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The Sanctifier: The Classic Work on the Holy Spirit
In one of the most fascinating books on the Holy Spirit ever written, Archbishop Martinez reveals to readers the secret of holiness, guiding us step-by-step to understand the gentle ways the Spirit acts in our lives, guiding us to the Father and Son--especially through the virtues of faith, hope, and charity. He then explores the seven gifts, which make us attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit; the consoling fruits of the Spirit; and the Beatitudes, the summit of the Christian life.
368 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1981
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281 people want to read
About the author
Luis M. Martínez
35 books19 followersLuis María Martínez y Rodríguez was the Catholic archbishop of Mexico and a member of the Academia Mexicana de la Lengua ("Mexican Language Academy").
He was born in Molinos de Caballeros, Epitacio Huerta, Michoacán. A philosopher of the scholastic tradition, his focus on the ultimate nature of things led him to theology. He was also a writer of spiritual poetry.
While his traditional values provoked his criticisms of some aspects of Mexico's modernization, he always retained a special relationship with the people. He presided over the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the coronation of Our Lady of Guadalupe, declaring, "I am Zumárraga" in order to draw Mexicans who has "wandered" back to the church. He joined the Academy in 1953, and many of his sermons were translated into French, Italian, and German.
He died on February 9, 1956 in Mexico City.
He was born in Molinos de Caballeros, Epitacio Huerta, Michoacán. A philosopher of the scholastic tradition, his focus on the ultimate nature of things led him to theology. He was also a writer of spiritual poetry.
While his traditional values provoked his criticisms of some aspects of Mexico's modernization, he always retained a special relationship with the people. He presided over the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the coronation of Our Lady of Guadalupe, declaring, "I am Zumárraga" in order to draw Mexicans who has "wandered" back to the church. He joined the Academy in 1953, and many of his sermons were translated into French, Italian, and German.
He died on February 9, 1956 in Mexico City.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 4, 2017
‘The gifts of the Holy Spirit have been forgotten, like the Spirit himself. Many desiring to be “practical and solid” think too much about the work of man and little, much too little, about the work of God.’ p.46
Those of us who are old enough may remember learning the Gifts of the Holy Spirit by heart: Fear of the Lord, Fortitude, Piety, Counsel, Knowledge, Understanding and Wisdom. Is 11:1-2
If you are like me you learned this list as a child/young person without—sadly—giving them much further thought. Although the prophet was speaking about the Messiah, the early Church Fathers recognized that true followers of Christ must also possess His gifts.
The Sanctifier literally explodes the meaning of these gifts, their many varied connections, vast potential, indeed our utter dependence on them for holiness in God. It is the role of the Holy Spirit to make us like Himself, holy.
It has been awhile since I have read a book on spirituality which has taught me SO much, which is why it took me so long to finish such a relatively easy book; I kept going back and rereading sections. Usually the case is I can skim read texts like this because of so much familiar material. While there was certainly that here too, Archbishop Martinez presented our growth in sanctity in a way I had not considered before, as primarily under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Now maybe you are already used to working always in loving union with the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, but I will admit, my primary relationship is with Jesus. So this book has been literally a Godsend to help me open myself more and more to loving relationship with the Spirit. Still have a long way to go, which is why I plan to keep this book very close.
Some titles for the Holy Spirit I relished: Our Delightful Guest, Master of our Soul, God’s Love Within, Our Supreme Director, the First Gift of God, Strength of the Most High, Soul of our Soul, and Life of our Life.
The book is in four parts:
1.) True Devotion to the Holy Spirit
2.) The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
3.) The Fruit of the Holy Spirit and
4.) The Beatitudes.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
July 24, 2017: As our pastor said the Holy Spirit is the least known and understood Person of the Blessed Trinity. And yet as I am reading Archbishop Martínez work, I long to know this Person Who, by virtue of my Baptism and Confirmation, I already possess within myself ever better and better. I want to discover His hidden depths, explore and develop His Gifts, understand and respond to His voice... So far I am through the first two parts: True Devotion to the Holy Spirit and The Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Carrying this book to Adoration most weeks and then recently to St. Louis, it has gotten misplaced (temporarily) several times. So a week or so passes where I do not read anything in it. Then when I find it again, and feel the need to reread sections. A very good book to chew on. It almost feels as if the Holy Spirit is not letting me read this quickly...
June 1, 2017: I read his Worshipping a Hidden God and know what an excellent writer he is, not so much because of style but due to sanctity. Then I was told this is still the seminal work on the Holy Spirit, though it has been around for years.
Those of us who are old enough may remember learning the Gifts of the Holy Spirit by heart: Fear of the Lord, Fortitude, Piety, Counsel, Knowledge, Understanding and Wisdom. Is 11:1-2
If you are like me you learned this list as a child/young person without—sadly—giving them much further thought. Although the prophet was speaking about the Messiah, the early Church Fathers recognized that true followers of Christ must also possess His gifts.
The Sanctifier literally explodes the meaning of these gifts, their many varied connections, vast potential, indeed our utter dependence on them for holiness in God. It is the role of the Holy Spirit to make us like Himself, holy.
It has been awhile since I have read a book on spirituality which has taught me SO much, which is why it took me so long to finish such a relatively easy book; I kept going back and rereading sections. Usually the case is I can skim read texts like this because of so much familiar material. While there was certainly that here too, Archbishop Martinez presented our growth in sanctity in a way I had not considered before, as primarily under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Now maybe you are already used to working always in loving union with the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, but I will admit, my primary relationship is with Jesus. So this book has been literally a Godsend to help me open myself more and more to loving relationship with the Spirit. Still have a long way to go, which is why I plan to keep this book very close.
Some titles for the Holy Spirit I relished: Our Delightful Guest, Master of our Soul, God’s Love Within, Our Supreme Director, the First Gift of God, Strength of the Most High, Soul of our Soul, and Life of our Life.
The book is in four parts:
1.) True Devotion to the Holy Spirit
2.) The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
3.) The Fruit of the Holy Spirit and
4.) The Beatitudes.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
July 24, 2017: As our pastor said the Holy Spirit is the least known and understood Person of the Blessed Trinity. And yet as I am reading Archbishop Martínez work, I long to know this Person Who, by virtue of my Baptism and Confirmation, I already possess within myself ever better and better. I want to discover His hidden depths, explore and develop His Gifts, understand and respond to His voice... So far I am through the first two parts: True Devotion to the Holy Spirit and The Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Carrying this book to Adoration most weeks and then recently to St. Louis, it has gotten misplaced (temporarily) several times. So a week or so passes where I do not read anything in it. Then when I find it again, and feel the need to reread sections. A very good book to chew on. It almost feels as if the Holy Spirit is not letting me read this quickly...
June 1, 2017: I read his Worshipping a Hidden God and know what an excellent writer he is, not so much because of style but due to sanctity. Then I was told this is still the seminal work on the Holy Spirit, though it has been around for years.
August 2, 2011
I bought this book at a public library book sale for a quarter...this book is worth its weight in gold...serious spiritual reading...
May 15, 2013
Twice I have read this volume. It is profoundly Christian and ineluctably Catholic. It has the clean tone of Catholic theology pre-Vatican II, before the obsessive defensiveness of modern fundamentalism. It is the voice of an ancient religion that knew its name.
August 3, 2020
I could write a whole load of why this book was such a struggle for me to read. First I'll say I got this as a gift from a friend and I greatly appreciate it! Also that the topic of the book is a great one and there is a lot of goodness in it.
My mind just resisted this book the whole way through. I tried to read this like a normal book, 350 pages should take a few days. But I couldn't I had to switch to a chapter a day or else I'd just be too frustrated. My first red flag was the first chapter or so talking about the beauty of dogma (which has a very negative connotation in my mind). From there the book becomes repetitive. Theres very awkward word choices. The author references different individuals in about a dozen different ways to the point where I lose track of whom he is talking about. There were a lot of times where my eyes just seemed to glaze over and not take anything more in. I wanted to love this book but I just couldn't.
My mind just resisted this book the whole way through. I tried to read this like a normal book, 350 pages should take a few days. But I couldn't I had to switch to a chapter a day or else I'd just be too frustrated. My first red flag was the first chapter or so talking about the beauty of dogma (which has a very negative connotation in my mind). From there the book becomes repetitive. Theres very awkward word choices. The author references different individuals in about a dozen different ways to the point where I lose track of whom he is talking about. There were a lot of times where my eyes just seemed to glaze over and not take anything more in. I wanted to love this book but I just couldn't.
March 23, 2020
What an amazing book! I'll be going back to this text for years as a sustaining source of spiritual nourishment!
May 8, 2018
Finished today, finally! I was reading way too many books at a time, therefore I didn't read this book so fast, but I am glad that today I took the time to read it all. I found it most wonderful. Only need to think a bit more about those last chapters.
My full review is here: http://www.consideringlilies.nl/the-s...
My full review is here: http://www.consideringlilies.nl/the-s...
December 3, 2023
Fall in love with our God and learn about Love. It will change your life.
May 22, 2019
I am not Roman Catholic, but I was highly edified by reading this work. It is beautifully written/translated, with many memorable illustrations of the Sanctifier's work in our lives. It offers good guidance on the centrality of love in His leading and our following.
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June 25, 2021Deservedly called “the classic work on the Holy Spirit,” this book provides a roadmap for the spiritual life, illustrating how the Holy Spirit works to form Christ anew in the life of every Christian, beginning at baptism with the infused virtues and gifts (each of which are treated in detail), then the fruits of those gifts, and finally ending with the beatitudes, the crowning glories of the life of Christ and the fullness of Christian maturity.
I particularly appreciated the explanation early in the book of the role of Mary, Spouse of the Spirit, in forming Christ in us: “[Jesus] is always the fruit of heaven and earth. Two artisans must concur in the work that is at once God’s masterpiece and humanity’s supreme product: the Holy Spirit and the most holy Virgin Mary. Two sanctifiers are necessary to souls, the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, for they are the only ones who can reproduce Christ” (6). This Mariological teaching, so important and sadly neglected in our day, is a recurring minor theme throughout the work.
Archbishop Martinez writes with the clarity and precision of a theologian well-trained in the Thomistic tradition, but in the splendid language of a mystic who has experienced himself the great gifts about which he writes. Reading him reminded me of reading John of the Cross, whom he quotes often, along with Saints Teresa of Jesus and Francis of Assisi. I recommend it unreservedly to all who wish to better understand the role of the Holy Spirit in making us saints!
I particularly appreciated the explanation early in the book of the role of Mary, Spouse of the Spirit, in forming Christ in us: “[Jesus] is always the fruit of heaven and earth. Two artisans must concur in the work that is at once God’s masterpiece and humanity’s supreme product: the Holy Spirit and the most holy Virgin Mary. Two sanctifiers are necessary to souls, the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, for they are the only ones who can reproduce Christ” (6). This Mariological teaching, so important and sadly neglected in our day, is a recurring minor theme throughout the work.
Archbishop Martinez writes with the clarity and precision of a theologian well-trained in the Thomistic tradition, but in the splendid language of a mystic who has experienced himself the great gifts about which he writes. Reading him reminded me of reading John of the Cross, whom he quotes often, along with Saints Teresa of Jesus and Francis of Assisi. I recommend it unreservedly to all who wish to better understand the role of the Holy Spirit in making us saints!
August 6, 2023
Though I am not Catholic, I am a Liturgical, Trinitarian Christian (Orthodox.) I do listen to the Daughters of St. Paul Podcast, and therefore picked up this book as it is the basis for this current season. I do admit that a lot of time I feel like the Holy Spirit is the other one, the third part of the trinity that is more difficult to define. This book helped with that definition and really brought out how the fruits of the Holy Spirit and the Beatitudes encapsulate our relationship with Him.
(on a side note, as it was written pre-Vatican II, there were times when the Archbishop describes something that, in the footnotes, are mentioned as no longer being part of the Liturgy or Catholic tradition, but usually, they are the things that were most Orthodox. I'd be curious for my friends who are Roman Catholic, do you use the Trisagion Prayer in the Liturgy?)
(on a side note, as it was written pre-Vatican II, there were times when the Archbishop describes something that, in the footnotes, are mentioned as no longer being part of the Liturgy or Catholic tradition, but usually, they are the things that were most Orthodox. I'd be curious for my friends who are Roman Catholic, do you use the Trisagion Prayer in the Liturgy?)
August 15, 2019
One of the best spiritual reads I have ever completed. I will read and recommend this many many many more times. Essential reading for all Catholics.
March 30, 2020
This book apparently has a five-star rating from other readers. I must have missed something.
March 31, 2022
Such a great book. A comprehensive guide describing the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the Beatitudes as a way to union with God.
October 6, 2025
Really the best book I’ve read recently. I feel so rich. It did take almost a year to read but it’s bc I just had to soak it in slowly, rereading frequently. Highly recommend!
March 10, 2017
A Book Club selection, I found this book, a theological treaty explaining the identity, role and gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as, the Beatitudes a slow, and laborious read. There were points of interest throughout the text; I will most likely return to this book at another time to re read sections of this book; must be processed slowly and carefully. Not a "light" read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews