Anima Christi: Soul of Christ

by Mother Mary Francis P.C.C.

These meditations on the famous prayer of St. Ignatius by a Poor Clare nun and well-regarded spiritual writer will help every reader deepen his prayer life and draw closer to the Person of Christ. Popes, saints, and common folk have made this their daily prayer for centuries. Let the Abbess of cloistered nuns help you reflect deeper on the profound thoughts of this prayer that are needed to shape a devout life in Christ. Beneath the surface verbal expressions of this familiar prayer lie depths of meaning for which each unfolding petition prepares the next until arrival at the final all-comprehensive plea that God should call us to Himself and admit us into the eternal choir singing His praises. The unending joyous cry of the blessed taught by the ageless cry of the angels: Holy! Holy! Holy! is rehearsed on earth in the haunting reaches of this so simple and so profound prayer: "Anima Christi".

Genres: Catholic, Spirituality, Prayer

135 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2001

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book of reflections on each line of the "Anima Christi" prayer has been sitting on my shelf for years and years. What a brilliant gem I've been missing! There is much here for me to reflect on and pray about. It has the potential to be a "life-changing" book if I allow it.

[booklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an opening up -- or a meditation -- on the beloved prayer Anima Christi. The book was a gift to my husband seven years ago when he went through RCIA; I started it then but got sidetracked when 9/11 happened. No excuse really; if anything that should have made me finish it, but it didn't, what can I say?! Anyway, somethings finished later are worth the wait. Need to do a blog post! Great book! Good for morning/evening meditation if you're looking for something to begin/end the day in quiet reflection.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very powerful book about the Anima Christi prayer. It challenges you to go deeper in you faith and commitment to the Lord. I want to re read it now to capture every nugget U might have missed.

[Emily Baugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Anima Christi has become one of my favorite prayers over the past year or so, and Mother Mary Francis brought so much more depth to this prayer for me with her reflections. A rich prayer on its own, it is now an even more valuable treasure to me. She is easily my favorite author for spiritual books. She consistently inspires me to holiness in her writings. She is so genuine and honest, yet simple and relatable. I never despair of being able to achieve the highest height of sanctity when reading her books, and the same is true of this one. I feel encouraged and strengthened to continue working toward sainthood.

I think one of the biggest takeaways was her reminder to really pay attention to the words we are saying when we pray prayers like the Anima Christi. Why do we pray particular prayers? It is certainly not just because they sound nice. Are we truly desiring our lives to imitate the virtues of the prayer? Are we willing to accept what it means to live out the prayer we have just offered? We must say yes to saying a particular prayer, but also say yes again in every moment to allow our lives to be shaped and changed by our prayer and ultimately God.

“Shamefacedly we must admit that we tire spiritually very, very easily. Unless we remember that the calls to obedience, to sacrifice, to penance are calls to come to him whom we love…If we could only remember that God is calling us by name in the unfolding circumstances of each day, we would assuredly reply: ‘Yes! Bid me come to you.’”

[Denisele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know how I spent 40 years as a Catholic without discovering the Anima Christi, but finding it during a recent silent retreat was a turning point for me. The line "Within Thy wounds, hide me" perfectly captured my experience, and I bought this book because I needed to dive deeper.

Mother Mary Francis breaks the prayer down chapter by chapter, one line at a time. I was pleasantly surprised that the writing wasn't "lofty" or over-complicated; it’s a very accessible read. However, don't let the ease of reading fool you—the convictions she presents are deeply challenging. She interpreted several lines in ways I hadn't considered, which gave the prayer even more life and depth.

If you have ever prayed the Anima Christi, I cannot recommend this book enough. It turns a beautiful prayer into a transformative meditation.

[Emily Strom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was somewhat familiar with the Anima Christi before reading this book, but now I have a much higher appreciation for the beauty and profundity of the prayer. Mother Mary Francis did a wonderful job unpacking the depth of each seemingly simple line of the prayer, showing how each line invites us to rely more on Christ and grow close to Him.

[Andrea Delatte · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Anima Christi has been one of my favorite prayers for quite some time now. The way Mother Mary Francis explains and teaches us about this beautiful prayer is theological, but easy to follow and understand.

[Fr Paul Gros · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELLENT meditation on the Anima Christi prayer. I recommend reading it two or three times to really grasp Mother’s insights from each line of the prayer. I brought this book into my own meditation!!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mother Mary Francis' reflections on the Anima Christi prayer are deeply theological and beautifully poetic. You will pray this prayer with a deepened understanding after reading this book.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you let it, this book will totally wreck (for the better) your spiritual life. A MUST read!!!!

[Fr. Dave Tomaszycki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely book that makes some profound points. It consists of a chapter on every line from the prayer “Anima Christi.”

[Madison Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was quite possibly the best spiritual book that I’ve ever read. Not only has it changed my perspective on the Anima Christi prayer, but it has also given me fresh insight on suffering, Christ’s passion, God’s will, and my created existence in the Father’s image.

Some thoughts: The soul is the animating principle of the body, and Christ promises to provide that soul with the means to go beyond its natural human capabilities in order to give of itself totally. All I must do is come to Him. The call of every Christian life is to come to Jesus, no matter the vocation. My taking refuge, my hiding, in His wounds brings Him comfort just as much as He brings comfort to me. When we proclaim the “fiats” (being set on a mission, let it be) of our lives, we are called to renew them every single day through “amens” (let it continue to be, despite the circumstances); my coming into existence was a “fiat” of the Father, and His sustaining of me is His daily “amen” over my life.

Currently in a season of lots of uncertainty and transition, and I’m sometimes not sure how to bring it all to Jesus in prayer. Mother Mary Francis reflecting on the line, “O good Jesus, hear me” says: What we really ask Him to do is to listen to what we dare not articulate, what maybe we ourselves do not even understand at this point in our lives. Our aching intent is to say, “You are good Jesus. When you hear, you listen.”

I’m considering buying this in bulk and giving it to all my friends because it’s just that good. 5/5 stars, would give it 6 if I could.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book!

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful, beautiful and terrific- just like the prayer itself.

[Jim Janknegt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent meditations on the Anima Christi prayer. Very profound! Highly recommend.