Customer Reviews

A Portrait of Jesus

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Joseph Girzone writes this portrait of Jesus with a knowledge of the person of Jesus. He walks the talk. Because he knows Jesus personnally, Joseph Girzone can make a difference in his writings. This is not an intellectual account of Jesus, it is not fiction, it is a walk with Our Lord, his friendship with Jesus. This book does have an historical slant, you have to read in between the lines to discover Joseph Girzone's inner life with Jesus. This inner life is instilled in all of Joseph Girzones books but his first book Joshua is still my personal favorite. At last someone writes about the person of Jesus in an intimate, simple way. So simple that you have a hard time believing that this is why Jesus came on earth. Like the famous song from the movie Alfie, Is That All There Is?. I have heard the saying the hardest action to take is to see with the heart and not with the head. Joseph Girzone has a wonderful way of writing to make this happen. He does not force us to believe in his Jesus. This is not his way, nor is it Jesus' way, he simply and beautifully brings Jesus alive in his writings. I have personally read many many books on the theology of Jesus but Joseph Girzone's books have taken the log out of my own eyes and left me with a more open heart to try to live my life more fully. To walk the path of the Gospel in a more straight forward way.

Father Joe's humble yet captivating book made it clear to me why God loves us: he created us in His image, he made us capable of great love and He would do anything to keep us close. In "A Portrait of Jesus", Fr. Girzone provided me with a three-dimensional Christ who enjoyed being human, who celebrated it, loved his human family and companions and was not ashamed to live among us. Never before did I understand how God could live with us and yet be misunderstood by man; in "Portrait", Jesus is an ordinary, blue-collar guy, quietly living his life until the Father calls him to his ministry. He is so peaceful about his place in the human world that everyone, including society's outcasts, finds his company fascinating.

Written in ordinary language, this profound little book made me joyful that I, too, am human, and according to Jesus' life, death and resurrection, worth saving and renewing, every day.

Too much religion focuses on shame, unworthiness and our failures to be what God expects. Fr. Joe helps communicate that it is Jesus who makes us worthy, and religion should be a human framework to support our spiritual lives with Him.

In returning to church after decades of abscence, books like this one help keep my spirit united with God, despite all the human difficulties of working within a church organization.

Thank you, Joseph Girzone! Long may you write!

At first I resisted this book, thinking it would be mostly boring preaching. I finally went for it, hoping to find some new biographical material that forty-six years of Roman Catholicism hadn't taught me. What I found, to my surprise, was a new way to look at religious beliefs that just blew me away.

The Jethro Tull album "Aqualung" came to mind while reading this. In the liner notes for that classic, Ian Anderson playfully states that "In the beginning Man created God, and in his image did he create Him". This is not blasphemy, folks. It is a statement that shows how humans have twisted religion to fit their own selfish needs over the past couple thousand years. The result is a state of religious thinking that often has little to do with the original message of Christ, if you take what the author has to say seriously.

...The Jesus as portrayed in this book is a refreshingly great guy that specifically tried to get away from exactly what happened before and after his time on earth. Jesus came into a Jewish world that was so bogged down with rules and laws that it took away from the few simple ones that are the most important. Which is, love your neighbor and your God, and things will find a way of working out.

...The book me feel good enough about myself to give it ten stars, but I'm holding back at four for a reason. While uplifting, this is the author's own interpretation of Christ. A lot of these interpretations make sense. But while he mentions Jesus had a great sense of humor, I would have liked to have seen more examples. And he does portray our Lord and Savior as a party guy who seemed to prefer hanging with sinners (maybe they're more fun), had no trouble supplying more booze to the party, and had no problem laughing at a dirty joke or two. While I'd love to accept this interpretation of reality, it does at times sound a little too good to be true. If it is, then this is the Jesus I want to follow.

Girzone captures Christ's persona. I found myself asking lots of questions of who I thought Christ was--and found Girzone answering them in a way I never expected. Shedding light on Christ's humanity and well as his divinity by shedding insight to his story, as found in the Gospel, Girzone creates a vivid picture of a truely caring man who relished his role as counselor, teacher, healer, friend and savior.

If you want to know Jesus better and more personally, read this book. Have a Bible near by, you may wish to look up stories as Girzone mentions them. I know it was worth my time and effort and I highly recommend this book.

This small simple book, shows a humble and casual saviour that undertstands human weakness, it also shows that the church has failed in showing grace to sinners, I cried several times throughout reading this book as I realised how much Jesus not only wants to be my friend, but this in spite of my many failings. I am not a catholic, and before reading this I would have thought that Protestant churches were not religious and catholic churches are, both these statements are wrong. Jesus is purely interested in the individual, he accepts us as we are, Girzones simple style makes this easy to read, this book is both simple and profound at the same time, just as Jesus himself is the greatest glory, God himself and and also a humble man all in one. This books shows how Christ treated people and by reading it, the reader can see how the church has fallen way short of what Christ actually taught. "Compassion not sacrifice" Jesus said to the Pharisees to go and learn what that scripture means, that scripture is as relevant today to all denominations, A Portrait of Jesus is a great start.......

I was thrilled with the book A Portrait of Jesus. There have been so many authors that have tried to paint an acurate and readable description of what Jesus might have been like but few have given Him the justice that Girzone does in this book. This book delves into every facet of written scripture to bring out the subtle, as well as the obvious, acts of perpetual love that exuded Jesus's every being. More than a reminiscing of the well known tails of Jesus, this book reaches behind the words and actions to what each encounter must have ment to the lives that were touched by Jesus. Beautifuly written,deep, accurate, and refreshingly simple this book overwhelmed my heart and taught me to look at Jesus's life, and what he was trying to accomplish as a whole, in a new and peaceful light. I highly reccomend it to anyone, Christian or not.

This wonderful book validates the feelings I have always carried with me about the true nature of Jesus. Joseph Girzone has the unique talent to put the essence of his thoughts and his experiences as a former priest in a form that everyone understands and goes straight to the heart of the matter. Over the years, raised in a Catholic environment that was more concerned with dogma, guilt and the collection plate, I have been able to maintain my faith in Jesus since I have always felt him to be fully understanding of the human condition. While I have studied and explored other religions and philosophies, the essense of the true religions seemed to get lost in the practice of rules organized religion devised in order to "bind the hands and feet" of the believer in fear and guilt. This book tells me that I have been following the right path for a long time, that Jesus understands me, my feelings and loves me unconditionally. In his book Fr. Girzone addresses the changes that have to occur in order to keep the faithful in the church. Personally I communicate best with my maker when I am walking alone like Jesus did in a forest, on a beach, somewhere in nature or in the company of true friends. Thank you Fr. Joe for writing this book and putting so much of yourself into its contents. In the face of the strict rules of organized religion, especially the Catholic Church, that cannot have been easy for you but you followed your conscience and did it anyhow; very well at that. Keep those books coming, we need them badly during these stressful and confusing times.

I absolutely loved this book--couldn't hardly put it down!! I enjoyed the honesty of the book and loved how the author draws
you into it!! I highlighted a lot of the book so that I could
go back from time to time and reread the highlights. I feel so strongly that what is said in this book needs to be said, read
and understood by all!! What a magnificient gift the author has given us!!

Joseph Girzone has written in this book his Christology. He follows the classical pattern of Christological works, but he expressed the simplcity of Jesus' message, as he does in his novels of Joshua. This simplcity can be very charming and inspiring. And at times it can be irrelevant.

In this book he sometimes repeats themes in separate chapters. For example, he writes about priestly celibacy. He believes that it is a discipline that should be changed. He writes early in the book about this and then repeats himself almost word for word later. This appears to me redundant and unnecessary.

Chapter 4, " A Humble, Casual Savior", sums up New Testament Morality. It is a very effective chapter, the best in the book. It is also the longest and needs to be digested carefully. Girzone also writes simply and that style can be deceiving. He summarizes Jesus' teaching in the chapter and manages to cover all the bases that New Testament moralists take books to write.

This simplicity of style is best appreciated when the book is read in small increments. Reflection should follow, even prayer.

The last two chapters concerning the end of Jesus' life seem unimportant. He simply narrates at that point. a point or two is made, especially about God's humor, but one would wish for a little more reflection.

Nevertheless as usual Girzone challenges the soul with his spiritual insights in the Savior.

My wife and I had discovered Girzone's books during a period of questioning, finding considerable refreshment in his candid and insightful way to look at service to God. Then, we heard he was going to speak at a local retreat. Sometimes I an somewhat apprehensive in learning more about someone, as they might not turn out to be the genuine article they seem to be. But, I was not disappointed: Joseph Girzone is a quiet but outgoing gentleman, with a twinkle in his eye, who was able to hold us spellbound with his insight into the personality of Jesus. Girzone is able to look beyond the dogma in scripture and discern the major character traits in his subject (Jesus). This talk, given several years ago, was in essence the content of this book: A Portrait of Jesus. The major theme of this book, which is an extension of his earlier books, is that Jesus was a joyful person, who would have been not only charismatic but fun to be around. Girzone is able to bring out the humanity in the Son of God. In my opinion this approach has more evangelical power than any hellfire and brimstone sermon. Girzone's thinking is cross-cultural and non-denominational. Non-Catholics, indeed non-Christians, of a spiritual bent will find themselves drawn to Girzone's straight-forward views of Jesus.