Llamados a la Vida

by Jacques Philippe

La vida humana es una maravillosa aventura. A pesar de las dificultades y los sufrimientos que inevitablemente se encuentran, siempre nos ofrece la posibilidad de crecer en madurez, en amor y libertad. Para hacer esa experiencia, necesitamos estar disponibles a los llamados que Dios nos hace a lo largo de la vida y dejarnos llevar por ellos. A través de los encuentros, los acontecimientos felices o difíciles, los deseos que surgen en nuestro corazón, el eco que suscita en nosotros la Sagrada Escritura, nuestro Padre del Cielo nunca deja de invitarnos - de una manera discreta y misteriosa, pero real -, a salir de nuestros encierros, a elegir la vida, a desplegar todas nuestras capacidades de creer, esperar y de amar, para llegar así a ser plenamente hombres o mujeres. Este libro nos ayuda a escuchar y acoger esas múltiples llamadas, para dar a nuestra vida esa intensidad y esa fecundidad a la que todos aspiramos.

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

170 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Jacques Philippe was born into a Christian family on March 12, 1947 in Lorraine, France. After studying mathematics in college, he spent several years teaching and doing scientific research. In 1976, he met the then recently-founded Community of the Beatitudes and answered the Lord’s call to follow Him through this vocation (see below for more information on the Community of the Beatitudes). He then spent several years in Jerusalem and Nazareth immersing himself in the study of Hebrew and the Jewish roots of Christianity. In 1981, he traveled to Rome to study theology and canon law and also began his work as a spiritual director, working in the formation of priests and seminarians of the Community. In 1994, he returned to France, where he assumed various responsibilities including spiritual direction, the development of training in the Community, and participation in its General Council. He has also preached retreats regularly in France and abroad and has consolidated his principal retreat themes into five books on spirituality. In recent years, he has devoted himself primarily to spiritual direction, preaching retreats, and working for the development of the Community in Asia and Oceania, where he travels frequently.

Reviews

[Kara]

Jackie Phillips at it again

[Dominika]

This was a book that found me right when I needed it. I picked it for no other reason than that you can't go wrong with Jacques Philippe, but it touched on a lot of my fears that God's plans will somehow not measure up to own and also dealt with my desire for security and definite answers to life's mysteries. I especially appreciated the language of making "hidden bargains with sin".

It's slim but saturated with Scripture that felt providential for me to read. And it gave me a renewed desire to spend time with lectio divina this year. Spiritually rich and psychologically sound, this was a good bookend for the new year.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jacques Philippe never fails to give me new things to pray with

[booklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about our many calls and callings, the term meaning to name or designate, and to invite. These meanings are joined in the mystery of Christ beginning with the call to live expressed in creation—already, a call in Christ, followed by our baptismal call to follow and serve Him throughout life. Other calls, according to the author, Jacques Philippe, include specific interventions in one’s life—through Scripture, life’s events, the movements of the Spirit, and the various media of grace, which all have as their goal to propel one toward this identification with Christ, the ultimate meaning of human life.

Although not perhaps Fr. Phillipe's best book, Called to Life is still full of excellent quotes, good sound theological principles and an appendix with some of the easiest and most straightforward ‘Practical Advice for Lectio Divina’ I’ve run across.

Well worth your time.

[Mary-Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

He’s done it again, Jacques Philippe 10/10

[JoAnna · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The fact that we do exist is a response of a sort, but we are invited to continue responding through life. All God's calls resemble this first one in that they draw us out of nothingness, out of meaninglessness, out of isolation, in order to make us more fully alive" (16)

The best spiritual reading often comes in small packages, but still packs a punch. Jacques Philippes' Called to Life is no exception. After getting bogged down with spiritual reading than was deeply theological, this little book's practical focus on discernment was refreshing. The book is divided into five sections, first outlining man's vocation as a created being, then describing three principal ways that we receive God's call: Holy Scripture, life's events, and obedience to others and the Holy Spirit. Often times when I get in a spiritual rut I try too hard to get out of it, forgetting that 'getting back to the basics' of prayer and daily living is the real way forward. Called to Life does just that. I especially loved the sections centered on the relationship among love of self, love of neighbor, and love of God, as well as those discussing thanksgiving and the attitudes that help us be more receptive to God's call. My only fear is that I've taken this little book too quickly-I'm sure to return to it.

[Stephen DCamp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I especially liked the discussion of how if we are made for relationship with God, that one of the most alive things we can do is pray. Specifically, prayer with scripture, as it is the written word of God.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Father Philippe is a spiritual master. What more is there to say?

[Alberto Mateo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A diferencia de otros libros de espiritualidad, éste es muy sencillo de seguir y bastante esquemático. Muy recomendable para el que busque lectura espiritual fácil de comprender, el autor verdaderamente contribuye a ello.

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful little book helpful in living the spiritual life. Fr. Philippe demonstrates how God calls us to live our vocation to and in life, that every instance is a call to life. I love the chapter on how God calls us through Scripture, using the prayerful practice of Lectio Divina.
This little book is full of insight, but also easy to read.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great litle book about finding your vocation and how to deepen your relationship with God. I found the section of lectio divina most helpful!

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful little book--an intro to the spiritual life. Excellent and practical discussion of lectio divina concludes.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like others have said great little book,more like a basic intro to the spiritual life though. Great explanation of election divino.

[Nacho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Copio la descripción del libro que hace Goodreads:

La vida humana es una maravillosa aventura. A pesar de las dificultades y los sufrimientos que inevitablemente se encuentran, siempre nos ofrece la posibilidad de crecer en madurez, en amor y libertad. Para hacer esa experiencia, necesitamos estar disponibles a los llamados que Dios nos hace a lo largo de la vida y dejarnos llevar por ellos. A través de los encuentros, los acontecimientos felices o difíciles, los deseos que surgen en nuestro corazón, el eco que suscita en nosotros la Sagrada Escritura, nuestro Padre del Cielo nunca deja de invitarnos - de una manera discreta y misteriosa, pero real -, a salir de nuestros encierros, a elegir la vida, a desplegar todas nuestras capacidades de creer, esperar y de amar, para llegar así a ser plenamente hombres o mujeres. Este libro nos ayuda a escuchar y acoger esas múltiples llamadas, para dar a nuestra vida esa intensidad y esa fecundidad a la que todos aspiramos.

[Lubos Baca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jacques Philippe znovu pútavou formou dokázal skĺbiť tradíciu Cirkvi, teológiu svätých a neoceniteľnú dlhoročnú pastoračnú skúsenosť aby rozvinul témy Božieho povolania, duchovného rozlišovania a budovania modlitebného života. Jeho príznačný štýl ľahko pochopiteľný aj čitateľovi bez hlbšieho teologického vzdelania robí túto knihu atraktívnou pre širokú čitateľskú obec so záujmom o kresťanskú spiritualitu.

“Často sa domnievame, že ovládanie budúcnosti by nám zabezpečilo istotu. Opak je pravdou. Sme vo väčšej istote a vo väčšom pokoji, keď žijeme krok za krokom dôverujúc Bohu, keď mu svoju budúcnosť zverujeme a nechceme ju nástojčivo poznať ani ovládať.” Str.87

[Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not nearly as good as Time for God but a quick worthy read. I may revisit to see if it applies differently in the future.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Similar to his other books, Phillipe's "Called to Life", takes an spiritual truth (here it is how God's call reaches us) and expounds upon it in a succinct and simple manner. Those parts which stuck out to me as stellar had more to do with my own spiritual disposition than any extraordinary spiritual teaching. But for that exact reason I would recommend it. God's call reaches us where we are at utilizing the circumstances and means that are in our lives. This book may speak to you, too.

[Pablo Galiana]

El libro muestra la existencia cristiana desde la perspectiva de las constantes llamadas de Dios: Dios llama en la oración, a través del Evangelio, en las contrariedades, en la enfermedad o en cualquiera de las circunstancias de la vida. La felicidad se alcanza, no mediante el control de los acontecimientos, sino escuchando y secundando las llamadas de Dios en la propia vida.

[Tim Cornell · Rating 5 out of 5]

If a lot of people read this book and others by Jacques Philippe, the world would be a lot happier place.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read 2 of his other books which I highly recommend and enjoyed very much. With that being said, this book was my favorite!!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Areas and ways we can hear God call to us. What the call is. Intimacy with Christ, Etc. Good read if you're discerning :)

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was asking around for recommendations for books I might read as part of my Lenten discipline this year. A priest I met mentioned that he has been getting a lot out of the books by Fr. Philippe, but since they are just short books he wasn't sure it was what I was looking for. Something made me go look them up, and they looked so interesting I ordered two of them. Then this one looked so good that I didn't wait until Lent to start it. And once I started it, I barely put it down until I was finished.

I found this book to be the perfect balance of being informed by deep scholarly research while written plainly so as to be very accessible to a lay person like me. It talked about how humans need a calling, need to know we are serving a higher purpose, and answering God's calls in our lives -- not just the basic vocational calls we often talk about in Catholicism, but little calls to this ministry or that, this choice or that -- are how we "simultaneously lose and find ourselves" in authentically Christian way and find fulfillment in life.

A recurring theme in the book is that daily meditation on Scripture -- lectio divina, in the terms of the church -- is an essential step in discerning and interpreting God's calls and knowing how to respond. The book ends with an appendix about how to do that daily meditation, and I think that might have been the most valuable part of a book I already found wonderful.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read Jacques Philippe's "Searching for and Maintaining Peace" and was so moved by his writings in such a profound way that I just had to read more of his books. This was exactly what I needed next, as I've struggled with the idea of being called for so long: what is God calling me to do? Who is He calling me to be? Where am I meant to go? While I'm still searching for answers, my search has become less urgent after reading this book. I can rest in the knowledge that I only need to know what God asks of me today, and find peace and trust that He will reveal all the answers in due time. However, one little excerpt can't possibly summarize all the richness I found in his writings, so if calling is something you struggle with, I recommend picking up this book to help ease your restlessness.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this over two different retreats, mainly because when I got home from my first retreat I didn't keep up with reading the book. I probably did a disservice to myself in that, as I'd forgotten some of the good things that I'd read in the first half of the book.

All of that aside, this is another solid book by Fr. Jacques Philippe, where he explores the many ways in which we are called to live out the Gospel in our ordinary and extraordinary life. Like his other books, this book has practical tips throughout, and I found myself underlining pieces or writing down other quotes in my journal. Solid read and definitely worth picking up.

As an aside, if you get a chance to hear him in person it's definitely worth it. He's an amazing speaker, and you will come away inspired to live a holy life.

[Johnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful little book about listening to God's call in our lives.

"...the spiritual path is not a way of negation but an education of desire: progressively learning to leave superficial desires behind in order to let the deepest desire emerge, the one that carries the call addressed to us by God" (100).

His six steps for listening to God's calls in life are as follows:
1. Attitude of prayer
2. Attitude of faith
3. Living in the present moment
4. Consent to suffering
5. Willingness to be accompanied
6. Pervasive spirit of thanksgiving

[Jake Schaumloeffel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jacques Philippe is the wise grandfather your heart has always desired.


“We can only fully realize our humanity by responding to God’s calls”

“The best way to leave sin and misery behind is not by despairing or blaming ourselves, but by opening up to God’s calls that come to us continually, no matter what our situation is.”

“Instead of being bent on getting answers, one needs the courage to leave certain legitimate questions unanswered - something alway painful - and adopt a different perspective: ‘At the end of the day, what does God want from me in all this?”

[Christopher Rayala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great companion to his other books

This is a great companion to Fr. Philippe’s other books. It completes In the School of the Spirit and Searching for and Maintaining Peace. Read all three.

Of course if you have never read any of his books, I consider them to be one of the beat books a Catholic can read. I can easily call them How to Be a Saint 101, 102, and 103.

[Caro Borja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es un libro para el desarrollo personal. Vale la pena detenerse y quedarse en cada frase que presenta. El crecimiento personal que uno puede tener con este libro. En mi caso fue un antes y un después. Y algo me que quedó fue ¿si no vemos a la vida como un regalo, como vamos a ver la vida espiritual como un regalo? Es tan real. Y tan hermoso para planterte tu vida como la ves.

[Fr. Peter Calabrese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fine work on spirituality in Christ by Fr Jacques. Easily readable challenging
yet comforting As always centered on Christ and urging one to strip away egoism and avoid pitfalls of the spiritual life.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this much as I've enjoyed many of his other books. Short, easy to read, rich in content. Similar themes to "In the School of the Holy Spirit," which I also enjoyed.