How to Be Holy: First Steps in Becoming a Saint

by Peter Kreeft

"Life, in the end, has only one not to have been a saint."– Léon Bloy

The ever-popular and prolific Peter Kreeft says that the most important question he has written about is how one becomes holy; or to put it another way, how one becomes a saint. This question is central to all the great religions, Kreeft demonstrates, for striving toward holiness, moving toward perfect love, is the whole purpose of life.

Kreeft admits that he is only a beginner on the climb to holiness, and it is to novices like him that he has written this engaging and encouraging book. Using the insights and experiences of saints and great spiritual writers throughout history, Kreeft shows what holiness is and how it can be achieved. He especially draws upon the spiritual classic Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade, S.J. The core of Caussade's timeless gem is that God reveals himself to all of us through the daily events of our lives. The surest way toward spiritual growth, therefore, is by perceiving and accepting the merciful will of God in every situation.

Kreeft stresses the simplicity of his approach to holiness, which focuses mainly on the virtue of love. Sanctity is love, he asserts, and only that can give us what we all long for—deep and lasting joy.

Genres: Catholic, Religion, Faith, Spirituality, Christian, Theology, Nonfiction

154 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 6, 2016

About the author

Peter Kreeft is an American philosopher and prolific author of over eighty books on Christian theology, philosophy, and apologetics. A convert from Protestantism to Catholicism, his journey was shaped by his study of Church history, Gothic architecture, and Thomistic thought. He earned his BA from Calvin College, an MA and PhD from Fordham University, and pursued further studies at Yale. Since 1965, he has taught philosophy at Boston College and also at The King’s College. Kreeft is known for formulating “Twenty Arguments for the Existence of God” with Ronald K. Tacelli, featured in their Handbook of Christian Apologetics. A strong advocate for unity among Christians, he emphasizes shared belief in Christ over denominational differences.

Reviews

[Zy Marquiez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Kreeft writes about various subjects, mostly leaning towards Philosophy and Religion, but also has monumental book on logic called Socratic Logic, that everyone should read, or at least ponder reading, for everyone would benefit immensely from it.

In full disclosure, have only read myself a handful of philosophy books by Kreeft, as well as the logic book noted above; had not delved into any of Kreef’s religious/spiritual pieces, so this was an intriguing transition in many ways. As someone who is no longer religious by mainstream standards, but does strive for a spiritual life nonetheless, this was an intriguing foray into something divergent for me.

Why read a book that’s based around Religion, if am not practicing it? Excellent question.

For starters, Peter Kreeft has earned my respect in many ways. Kreeft has always been sensible, logical, clear, concise, and loves to keep things simple. Another notable point is that, although he often quotes from the Bible and other religious sources in his books, he’s never dogmatic about it; definitely can appreciate this, because many times people push religion in such a way that it becomes a major issue. Also, how else are individuals to understand what religion – or components of it – might mean to others, if they don’t study it themselves at some point, even at a cursory glance?

The other major element was that, if my suspicion was correct, the book would be about how to live a better life – a high quality life in a spiritual sense. This made reading the book a no-brainer per se.

Given all those reasons, and more, How To Be Holy seemed like a natural shift for myself that would venture into a different subject area that’s always been intriguing, but usually comes with laden in dogma.

In his usual way, Kreeft sets out up the mountain of meaning in search everything it takes to reach the highest peak of holiness, that of attaining sainthood. Kreeft employs insights drawn from many of the best examples available in scripture, from saints, and from philosophers in order to show not only what being holy is about, but also how to go about living in such a pious manner.

Kreeft, ever the open minded individual, even draws from Buddhism, Islam and such, not only to bolster his premise, but to show the commonalities that these ideologies might have with western ones. This is refreshing because, again, as one of my reasons mentioned earlier, how are individuals to understand what people from other faiths learn, go through, or are pondering if one is ignorant to their writings and their ideas?

This particular book offers many pearls of wisdom, and regardless of your faith, or whether you follow religion or not, this information is worth ruminating upon at length.

How much an individual gets from it will obviously be up to them, but at least Peter Kreeft has shown individuals a path that may be taken if individuals so choose, in seeking a more meaningful life, a more spiritual life, a more devoted life.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be a deep and profound work. It took me a while to get into it. I found the writing to be a bit abstract. Took me a bit to figure out what Kreeft's point in each of the chapters were. Some chapters were harder to understand than others. But all in all, I found that persevering to finish reading the entire book was well worth the effort. There were definitely nuggets of wisdom in "How To Be Holy". An abundant simply of wisdom nuggets. What I liked about how this book was set up was that each chapter was stand alone. And short, just a couple of pages each chapter. So I read a chapter and prayed about it. Then I would pick it up later, read another chapter, pray about it, and put the book down for a while. Repeat. It's a keeper, I will need to read this a bunch of times to fully grasp it's depth.

[Jeannie Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book based on the classic work by Jean Pierre de Caussade, Abandonment to Divine Providence. The author, Peter Kreeft, is a professor of Philosophy at Boston College. This is a book to be read slowly in order to digest all the wisdom contained therein. This is truly one of THE BEST books I've ever read on the Christian spiritual life. Highly recommended!

[Emily Strom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gave me a lot of spiritual food for thought regarding basic tenets of the faith. Kreeft's direct, conversational tone tinged with humor might not be for everyone - he seemed to be using this tone to show that he's just a normal person reminding us that everyone is called to sainthood. He said from the beginning that this book is meant from anyone of any spiritual background who wants to be holy, so he would include the occasional reference to Islam or Buddhism; to me, that seemed like a well-intentioned idea, but I doubt many non-Catholics will be seriously reading it (but maybe I'm wrong).

Made me want to read the original book that inspired it: De Caussade's Abandonment to Divine Providence.

[Jonathan Friess]

Full of good theological ideas and interesting (catholic) views... it's not transforming but inspiring non the less.

[Jordan Southerland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfectly witty and simple.

[Jodi Patel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent review or commentary on Abandonment to Divine Providence.

The appendix on metaphysics is one of the best explanations I have ever read for WHY Christianity teaches what it does.

[John Rey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never thought that I could get a lot from this short book! When I read De Caussade, I have not gained a lot of reflections as the ones Dr Kreeft presented in this book. Perhaps because the language of De Caussade has not been easy for me to internalise. So if you’re like me having a hard time understanding him, welcome to the club and read this book!

This was a challenging read because it made me look at my life and how I have yet to live up to abandoning myself to God. But there are a lot of consolations in here as well because God knows our weaknesses and He knows how to get us, as St. Therese of the Child Jesus would say. God is so merciful that He will reach down to the deepest crevices we have found ourselves in and can bring us to the heights of holiness. But the key is to trust Him. And love Him.

This book starts with a reflection on Romans 8:28, which says all things work for the good of those who love God. According to St Therese, His mercy reaches down to the lowest of places and can raise us to the heights of holiness but we have to trust. But Romans 8:28 says we have to love God. So, should we trust Him or love Him? I’d say both because He is Love and Mercy itself. His love is a merciful love, and the way we let Him love us, is to trust Him. And in return when we trust Him, we love Him with the merciful love we have received because of our lowliness.

That even in our lowest points and most wretched condition, we still can trust this merciful love of His and so abandon ourselves to it. We can then abandon ourselves to God who is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving.

Dr. Kreeft also had a good discussion on suffering. That may be the strongest case against religion and belief in God that atheists can throw at believers. But, even the greatest sufferings a man can endure can still work for the good of that person and even for others. Just look at the Cross and how God redeemed even the death of His Son for the life of the world. So even in suffering, even the ones that life has thrown at us that we do not necessarily grasp can still work for the good of all those who love (and trust) God. By abandoning ourselves completely and fully, by even accepting suffering, we, as De Caussade would say, can be holy.

Lastly, I like the dialogue at the end part of the book. This is one great way Dr. Kreeft presents ideas so the reader can identify with the ideas written in this book and even make it more relatable. Overall, this is highly recommended even though it made me uncomfortable reading it, not because of some anomaly but because of the truth written here and how far along I seem to be from aligning myself with it. The road may be long for us, but with His merciful love, we will get to be with Him.

[Teri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Taken a chapter at a time, maybe one day at a time, this book is thought-provoking and encouraging. When I read more than a chapter in one sitting, it was too much to take in at a time. The chapters deserve some mulling over.

I've read other books by Kreeft, loved them, and had just heard him speak at our parish when I picked up this book. There were many parts I learned from.

I can get over the admonition to get off my "fat butt"-- how'd he know it's fat? I wish he wouldn't have said that. And I wish he hadn't explained Brother Lawrence's dislike of kitchen cleanup work by saying "he was a guy!" It was little things like this that put me off in the midst of otherwise thoughtful reading.

[Keith Little · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, concise, and impactful. Not a single word wasted and well worth the read. Kreeft is a kind of modern day philosopher in the vein of Lewis and Chesterton — and that is saying a lot.

[Kent Harker · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are called to be saints

Fresh, conversational style - a lot of depth without being pretentious. Kreeft explains that Saints started out just like us and made a choice.

[Justin Glover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!!!

A concise read that is profound in the simple truth it speaks. Everyone should read this book, especially those pursuing the path of holiness.

[Bryon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book title: How to be Holy: First Steps in Becoming a Saint

Author: Peter Kreeft

San Francisco, Ignatius Press, 2016

Number of pages: 170

Real People Being Holy in the Real World

From the way the title reads, you’d think someone has descended from a mountain top, some wise and holy guru, to condescend to tell us lowland commoners how to live to be like him and/or Mother Theresa.

But that isn’t the case according to author Peter Kreeft: “This book is not a great chef serving up a gourmet dinner; it is one desperately poor bum telling another where there’s free food.”

I love this quote. It definitely sets the tone for the book. Kreeft writes about the relationship between God and flawed man without sounding religious or beating up the reader (me/you) with guilt. I read this felt I could actually be holy. Holy is in reach.

Kreeft didn’t come holiness from the familiar, Calvinistic angle where you just need to believe all the right stuff. In so many books I read in my camp of evangelicals, they peddle a theology of holiness that believing all the correct dogma and creeds rather than doing good deeds. That, of course, makes me argumentative and leaves me feeling frustrated which isn’t a very holy feeling. I always walk away wondering how rock star preachers portray themselves as heroically holier than everybody else making people feel like “if only I was like him… but I’m not… oh well, I guess I’ll never measure up.” Their brand of holiness is somehow wrapped up in the size of their platform and giant warehouse church. You just know that you, a commoner, alas, will never be like them.

Maybe that’s a good thing.

But here’s what Kreeft is saying: holiness for the common man. That’s the topic this book explores. If you want it, you can have. Because you want it, it’s attainable with God’s help. God wants to help and will help as often as you reach for help. Every saint that’s attained sainthood started where you and I are right now in this moment when you’re reading this.

Kreeft covers the topic by asking this overarching question: “Which is more important, justification or sanctification (in terms of Christian theology)? Being saved or being saintly?”

Here’s one of the conclusions he comes to (I love this paragraph):

“Faith, which justifies us, is like a root. Hope, which expands us, is like a shoot. Love, which perfects us, is like a shoot. Which of these three equally necessary parts of the growing plant of our spiritual life is more important? Read 1 Corinthians 13 for the answer. The whole point of the root and the shoot is the fruit. The rest of the plant is for the fruit. The fruit is not an afterthought, an extra, an accident. Sanctification is to justification what babies are to sex.”

Life isn’t to be lived just so we get to go to heaven. Life is to be lived to do stuff for God the way Jesus did. The Holy Spirit stands ready to help us do this. We just need to get in on it. Get in line. Step up to the plate and be willing to take a swing.

The book is broken into short chapters designed to give you something to think about as you’re getting your day going. There’s a chapter called “God as your Guru.” That’s because nobody ever became holy on his own, you need a coach. Why not God?

There are a bunch of chapters with one word titles: Methods; Unselfconsciousness; Peace; Failures; Suffering; Grace; Detachment; Creation; Gratitude.

Some of the other chapters are as descriptive but have a few more words in their titles. Love and Sex; The Future; Little Things; Spiritual Warfare; Holiness is Easy. Not in this order. But you can see by this list that this is a book you want to read because you need to get some of these things up and running.

Oh, no? Is that because I didn’t mention this title: “Objection: I can’t be a Saint”? This chapter will also help: ‘When to find God: “The Sacrament of the of the Present Moment”. This was probably the most practical and thought provoking chapter I read. I didn’t list them in order because you really don’t have to read the chapters in order for this to work. Don’t tell Kreeft I said that. But once you spend the money on the book, it’s yours. Go crazy.

[chelo aresgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very practical

Not everything in life is pleasant, and not everything in life is painful, but everything in life is providential. When we abandon ourselves to divine providence, we do not abandon ourselves only to its pleasures or only to its pains but to both. He says “Be!” to everything that is, from the light of the Big Bang to the spin of each atom, from the fall of Rome to the fall of each sparrow and the fall of each hair from our head, from the torture and crucifixion of His beloved Son to the fall and failure of our little plans and desires. And we should say “Be!” to it, too, if we want to live in reality—if reality is defined by the omniscient and omnipotent and omnibenevolent God rather than by foolish and weak and selfish us.

[David Rickert · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first experience with Peter Kreeft. I liked a lot of it, even though most of it didn't stick with me. I appreciated Kreeft's deft blend of philosophy, metaphor, and dry wit to explain what is a pretty simple concept: all things work for good in the end if you try to be the best person you can be. Some of his attitudes were a little old-fashioned and I didn't like it as well as "Abandonment to Divine Providence" on which this book was based. But I'm sure I'll read more Kreeft down the road.

[Daniela Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful book helped me reflect on my own suffering, pride, and desire for holiness. I never understood the fact that anyone could become a saint since I felt that I had to be almost perfect, but now I realize that I can become a saint if I simply follow God’s will. I know, it’s not that simple! My journey to holiness is probably going to be my hardest one ever but my desire for reaching heaven is stronger. After reading this book, it has become easier for me to be patient with my process and to trust God more because he has a special plan for me.

[Pete Kieffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT BOOK

I don't think I can do justice to a review of this book until I have read it two or three more times. The present moment, the Now, is the topic and Kreeft has done a wonderful job explaining how much there is to the moment. This book changed the way I look at the world and my life. I highly recommend it.

[Angelia Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the knowledge here i was already aware of as a catholic myself. However, this book added punch here and there.

I agree 100% on the pride is the heaviest sin as i am struggling with it myself. And he did provide good info, to not have an opinion of one self. If we think highly of ourselves, were snobby. If we think lowly, that’s also not good. Seeing the facts were nice.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Kreeft never disappoints.

I would characterize this as a simplified presentation of de Caussade's Abandonment to Divine Providence interpreted for modern readers. I can easily see myself rereading this book.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Kreeft is awesome in this very readable book on Holiness. He is a brilliant philosopher, so I particularly like how he brings it down to a level of understanding for me. It inspires and informs!

[Gil Michelini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exactly what I needed to read right now, thank You Lord.

I suggest a chapter a day with paper and pen nearby. Kreeft gives you plenty to think about as you make the decision if you want to become a saint or if you want to spend forever in Hell.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book describes the process we need to exercise in order to be holy and achieve our eternal reward. Building upon de Caussade’s Abandonment to Divinne Providence, it offers a useful framework on working everyday to achieve holiness.

[Tess Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this while on a private retreat with Abandonment to Divine Providence. It was great to read the two books together. Kreeft summarizes the spiritual life with simplicity and wit, while drawing the heart closer to the Lord.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to DeCaussade's "Abandonment to Divine Providence"

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love anything from Peter Kreeft and this is not exception!

[casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of this book I really liked. There were some parts that kind of got a little wordy but I’m still glad I read it.

[Gregory Sheffield · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, Peter Kreeft delivers a compelling, accessible and satisfactory treatment of whatever his mind touches. A masterpiece of a Masterpiece!

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well worth the read. Now to go back and read more slowly.

Kreeft is always good. He seems so simple yet there’s a lot of depth that I need to ponder.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times a difficult read, but nonetheless s good Christian guide for how to be holy.

[Yasminespills · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry but I just can’t when I read that one of the chapter title is “God is your Guru”