My Life with the Saints

My Life with the Saints by James Martin, SJ

James Martin, SJ, an editor at America magazine and a frequent commentator for the media, has written a “delightful,” (First Things) “Remarkably engaging” (U.S. Catholic) and “an outstanding and often hilarious memoir” (Publishers Weekly). Martin introduces us to 16 of his historical friends and explores their relevance for how we live the Christian life. Some of his friends include Pope John XXIII, Thomas Aquinas, Dorothy Day, the Ugandan Martyrs, and Thomas Merton.

I heard Martin address all those in attendance at the Religious Booksellers Trade Exhibit (May 29 – June 1, 2007.) His address is available as a podcast at www.loyolapress.org.

Comments

[Kate Convissor]

When I was a child I loved stories of the saints, but as I grew older, some of those saccharine, overwrought tales not only seemed farfetched, but they also distanced me from these otherworldly creatures. These people performed unnatural feats of endurance; they had supernatural experiences; they never seemed afraid or angry or selfish or lazy. Because these stories placed the saints on a such a superhuman level, they couldn't be examples for those of us who are all too human. Rather than examples, they become intimidating and offputting

What I love about Fr. Martin's book is that he brings a fresh perspective, an infectious enthusiasm, and his own very human, personal perspective to this book of his favorite saints.

Each chapter is a little story, not just of the saint, but of how he became acquainted with him or her. This can be comforting--when he admits to being befuddled by, say, Joan of Ark, whom I was fascinated by as a child, then confounded by as an adult.

I enjoyed his eyewitness account of his journey to Lourdes, and I was especially taken by his enthusiastic devotion to St Ignatius Loyola, the founder of his order (the Jesuits).

This memoir-like account brings these holy men and women to life with a maturity and perspective the old Butler's "Lives of the Saints" couldn't quite manage. They become inspiring in their humanity rather than unattainable in their sanctity.