Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart [Paperback]

Jacques Philippe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 18, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0818909064 | ISBN-13: 978-0818909061

This classic work is a short treatise on peace of heart in a world where restlessness and anxiety too often take the place of the confidence and peace which ought to be ours.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 118 pages
• Publisher: Alba House (January 18, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0818909064
• ISBN-13: 978-0818909061
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,191 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

With over 400,000 copies sold in 18 languages, Fr. Jacques Philippe's writings on themes such as prayer, interior freedom, and peace of heart have become classics of modern Catholic spirituality.

Jacques Philippe was born into a Christian family on March 12, 1947 in Lorraine, France. After studying mathematics in college, he spent several years teaching and doing scientific research. In 1976, he met the then recently-founded Community of the Beatitudes and answered the Lord's call to follow Him through this vocation (see below for more information on the Community of the Beatitudes). He then spent several years in Jerusalem and Nazareth immersing himself in the study of Hebrew and the Jewish roots of Christianity. In 1981, he traveled to Rome to study theology and canon law and also began his work as a spiritual director, working in the formation of priests and seminarians of the Community. In 1994, he returned to France, where he assumed various responsibilities including spiritual direction, the development of training in the Community, and participation in its General Council. He has also preached retreats regularly in France and abroad and has consolidated his principal retreat themes into five books on spirituality. In recent years, he has devoted himself primarily to spiritual direction, preaching retreats, and working for the development of the Community in Asia and Oceania, where he travels frequently.

Communaute des Beatitudes is an international association of the faithful of Pontifical Right founded in France in 1973. The Community of the Beatitudes gathers faithful from all states of life (married or unmarried lay people, seminarians, priests, permanent deacons, men and women consecrated in celibacy) who wish to conform as closely as possible to the model of the early Christian community through the common life, the sharing of goods, voluntary poverty and an intense sacramental and liturgical life. The members of the Community, which has a contemplative vocation based on Carmelite spirituality, are actively engaged in the service of the poor and the proclamation of the Gospel.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gem June 2, 2002

By "mary1999"

Format:Paperback

Who wants to lead a more peaceful life? I think most everyone does, and Father Jacques Philippe does a wonderful job explaining the great importance peace has in the role of being a Christian. He also clearly writes about how to develop peace, what prevents us from having peace, and how to remedy those problems. This is an excellent and very readable handbook on developing true peace, the peace Jesus wants us to have. It makes a great book for meditation. I highly recommend this book because it gives the reader insight into the peace we have through the Cross, a peace from God that is developed and exists with our suffering, not a passing imitation.

Peace be with you!

47 of 49 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Little Book. June 6, 2007

By Steven R. McEvoy TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback

I have had Father Jacques Philippe's books recommended to me on a number of occasions and by a number of different people. I have picked up the four I can find that are available in English. The title of this book, Searching for and Maintaining Peace, just grabbed my attention and had to be read first. The subtitle of this book is: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart, yet for a small book of 110 pages, it really packs a lot of punch.

This book was so good I have already put it back on my pile of books to be read. I know that I cannot glean all the great stuff from it in just one reading. For who in this hectic crazy world would not like a simple tool to help them find peace and to keep it once they have found it? This book will help you do just that. It is one I will add to my all time favorite list!

Here are some sample quotes from the book:

"The more our soul is peaceful and tranquil, the more God is reflected in it, the more His image expresses itself in us, the more His grace acts through us." P.5

"Because only this peace of heart truly liberates us from ourselves, increases our sensitivity to others, and renders us available to our fellow man." P.7

"It is that Christian life is a combat, a war without mercy." P.8

"Every Christian must be thoroughly convinced that his spiritual life can in no way be viewed as the quiet unfolding of an inconsequential life without any problems; rather it must be viewed as the scene of a constant and sometimes painful battle, which will not end until death - a struggle against evil, temptation and the sin that is in him. ...... And this combat is, correctly viewed, the place of our purification, of our spiritual growth, where we learn to know ourselves in our weakness and to know God in His infinite mercy." P.9

"One of the dominant aspects of spiritual combat is the struggle on the plane of thoughts." P.13

Then the second section lists and goes over the causes of our loss of peace and how to regain it. There are some great tools for the spiritual life in this section.

The third section in this book is a series of quotes and excerpts from a number of Saints on the process of searching for peace, and on how to maintain that peace. These saints are:

* Juan de Bonilla

* Francis de Sales

* Teresa of Avila

* Marie of the Incarnation

* Francious-Marie-Jacob Libermann

* Padre Pio

These extended quotes will support and expand upon the information in the first two sections of this book.

This book is a must for anyone who really wants to grow deeper in their walk with God and in living in the peace that Jesus Christ promised to his followers.

Other Books By Fr. Jacques Philippe

Searching for and Maintaining Peace

Time For God

Interior Freedom

In the School of the Holy Spirit

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

(These are all his books I have been able to find in English; if you know of any others or how to get them let me know please.) Read more ›

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very well written February 4, 2007

By TheListener

Format:Paperback

This is a great little book and I recommend it to everyone, Catholic and protestant alike.

It is a very practical guide with some nice quotes from the Bible, Saints and the authors own advice. It is about, you guessed it, searching for and maintaining peace. It is fairly short, 100 pages, in fact it is more of a glorified pamphlet than a book but still a great read.

I'm finding that I am moving through it very slowly because I stop and think and pray and re-read so many parts of this book. I think I'll make this an annual thing to read it as it has very valuable advice in it.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece August 9, 2005

By Alain M. Sauret

Format:Paperback

This work is a gathering of practical suggestions and selected quotations organized in order to help the reader to find how to get peace and make it growing. It addresses all kind of situations everyone is involved in her/his busy life and could be a cause of struggling and loosing peace. In addition to offer excellent spiritual readings, it is a masterpiece of literacy for its own style and for the many quotations of selected authors it presents. It helps believers and non believers to reflect on their own beahavior and get confidence in what they are supposed to address right now. Besides, it helps to leave away the past (that does not subsist any more) and to be confident in the future (that does not exist yet) to address peacefully actual tasks. Somehow I would include it among the best wotk both of psychology and spirituality. I dare to suggest this reading to students and teachers, not the ones only in philosophy and theology, but even in methodology and science: I would suggest to read the book to know how to fix their heart before configurating their head with studies, method of work, business organization, speed reading and memorizing systemes. I know people who read it once and then continue to keep it to consult it again and again. every page is comforting, helpful, and give you peace.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A small Treatise on Peace of Heart July 22, 2007

By Ethel Ferrer

Format:Paperback

Great book. The book is well written. It is easy to understand and read. It will make you aware of the spiritual battle that we are all subjected to and how to maintain peace-- the real peace. This book is recommended if you already have a prayer life. A MUST book to read for ascetism.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Compact spiritual powerhouse that can change your life. December 14, 2009

By po18guy

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

A very quick read, Searching for and Maintaining Peace is one of those humble, unobtrusive books that can easily be overlooked. Fr. Philippe, in the space of just over 100 pages, provides a valuable, easily accessible key to restoring peace of spirit in those who love Christ. His consistent advice to abandon ourselves to the providence of a loving God is an idea so close to us that we simply overlook it. Our lives can be full of persons and situations which test our inner peace - health, family, coworkers, traffic, daily and recurring responsibilities all seem to conspire to upset us. A powerful and peaceful solution already lies within us, but calls upon us to examine the actual and sometimes uncomfortable source of this lack of peace. Fr. Philippe uses both scripture and the wisdom of the Saints to fortify his teachings. The principles which he teaches may be applied as quickly as they are read, making this a book which will have you pondering and re-reading its pages. Although the translation can be a bit laborious to read, the wisdom that comes forth from its pages can lead to an epiphany. This book reorients us to the need for, and the importance of, dwelling in the peace which Christ left us.