep peace, security, and happiness, that make us free in relation to other people. If we find our happiness and our peace in God, we will be able to give much to our neighbors, while also accepting all as they are, without holding it against them when they fall short of our expectations. God is enough.”

“Without faithfulness to our appointments with prayer, by contrast, there is a serious risk that our lives may never acquire any coherent meaning.”

“My prayer isn’t wonderful, I’m far from being one of the great mystics, I often have distractions and times of dryness; most of the time I don’t feel very much, and I certainly don’t claim to have reached the pinnacle of the spiritual life. Despite that, I recognize that for me, the fact of keeping these regular appointments with our Lord is producing an effect of inner pacification. This peace is not something I always feel with the same intensity, but it is often the result of my times of prayer.”

“A first point (which follows from what I am going to say later, but it is good to emphasize it) is that fidelity should be a principle quality of prayer. Jesus does not ask us to pray well; he asks us to pray without ceasing!”

“Faith is expressed, renewed, purified, and strengthened when exercised in prayer.”

“Ultimately, these considerations have one practical consequence, and it is an extremely consoling one. There are moments in our prayer lives when we are, quite simply, poor. Despite our good will and efforts, we remain arid, cold, devoid of feeling, understanding, and lights…”

“Prayer is an act of hope: it means recognizing that we need God, can’t manage by ourselves when faced with all life’s challenges, rely on God more than on our own resources and talents, and trust him to give us what we need. In prayer our hope is expressed and, in consequence, deepened and strengthened. This line of thought necessarily leads us to humility and spiritual poverty, which cannot be separated from the virtue of hope.”

“Our prayer lives lead us necessarily to experience our own poverty. Sometimes this is very painful, but we should not be afraid of this experience because ultimately it is extremely beneficial.”

“Let’s start from our own lives. That half hour or hour spent in personal, silent prayer, perhaps in a corner of our room or in a church, is sometimes a time of great beauty and sweetness. We taste a happiness, joy, and peace more precious than anything this world can offer.”

“Prayer brings us inexorably face-to-face with what we really are. Every single person has his or her dark side, that part of themselves that sometimes weighs heavily and is a source of shame, guilt, and anguish: human limitations, psychological weaknesses, emotional wounds, areas of complicity with evil, incapacities, falls of different kinds, etc. Prayer makes us enter more and more deeply into God’s light, and like a ray of sunlight coming into a dark room and revealing the tiniest speck of dust floating in the air, that lays bare our imperfections and sins.”

“That is how it is for us. Faithfulness to prayer involves a painful confrontation with what we have in our hearts. There we find things that weigh us down, tangled things, dirty things. But the day comes when, deeper down than our psychological wounds, even deeper than our sins and dirt, we reach a pure spring, the presence of God in the depths of our hearts, enabling our whole selves to be purified and renewed.”

“Prayer is a privileged place for love to be exercised, and hence deepened and purified. It is a marvelously effective school of love. It is a school of patience, faithfulness, humility, and trust, and these attitudes are the most genuine expressions of true love. Prayer is a school of love of God, love of our neighbor and also (not least importantly) charity toward our own selves.”

“It is essential to hold ourselves in God’s presence, poor and little as we are, but open and receptive to his Love.”

“Certainly, at the beginning of our prayer, we should give a light to our love: a mystery of faith, a promise of Jesus Christ, examples and virtues of the Son, the Beloved of the Father; but once our soul feels attentive to God, we can devote ourselves to loving him in accordance with what we see in him—and love will reveal new splendors to us.”

“It is a truth of faith that God lives in us, with a hidden but real presence.”

“The Council uses strong words here: the Word of God is the strength of our faith, the food of our souls, the pure and everlasting source of our spiritual life.”

“It is good for us to expose ourselves to the Word of God regularly. It alone can bring about a deep work of discernment and truthfulness in our lives.”

“It is not we who work on the Bible but the Bible that works on us. We need, day after day, to let ourselves be worked upon and shaped by it, by this or that specific passage. That means taking a risk, because the Word can sometimes tell us things we do not want to hear. But ultimately it works for life, freedom, and peace. Whether it corrects us or consoles us, it brings us life.”

“Jesus is not a link in the transmission of the Word; he is the Word itself, in its very source and origin.”

“Do not allow a single day to go by, then, without taking at least a few minutes to meditate on a passage of Scripture. It may sometimes appear to be dry or obscure, but if we read it faithfully, in simplicity and prayer, it will sink deep into our memory without our even realizing it. And on the day when we need it, in a time of adversity, that verse or some other will return to our minds and will be precisely what we need to recover our hope and peace.”

“The quality of personal prayer is obviously conditioned by how we live our lives outside our times of prayer.”

“Human life is made up of rhythms: the rhythm of breathing, the rhythm of days and nights, weeks and years… . If we want to be faithful to prayer, it must find its place in our life’s rhythms. Praying at a particular time of day, reserving a set point in the week for God, etc., should become habitual.”

“Our prayer is called to become not just one activity among others but the fundamental activity of our lives, the very rhythm of our deepest existence, the breathing of our heart, so to speak.”

“G. K. Chesterton argued that repetition is a characteristic of the vitality of children, who like the same stories, with the same words, time and time again, not because they are bored and unimaginative but because they delight in life. Chesterton wrote: “Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, ‘Do it again!’; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead, for grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony.”

“Not a single one of our prayers is ever lost. Sooner or later, each will be answered; perhaps not at the time or in the way we imagine, but when and as God wants, in his plans that surpass our understanding. Our prayers are not always answered as we would want, but the fact of expressing them always brings us closer to God, leads us forward on our inner journey, and attracts a certain grace that we shall one day see clearly and that will then fill us with wonder.”

“There is nothing like thanksgiving and gratitude to purify our hearts and make us experience this beatitude: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Mt 5:8). Blessed be his Name forever! Amen.”

I hope those quotes give you a feel for this volume. The first note where father Philippe states that another book on prayer was not necessarily needed but he felt compelled to write this one. I am very thankful that he did. It fit perfectly with my retreat and brought several of the points home and reinforced what I was learning. 

Everything I have read by Father Philippe has been excellent. I have been recommending his books to others since I first encountered them nearly 20 years ago. In fact I occasionally check for new titles in English that I have seen French editions of but have not yet read. Hope they will appear in English. This is a book that will be of immense spiritual value to any catholic who reads it. It is a resource that would be great in anyone’s prayer corner or bedside table. 

I can easily recommend this volume; it is an excellent read, I challenge you to pick it up and give it a read, your prayer life will never be the same!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Other Books By Fr. Jacques Philippe
From Scepter:
Called to Life
Time For God
Interior Freedom
In the School of the Holy Spirit
The Way of Trust and Love - A Retreat Guided By St. Therese of Lisieux
Thirsting for Prayer
Real Mercy: Mary, Forgiveness, and Trust
Fire and Light: Learning to Receive the Gift of God
The Eight Doors of the Kingdom: Meditations on the Beatitudes
Nine Days to Rediscover the Joy of Prayer
Nine Days to Welcome Peace

Nine Days to Strengthen Your Faith 
Priestly Fatherhood

Prayer: Oxygen for the Soul

…

St Paul's Alba House:
Searching for and Maintaining Peace
Discerning Your Vocation: A Catholic Guide for Young Adults (Forward)

...

Pauline Books and Media:
Time For God

...

SingTala:
Time For God
I Choose to be Free: the Power of Faith Hope & Charity (a different edition of Interior Freedom)

...

Contributed to:

Beautiful Hope
…

Priestly Fatherhood Treasure in Earthen Vessels - Father Jacques Philippe

Priestly Fatherhood:

Treasure in Earthen Vessels

Father Jacques Philippe
Neal Carter (Translator)
Scepter Publishers
ISBN 9781594174179

eISBN 9781594174186

ASIN B0933NN82F

I have read books by Father Jacques Philippe 17 times now. From the first couple I read back in 2007 after being introduced to them while on retreat, to this latest volume I have loved everything I have read by this humble servant of God. I have not read anything from Father Philippe’s pen that did not bless, encourage and even challenge me. And even though this volume is written mainly to and for priests it is an excellent volume that all readers would benefit from reading. The beginning of the description of the book states:

“Recognizing the strong and gentle fatherhood which our Heavenly Father bestows on us lovingly and daily indefinitely changes the scope of our spiritual lives. Amidst the crisis of fatherhood in today's society, it is imperative, more than ever, that all men—especially priests—be images of this unfalteringly generous fatherhood of God.

What does true fatherhood consist of? How can true fatherhood help a person gain access to the freedom found through the knowledge of his or her identity as a child of God?”

As a father of four children, I really appreciated the examples of good early fathers and how they can be an example and model for priestly fathers. The sections in the book are:

Introduction 

Part One : Fatherhood, A Difficult But Essential Reality: Precautions On Language 

1. A Priestly Pentecost 

2. The Urgent Need for Fatherhood 

3. Suffering Caused by the Absence of a Father 

4. The Gift of Fatherhood 

5. A Father’s Blessing 

6. What Makes for True Fatherhood? 

     Unconditional Love 

     Words of Authority 

7. Failures in Fatherhood 

     Absence 

     Severity 

     Chumminess 

     The Superman 

     The Businessman 

     Power

8. The Children’s Problems 

9. Fatherhood in Scripture 

     Abraham 

     Moses 

     Saint Paul 

Part Two A Profound Transformation Of Heart 

10. How to Become a Father 

     To Be a Father, You Must Be a Son 

     Being a Son and Groom of the Church 

     Being a Brother 

     Living in the Spirit of the Beatitudes 

11. Living the First Beatitude 

     Looking Out for the Other Before Self 

     Dispossessing the Self and Welcoming the Other 

     Consenting to Our Limits and Exhausting the Resources of Faith 

     What It Means to Be Poor 

     Spiritual Poverty and Humility 

12. Living the Rest of the Beatitudes 

13. The Church, Mary, and the Mystery of the Woman 

14. Baptismal and Ministerial Priesthood

PART THREE A TANGIBLE REALITY 

15. Fatherhood in the Priest’s Ministry 

     Intercession for the People 

     The Celebration of the Eucharist and the Sacraments 

     Eucharistic Adoration 

     Personal Dialogue 

     Confession 

     Preaching 

     The Government of a Community 

     Defending the Poor and the Little Ones 

Conclusion

Father Philippe in the introduction states:

“The topic of priestly spiritual fatherhood is an important one today. It is a delicate topic, particularly in light of the sad revelation of the behavior of some priests which is in total contradiction with true fatherhood. 

There is nonetheless an enormous need in our world for people who are authentic reflections of divine fatherhood. Not that it’s their exclusive domain, but I think that it forms an essential part of the priestly vocation.” 

He also declares:

“Through this little book, I would like to encourage my brother priests, who often have a pressing need for encouragement, and to help them believe in the fruitfulness— the fertility— and the beauty of their vocations. Even if it’s a difficult, demanding reality, fatherhood is also a source of great joy. There is nothing more beautiful than to give life, and so much more so when this life is eternal life, the very life of God. 

My book is addressed especially to priests, but I think that all people who are called to exercise a certain form of paternity (the fathers of a family, spiritual fathers, educators, people in positions of authority . . .) could find some useful elucidation on how to live their responsibilities fairly.”

The passage that stuck out most to me during my first read through was:

“The father helps his child find his or her true identity. In the Bible, the father gives the child its name. The name is not just a label, a word to be called by, but it represents a deep identity, the mission of the person.”

I have recommended everything written by Father Philippe that I have read. And this one is one of his best. But it and give it a read. Buy copies for the priests in your life. Buy copies to give to friends and family. It is a book I guarantee will bless you, and those in your life. And if you share it, it will bless those whom you give it to.

A wonderful book I give my highest recommendation!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2021 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Other Books By Fr. Jacques Philippe

From Scepter:

Called to Life

Time For God

Interior Freedom

In the School of the Holy Spirit

The Way of Trust and Love - A Retreat Guided By St. Therese of Lisieux

Thirsting for Prayer

Real Mercy: Mary, Forgiveness, and Trust

Fire and Light: Learning to Receive the Gift of God

The Eight Doors of the Kingdom: Meditations on the Beatitudes

Nine Days to Rediscover the Joy of Prayer

Nine Days to Welcome Peace

Nine Days to Strengthen Your Faith 

Priestly Fatherhood

Prayer: Oxygen for the Soul

…

St Paul's Alba House:

Searching for and Maintaining Peace

Discerning Your Vocation: A Catholic Guide for Young Adults (Forward)

...

Pauline Books and Media:

Time For God

...

SingTala:

Time For God

I Choose to be Free: the Power of Faith Hope & Charity (a different edition of Interior Freedom)

...

Contributed to:

Beautiful Hope

…

Nine Days to Rediscover the Joy of Prayer - Jacques Philippe

Nine Days to Rediscover the Joy of Prayer
Jacques Philippe
Timothée Berthon (Editor)
Neal Carter (Translator)
Scepter Publishers
ISBN 9781594173363
eISBN 9781594173356
ASIN B07NBVWJRN

My introduction to the writings of father Jacques Philippe was Time For God, which I first read 12 years ago. I have reread that book four times now and every time I read it, I get something more out of it. And when he has a new book come out in French, I eagerly await it being available in English. This time it looks like the two editions are publishing at the same time, and this is the second book I have read in the Nine Days Series. Nine Days to Welcome Peace, was an excellent read, and this one was also. I picked it up even before I finished this one, and will be extra diligent about keeping my eyes open for other books in this series. Father Philippe states about this series that:

“The “Nine Days to” collection offers a guided retreat to be lived at home or on vacation, in the subway or on the train, for people who have little time but wish to devote ten minutes a day to spiritual growth.

Each book in the collection offers nine days of inspiring meditations that surround a specific theme for advancement in the spiritual life. Each serves as both a school of prayer and an authentic tool of self-transformation.

Two meditations are offered for each day. One can be experienced in the morning and the other at any opportune moment during the day or evening.

The journey includes reflection exercises, the Word of God, a meditation from a saint or another great spiritual author, and a resolution—all geared to help the participant dive into an authentic spiritual experience.”

When I read this book the first time time I did part in the morning and part at lunch. Returning to it at lunch helped to focus my afternoon in a new way. 

The chapters in this volume are:
First Day:
Responding To A Call
Second Day:
 Putting God First
Third Day:
 Praying Freely
Fourth Day:
 Living Heaven On Earth
Fifth Day:
 Prayer Makes Me Know God
Sixth Day:
 Discovering My Profound Identity
Seventh Day:
 Prayer Makes Me Capable Of Loving My Neighbor
Eighth Day:
 The More I Pray, The More I Become Free
Ninth Day:
 Unifying My Life

And each of the nine days follows this pattern:

Introduction
Invitation To Contemplation
Sign Of The Cross
Prayer To The Holy Spirit
The Word of God
Meditation From Fr. Jacques Philippe
Prayer
Light From A Faithful Witness
The Light Of The Saints

The sections in each day vary slightly from the other volume currently available in the series. The section The Light of the Saints sometimes comprises quotes from more than one source. Each day is preceded by a full color photo and in this volume, they appear to all be photo’s of mosaics. We are not told where the excerpts from Father Phillipe are from, or if they were written specifically for this book, or this series. But in the grand scheme of things that does not matter. In the preface to the other volume it states that these meditations are available as a pamphlet or on CD. So I assume the original French versions come from retreats that Father Philippe has lead. And even if in English we do not have access to the audio, the book itself makes a wonderful 9-day personal retreat. Or it could even be used by a group or family. 

This is another wonderful resource for spiritual growth from Father Philippe. And I know I will be reading them all as the series becomes available and will return to them again and again. An excellent little volume. I highly recommend this and also the other Nine Days book that is available.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Other Books By Fr. Jacques Philippe
From Scepter:
Called to Life
Time For God
Interior Freedom
In the School of the Holy Spirit
The Way of Trust and Love - A Retreat Guided By St. Therese of Lisieux
Thirsting for Prayer
Real Mercy: Mary, Forgiveness, and Trust
Fire and Light: Learning to Receive the Gift of God
The Eight Doors of the Kingdom: Meditations on the Beatitudes
Nine Days to Rediscover the Joy of Prayer
Nine Days to Welcome Peace

Nine Days to Strengthen Your Faith 
Priestly Fatherhood

Prayer: Oxygen for the Soul

…

St Paul's Alba House:
Searching for and Maintaining Peace
Discerning Your Vocation: A Catholic Guide for Young Adults (Forward)

...

Pauline Books and Media:
Time For God

...

SingTala:
Time For God
I Choose to be Free: the Power of Faith Hope & Charity (a different edition of Interior Freedom)

...

Contributed to:

Beautiful Hope
…

Nine Days to Welcome Peace - Jacques Philippe

Nine Days to Welcome Peace
Jacques Philippe
Timothée Berthon (Editor)
Neal Carter (Translator)
Scepter
ISBN 9781594173653
eISBN 9781594173660
ASIN B083G8Q3VZ

My introduction to the writings of father Jacques Philippe was Time For God, which I first read 12 years ago. I have reread that book four times now and every time I read it, I get something more out of it. And when he has a new book come out in French, I eagerly await it being available in English. This time it looks like the two editions are publishing at the same time, in January of 2020. But this is the second volume in the ‘Nine Days …’ series by Father Philippe. There was an earlier volume that I missed picking up, Nine Days to Rediscover the Joy of Prayer, but even before I finished this one, I had purchased it to read as soon as this one was completed. This is an excellent little volume and one I know I will return to again and again. Father Philippe states about this series that:

“The “Nine Days to” collection offers a guided retreat to be lived at home or on vacation, in the subway or on the train, for people who have little time but wish to devote ten minutes a day to spiritual growth.

Each book in the collection offers nine days of inspiring meditations that surround a specific theme for advancement in the spiritual life. Each serves as both a school of prayer and an authentic tool of self-transformation.

Two meditations are offered for each day. One can be experienced in the morning and the other at any opportune moment during the day or evening.

The journey includes reflection exercises, the Word of God, a meditation from a saint or another great spiritual author, and a resolution—all geared to help the participant dive into an authentic spiritual experience.”

The first time I worked through this volume I did part in the morning and part at lunch. Returning to it at lunch helped to focus my afternoon in a new way. 

The chapters in this volume are:
First Day:
The Urgency Of Interior Peace
Second Day:
Peace, A Gift From God
Third Day:
The More Peaceful I Am, The More God Acts
Fourth Day:
Prayer, A Place For Peace
Fifth Day:
Peace, Fruit Of Trust
Sixth Day:
Humility, Source Of Peace
Seventh Day:
No Forgiveness, No Peace
Eighth Day:
To Find Peace, Accept Life As It Is
Ninth Day:
To Find Peace, Live In The Present Moment

And each of the nine days follows this pattern:

Invitation To Contemplation
Sign Of The Cross
Prayer To The Holy Spirit
Meditation From Fr. Jacques Philippe
Prayer
A Grace To Request
Light From A Faithful Witness
Meditate On The Word

The section Light From A Faithful Witness some times comprises quotes from more than one source. And before each day is a full color photo. We are not told where the excerpts from Father Phillipe are from, or if they were written specifically for this book, or this series. But in the grand scheme of things that does not matter. In the preface to the other volume it states that these meditations are available as a pamphlet or on CD. So I assume the original French versions come from retreats that father Philippe has lead. And even if in English we do not have access to the audio, the book itself makes a wonderful 9-day personal retreat. Or it could even be used by a group or family. 

This is another wonderful resource for spiritual growth from Father Philippe. And I know I will be reading them all as the series becomes available and will return to them again and again. An excellent little volume.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Other Books By Fr. Jacques Philippe
From Scepter:
Called to Life
Time For God
Interior Freedom
In the School of the Holy Spirit
The Way of Trust and Love - A Retreat Guided By St. Therese of Lisieux
Thirsting for Prayer
Real Mercy: Mary, Forgiveness, and Trust
Fire and Light: Learning to Receive the Gift of God
The Eight Doors of the Kingdom: Meditations on the Beatitudes
Nine Days to Rediscover the Joy of Prayer
Nine Days to Welcome Peace

Nine Days to Strengthen Your Faith 
Priestly Fatherhood

Prayer: Oxygen for the Soul

…

St Paul's Alba House:
Searching for and Maintaining Peace
Discerning Your Vocation: A Catholic Guide for Young Adults (Forward)

...

Pauline Books and Media:
Time For God

...

SingTala:
Time For God
I Choose to be Free: the Power of Faith Hope & Charity (a different edition of Interior Freedom)

...

Contributed to:

Beautiful Hope
…