Blaze a Trail

I was introduced to St. Josemaria Escriva's book "The Way, Furrow, the Forge" at a retreat I attended in August. The retreat was an introduction to the Opus Dei apostolate started by St. Josemaria Escriva and I attended the retreat because it was put together by the facilitator of the study I began called "You Can Become a Saint."

The book was available for purchase at the retreat but since I hadn't been to a retreat in over 18 years I didn't realized you could purchase books. I had not brought money so I had to wait to get my book. About three weeks ago I went over to my local Catholic book store, Gloria Deo, and ordered the book. I received the call over this past weekend that my book had arrived and I finally went and picked it up today. This book, I can already tell, was well worth the wait! And God's timing was perfect.

Just yesterday my good friend Lucy posted a facebook quote by Karl Rahner that said, “The Christian of the future will be a mystic or he will not exist at all.” So I commented back, "What is a mystic?" I ran into Lucy today and she explained that a mystic is somebody who encounters God. It is all about love and loving others. So when I saw the following quote in the Editor's note at the beginning of my new book I knew the Holy Spirit was with us: "We are confident that this publication will be a practical and effective instrument in the hands of those who already have discovered, in each separate work (the three original titles), a help in their personal encounter with God."

The book is three of St. Josemaria's titles combined into one book. It is a classical book about fostering a personal encounter with God. The book is a set of 1,055 counsels which are each numbered. They are indexed by topic in the back of the book with every conceivable topic from abandonment to zeal.

I'm already thinking, what Christian wouldn't benefit from this book? I'm also thinking, the world will benefit from anybody who reads and puts into practice what is in this book. And Lucy, who posted the facebook quote and answered my question, also pointed out that having a personal encounter with God was the first thing that was impressed upon the world when Pope Benedict XVI was introduced as the new Pope after the death of Pope John Paul the Great.

St. Josemaria Escriva (1902-1975) is a modern day Saint who was canonized by Pope John Paul the Great on October 6, 2002. The main theme of the Opus Dei apostolate is holiness in everyday life through the sanctification of ordinary work.

Here is the very first counsel by St. Josemaria Escriva, "Don't let your life be sterile. Be useful. Blaze a trail. Shine forth with the light of your faith and of your love. With your apostolic life wipe out the slimy and filthy mark left by the impure sowers of hatred. And light up all the ways of the earth with the fire of Christ that you carry in your heart."

This first counsel is so deep that I know along with Scripture the book will be a beautiful and practical help along my road to holiness. I recommend you check it out at your local bookstore too!