Customer Reviews

Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence

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This book fairly lept at me from the shelf. I wasn't particularly looking for it, but I found it nonetheless. For a former Ayn Rand afficianado & neo-Objectivist, the very title ought to have been anathema. However, it was a greater sense of peace that I was after, and to some extent, this book is helpful at understanding one's true relation to God, particularly in terms of recognizing and submitting to His will.

I had previously attempted Kempis' "The Imitation Of Christ", and found that it was difficult to disassociate from the intended audience of that book (cloistered religious). I'll try to review it in the near future. In any case, my experience with Thomas a Kempis made me a little gun-shy with regard to spiritual primers intended for religious communities. One of the challenges of "Self-abandonment" is the extent of its direct communication between the author (as spiritual director) and the nuns with whom he communicates. Nevertheless, the more generalized introductory sections overcome this difficulty.

I happened to be in the midst of "Self-abandonment" at the time of my grandmother's death. I must say that in retrospect I could not have found a better companion for those days. de Caussade does an excellent job at communicating the spiritual benefits of acceptance, duty, and forgiveness. It ought to be the goal of every Christian to make each day, and each moment of each day a paean to the Lord - seeing His will in all things - even small things and most particularly in painful things is a crucial step toward living a truly Christian life.

Finally, I don't know whether to call this book "life changing," as I believe that one must already be at a certain level of acceptance prior to realizing benefits from the approach that de Caussade recommends. Nonetheless, it is a useful and helpful aid to the continuing trauma of living in the world but not of the world.

God's omnipresence is taken for granted by all Christians. But it is so easy to assume this applies merely to the physical and material world. If He is omnipresent in a physical sense, then He must also be present in every circumstance we experience our lives, no matter how small. Thus, we can experience God just by yielding to what life brings. DeCaussade, in this beautiful book (I am in my third reading), has introduced me to this "new" way of experiencing God: I now "see" Him everywhere. This view of God brings great comfort and assurance. I find myself struggling less with life, accepting things that I would once have found distasteful, and discovering many new blessings from God. If you long for a more settled life you will gain much from this book.

Absolutely fantastic book, life-changing, second to "The Imitation of Christ", this book is really worth reading. Makes you realize that everything that happens is ordained of God and teaches you to be content with what God brings into your life.

This is an amazing 18th century classic divided into 2 parts and giving the method espoused by de Caussade for attaining great holiness. Written for all no matter how advanced spiritually. The author believes that God hides behind the simplest of daily activities and can be found through total surrender to whatever His will is for the individual. Therefore, self-abandonment is the key to spiritual development An outstanding spiritual tool, revealing new insights with each reading. A must for any serious Catholic. 230pp. PB. Imprimatur.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough! The author lived long ago and yet his Christ-centered words ring out beautifully for us modern mortals. I was so moved by his humble approach to God and his deep love and surrender to Christ. A profoundly spiritual and moving experience awaits the reader of this book!

This book is a short read, but extremely profound. The author conveys the need for self-abandonment; that is, giving up all that we are, all that we have, our thoughts, goals, ambitions, desires, concerns etc. all to God. He shows how in so many aspects of our lives we hold back and tend to do things our way, and how in many situations we would do things differently. Yet the following quote from the first Chapter is one of the most beautiful statements I have ever read:

"Speculation must be laid aside, and everything arranged by God as regards actions and sufferings must be accepted with simplicity, for those things that happen at each moment by the divine command or permission are always the most holy, the best and the most divine for us."

Every situation we are in is what is most holy for us. Meditating on that is incredible. That means no matter ho awful a current situation is or how annoyed we are, that that is PRECISELY where God wants us and how he plans to make us grow in holiness. Thus we must accept with praise and gratitude on our lips all situations in which we find ourselves because, as is mentioned many times, everything happens under God's providence. NOTHING happens that God does not permit to happen and unfold according to his perfect plan. Do we have a better plan than God? Can we make ourselves more holy apart from God's wisdom? Absolutely not! This book is all about trusting in that wisdom, in all walks of life, at all times, so that at all moments we do everything with the praise and glory of God in mind as an ends. "To what end?" that must constantly be on our minds when engaging in any activity. If the answer is anything but God's glory, the activity is not worthy of us. This is the very heart of this wonderful book. Highly recommended.

A life-changing, amazing book that I read over and over. My copy is underlined and dog-eared. De Caussade has a mystical understanding of God that is thoroughly modern, yet timeless. I am not Catholic, nor do I attend a church . . . this book is food for the soul.

Many of the reviews praise the glories of the subject of self-abandonment to divine providence and the importance of it. While denying neither aspect of this part of the greatness of the book, I argue that the style and grace and rich experience and generous nature of the author is the true attraction of the book.

Almost immediately upon reading his prose, one recognizes the wise and compassionate voice of an experienced and holy spiritual director. Yet, as one reads and re-reads his advice, one becomes more and more impressed with the surgical precision, empathy, and good humor and irony of someone with broad and deep and profound experience of life and of the states of the human soul, yet who never allows himself to become maudlin or overly sentimental or cynical. Thus, though the topic is handled well, the true strength of the book is the wisdom and maturity and holiness and piercing yet gentle intellect and judgment of the author. Reading his prose is like enjoying a fine wine - it is tart at first and then savory and quite pleasurable and even addictive after only a bit of enjoyment.

I've wanted to read this book for years just because I like the title. And it lives up to it! This version is in older English, which I love. The text is so rich with wisdom that it must be taken a little at a time.

Fr. Caussade describes how God's will for us is perfect, and how all that is necessary to sanctity is to accept what He gives us. As he says, "Do you expect to find peace by struggling against the Almighty?" Every action can be sanctifying, every moment lead us towards heaven. As he says, what is the difference between a soul on the path to hell and one on the path to heaven? They both have the same duties in life. But one accepts them well and offers them to God, while the other grumbles against her state in life.

I couldn't possibly do this book justice in this review. Suffice it to say that it's highly recommended.

I agree totally with what previous reviewers have said about this book. De Caussade's message is truly profound and life-changing. However a much clearer and simpler exposition of substantially the same message is contained in "The Gift of Oneself" by Fr. Joseph Schryvers - also available on Amazon.