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Blessed Are the Bored in Spirit: A Young Catholic's Search for Meaning

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Conversion is a funny thing. Literally. Mark Hart brings that to light in his most recent book. Capturing the essence of the meaning of conversion, Hart takes the reader through the different aspects of being a Catholic Christian in the postmodern world. Through humorous and touching stories from his own life, Hart is able to capture the simple nature of Conversion: surrender of self.

The Story: Beginning with the apology to God, "I'm sorry for the person I have been since I have known you," Hart looks back on the all too common experience of the average Roman Catholic of the last 30 years. Blind obedience to rules not understood, confessing sins that don't strike one as wrong, and going through the motions in order to please Grandma and Grandpa watching from Heaven. Something must change within the believer. For, "If you say that Jesus is not God then we have nothing to talk about." However, if we say that Christ is God then that is the beginning of conversion for everything must change.

I could go on and on and give away the entire book, summing it up and throwing quotes out there, but that would take away from the experience of actually reading the book yourself. I cannot recommend this book more. No matter where you are in your faith, Hart brings to life struggles at every level and how God works through them and how we are called to see through these struggles to a faith that is alive, vibrant, and fulfilling.

The strength of the book is that it is so readable. To every Catholic who wallows in their own mediocrity of faith because they "don't understand" have run out of excuses with this book. There is more than a confession of a man who has fallen and returned to grace more times then he can count. This is a challenge to all Catholics. A choice that is offered. It isn't offered in a "holier then thou" attitude, either. Hart puts himself at the receiving end of every accusation of mediocrity.

Rather than stand on the sidelines and accuse others, Hart puts himself in the middle of the game. This is another strength of the book. It judges no one, yet at the same time the reader is left with a soul that is exposed and is challenged to expose their own. Hart leads through example. When he speaks of suffering, he speaks of his own. When he speaks of pride, he speaks of his own. He is an author after the heart of Paul.

How seriously do you take your faith? No matter how seriously you do, this quick read will be a boost to your spiritual life, allowing you to take spiritual stock of your life so that you can make adjustments and continue to grow, to continue to convert.

Summary/Suggestions: I think the best way to read the book is with others. Read a few pages and discuss, sharing stories from your own life. We live in a sensory, experiential Faith, and God is revealed in our own life. By the end of the book, by sharing your own life with others, you will begin to see God working in even the most dire circumstances. If you don't have a group or others to share the book with, consume it as a fuel for the fire that is insider your heart for Christ. Give this book to those that need the fire lit. Give the book to every person that has ever looked at the Catholic Faith and seen simple ritual, obligation, and distance from Christ. The misunderstandings about the Church are shattered here and the reader cannot be left the same. This is a book that is not only needed by the young in the Church, but by the Church today.

I LOVE this book. I've read it a couple of times, I've written in it, I've taken notes, I've highlighted, I've passed it on. It's one of my favorite books ever. It's so inspiring and encouraging that I just love to read it over and over. Even though it's written for young Catholics it's been helpful to me, a 50 something mother and high school religious ed teacher. I'm thinking about purchasing copies for all of the graduating seniors this year. I'd recommend it to anyone.

This is a book that can (and should) be read by all Catholics, no matter where they are in their faith. It challenges both the Catholic who is apprehensive about his faith and the Church and the Catholic who embraces the Church in her entirety because this is book about developing a real relationship with Christ. The challenge is always there for the reader: go deeper, go deeper. Regardless of what your spiritual life and relationship with Jesus are like, Mark shows us that we can always go deeper and know Christ better. Furthermore, Mark reveals to us that we must go deeper with every day that passes and that we must never become "comfortable" or complacent in our faith.

Mark is a gifted writer who is able to engage the reader. "Blessed are the Bored in Spirit" reads like a novel - it's a page-turner. You'll be tempted to read this book in one or two sittings because of its captivating style and humorous anecdotes. But you'll get more out of this book if you approach it as a spiritual guide and keep a bible and journal handy.

One of the best qualities Mark and his latest book have to offer is honesty. Mark doesn't play around or beat around the bush; he gives it to you straight. It's ironic that such a funny book is meant for the Catholic who is ready to be serious about his faith. Instead of offering the reader in-depth theological refutations the misconceptions that plague our culture, he challenges the reader to be honest with himself, sit down with Jesus and pray - we'd be surprised by what a little bit of honesty can do in exposing some of the outrageous claims of society. One of my favorite examples of Mark's challenging and eye-opening honesty is in the chapter "Recreational Sex: Living in the Flesh:"

"I urge you to stop right now and pray. In your prayer, ask Jesus himself to give you his perspective on modern sexuality. Ten sit in silence. Is he prompting you to guide your mouse to the porn site so that you can discover his perspective? Does he suggest that you call a sex line? No."

This is one of my favorite aspects of the book because it seeks to challenge the reader to open his heart up to God and gives practical guidelines on how to go about that. If the heart is not open to God, the mind cannot appreciate His teachings.

This honesty extends further than theological and moral truths. It challenges us to be honest with ourselves about our relationship with Jesus. Do we really know Christ? Do we spend enough time with Him? "Why don't invite Christ into our day more often? If you simply don't think of it, then Jesus is still distant, not yet a friend or a brother." No matter where you are in your relationship with Christ, Mark shows us that must always be seeking to deepen it.

One of the most obvious things about this book is that it is written out of love. Mark cares about the reader, which is why he doesn't water anything down or speak in ambiguous terms. He gives us the hard truth others may be too afraid to share with us. While he discusses what true love is in the final chapter, love is embedded in every page and embroidered on every word. The book itself teaches us about love because it is an act of love itself.

Within the pages of the book, Mark hopes to help us change our perspective, our approach and our self-offering. He accomplishes these goals beautifully with wit, honesty, humor and insight. Who ever knew that crossword puzzles had so much to offer the spiritual journey?

As a high school Youth Minister, I am always on the look-out for books that my teens will enjoy and learn from. This book was brought to my attention by another youth minister in my area.

I purchased a copy. Read it all the way through in less than two days. And, then promptly purchased enough copies for my graduating class. We are using it as a book study for our Senior Series this year.

The teens LOVE Mark Hart. He is inventive, creative, and in-tune. He relies on the Holy Spirit. He practices what he preaches. Which says a lot in today's society.

Blessed Are the Bored in Spirit is a must read for anyone striving to live the Catholic life in today's world. Hart writes to challenge and motivate without overwhelming the reader, and uses both personal experience and Catholic doctrine to drive home his points. Comical stories, honest perceptions, and practical advice make this book an easy read that will change your perspective on "walking the walk." As a young adult in the Catholic Church, it's often difficult to get straight answers without feeling judged, stupid, or intimidated. Mark clearly "tells it like it is" but also offers realistic help on how to avoid and overcome the common sins we fall into. Blessed Are the Bored in Spirit shares the timeless message of God's love in a relatable, non-threatening, and highly entertaining way.

Mark Hart is just one clever guy. The book reads like a memoir of a typical cradle Catholic going through the motions. Many will relate to his anecdotes about his family's weekly trek to Mass and his misunderstanding of various Catholic nuances.
What's really special though is that Hart shares pearls of wisdom throughout the whole book, right underneath your eye. As you reflect on your own personal upbringing as a Catholic-by-title, you learn just what all these strange traditions, rites, practices, and dogmas really mean. I especially enjoyed the chapter on Confession, which is truly the forgotten Sacrament.
Hart could really be a stand up comic. As he bluntly shares childhood stories about his poor understanding of his religion, you can't help but picture him on stage. And yet he is a genuinely devout Catholic man. Perhaps more commonly known as the Bible Geek, Hart is a tremendous scholar and a vital part of Catholic Youth Ministry today.
Read this book, and unpack the hidden treasure of your faith!

Blessed are the Bored in Spirit
Mark Hart

Wonderfully written, excellent page turner, I couldn't put it down. I would suggest this book for every Christian who is looking for a clear cut way to strengthen their relationship and experience with God. It is geared toward the Catholic youth of today, but adults and any denomination can benefit from its words as well. Mark Hart is a writer, who can portray the importance of the matter at hand and use humor without losing any of the value.

There are three specific focuses of the book and they are:
1. Our prospective
2. Our approach
3. Our self-offering


Mr. Hart starts his book with a story of how he was changed in the way that he views and experiences God. He had to have a near death experience to come to this realization. He was on an airplane that had to do an emergency landing right after reaching cruising altitude, and during the whole frightening affair he started to notice his relationship with his maker and all the sins that he had committed.

"The truth was that the crash landing didn't wake me up; it was the final step in an arduous journey that had begun years before. That morning was the jolt I needed in the ongoing process that carried me beyond conversion." Conversion is the starting point to transformation, which is where you totally surrender to God. Paul is used as a biblical example of a transformation, not just a conversion. Another aspect in this chapter is how do you see God, as a judge or father? There is an exercise to write out how you see God and then write out how God sees you. If they are too similar then it usually means that your vision of either is not completely realistic. Mr. Hart ends the first chapter with the words... "If you want something you have never had, you must be willing to do something that you have never done."

Next the question of what are you most afraid of is asked. Trust in God is the key point of this chapter. It also describes fear of the Lord as being in awe, not literal shaking fear. The order as how you as a person views God is addressed, the Nicene Creed is used as an example here "the Father, the Almighty", and how you can invite God in your daily life with awe if you see him as father first then as a judge. "God gives us over four thousand promises in scripture." That puts the awe in awesome, and shows you exactly how much He loves you, and wants a relationship as a father to you.

I was a Confirmation sponser for my nephew in 2007. One of the requirements was that we meet together once a month for a number of months. While his CCD class provided some outlines for the meetings, there really wasn't enough material for an hour of talk, especially between guys who don't want to particularly "share". I ordered this book from Amazon, and we used a chapter or two each month as the primarly basis for the meetings. There is plenty of material that speaks to way youth and adults live their life, many scriptural references, and mention of other similar books that you can check into later.

I don't think that there is enough theology in this book to make it a primarly source for a year of CCD study, but it could be used as I described for Confirmation meetings or in a class as part of a series of books to be studied, if it is backed up with the Cathechism of the Catholic Church or the Bible. It is an exhortation for Catholics young and old to live the Christian life.

One last comment. If the emphasis of Confirmation - and perhaps even earlier years of religion classes - would be on living the Christian life ( as described in this book ) and on knowledge of the faith, and not on so much on the touchy-feely stuff that seems to be very present, maybe there would be more young adults knowing and living their faith. Perhaps there would be fewer young Catholics coasting through the years of religion classes - ending in Confirmation - without really learning anything substantial (as the author described of himself).

This book is a great read especially for older teenagers. My daughter really liked the straightforward way it addresses the "lazyiness" Catholics can sometimes experience. I liked the great examples the author used to tell us his short-comings and how he worked to overcome them. Solid information about Catholic doctrine, but not in-depth. This book would be an excellent conversation starter in a group or between teen and parent. I recommend this book, especially for teenagers or college-aged people.

This book is exceptionally well written and right on target. The reader has complete reassurance that blessedly, the faith is much much bigger than the individual.