Customer Reviews

Hearts on Fire: Praying with Jesuits

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I discovered this book on retreat at St. Ignatius Retreat House on Long Island, NY, and when I have the courage and faith to sit down with it and read a prayer or two, I am always filled with the Spirit. Great to keep in your briefcase or on your nightstand--you can use the healing power of prayer anywhere.

As a junior at a Jesuit High School, the adminstration gave me this book as a gift for leading the upcoming freshman retreat. I had already fallen in love with the Jesuit spirituality, but this book sealed the deal. For Lent, I promised myself I would read one prayer each morning, and I have, and enjoyed it. It makes everyday worthwhile. As the Jesuits believe, we choose each day to make a journey towards or away from God. This book helps make that journey. Ad Mejorem Dei Gloriam.

Presented in the form of St. Ignatius' "Spiriutal Excercises" this small and wonderful compilation offers some of the most thought provoking, challenging and exciting prayers I've spent time with. If you are old fashioned and done growing in your spirituality, please ignore the prayers (my favorites) Forgiving God? and A Humble Request. This book is well worth $7. Omnia Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

It is seldom that I actually like a book of prayers, rarer still that I enthuse, and only once or twice ever would I actually rave about such a work to my friends. I don't normally think prayer books help; they are after all someone else's prayer and I see prayer as an intensely personal thing that cannot be attained 'second hand'.

Thats probably why, even before joining the Jesuits, I came to appreciate Ignatian Spirituality and the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius Loyola. For the Exercises [often called SpEx in shorthand by Ignatian retreat directors) are not prayers you say specifically but guidelines on how to do the prayer yourself. Even here, in Harter's book, this is clearly the purpose...

In effect, Harter brings us meditations on the four Weeks of the SpEx that clearly serve to aid us in our prayer. We read these meditations - from Ignatius, Xavier, Rahner, Teilhard,Hopkins et al - not for themselves [though the glorious quality of their language makes it aesthetically worthwhile even without praying]but for how they might ignite in our hearts (to use the title's metaphor) our own spiritual encounter with God.

Of course it is not the same as making the full Spiritual Exercises (30 days) or the SpEx in Daily Life (8 months to a year, with 1hour of prayer per day) or even doing an 8-day Ignatian retreat. Though it is certainly a book one could take on such retreats (as, in fact, I did recently). The beauty of this little book is that it can be used by pretty much anyone, anywhere. One hopes, as I am sure Fr Harter hopes, that it will also draw more people to encounter God through the Spiritual Exercises.

I find this book to be an excellent prayer book; for all stages on one's faith journey. It can be adapted for group prayer or contemplated on an individual basis. It makes a wonderful gift to give or receive.

As an ordinandi I have found this prayer book very useful in my spiritual journey. It is a commendable compilations of prayers from various Jesuits whose prayer reflections would be of benefit to all who uses the book.

As I have been working through the Ignation Exercises I found Hearts On Fire to be an incredible companion. The prayers have been enlightening.

This book is a precious gift. I attended a new year's eve retreat and found this little book and the first prayer - Soul of Jesus - captured my spirit. The prayers are heartfelt, inspiring, and have expressed my feelings with honest and eloquent words. On a practical note, the book offers short reflections and scripture passages for anyone who seeks to journey through Ignatius' four-week spiritual exercises, or, for daily praying with scripture. I purchased several copies of this book to give as gifts. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to deepen their prayer life.

For faithful Christians, this book introduces new ways of seeing and approaching what we already believe. All relationships, including the one we have with God, need to be constantly refreshed, our loves re-discovered, our passions re-kindled. The poems, guided meditations, sayings in this book are helpful. I especially like the guided meditations on Examination of Conscience.

If you have an interest or backgorund in the spirtuality of St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, you will find this book to be a rich treasure. From Ignatius himself, to Jesuits still serving today, you will discover wise and challenging prayers and poems, each pertaining to specific movements of the Spiritual Exercises. Additonally, appropriate scriptures are suggested for praying the Exercises. If you know nothing about Ignatius or the Jesuits, you will also find this a rich source of meaningful prayer and reflection. I regularly give these booklets as gifts to people seeking good resources for prayer. A special book in deed!