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The Forge
The Forge is the third collection of St. Josemaría’s refreshingly brief but profoundly weighty reflections and meditations on how to live the Christian life to its absolute fullest. Like The Way and Furrow, it gives you practical and pointed material for meditation that will help you take your spiritual responsibilities more seriously and move ever closer to the all-consuming forge of God’s love. St. Josemaría wrote these 1,055 aphorisms, observations, and exhortations in order to enkindle within you a desire for holiness and apostolate.
449 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
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About the author
Josemaría Escrivá
146 books178 followersSaint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer (9 January 1902 – 26 June 1975) was a Roman Catholic priest from Spain who founded Opus Dei, an organization of laypeople and priests dedicated to the teaching that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. He was canonized in 2002 by Pope John Paul II, who declared Saint Josemaría should be "counted among the great witnesses of Christianity."
Josemaría’s father’s textile business failed in 1915, so the family relocated to Logroño, where José found other work. It was in Logroño that Josemaría sensed his vocation for the first time. After seeing some bare footprints left in the snow by a friar who had walked that way a short time earlier, he felt that God wanted something from him, though he did not know exactly what. He thought that he could more easily discover what it was if he became a priest, so he began to prepare for the priesthood, first in Logroño and later in Saragossa. Following his father’s advice, he also studied for a law degree at the University of Saragossa. His father died in 1924 and Josemaría was left as head of the family. Ordained on March 28, 1925, he began his ministry in a rural parish, and afterwards in Saragossa.
In 1927, with the permission of his bishop, Fr. Josemaría moved to Madrid to work on his doctorate in law. There, on October 2, 1928, God showed him clearly the mission he had been hinting to him for several years; and he founded Opus Dei. From that day on he worked with all his energies to develop the foundation that God asked of him, while he continued to fulfill the various priestly responsibilities he had at that time. These brought him into daily contact with sickness and poverty in the hospitals and the poor districts of Madrid.
When the civil war broke out in 1936, Josemaría was in Madrid. The religious persecution forced him to take refuge in a variety of places. He exercised his priestly ministry in a clandestine fashion until he was finally able to leave Madrid. After escaping across the Pyrenees to southern France, he took up residence in Burgos.
At the end of the war in 1939 he returned to Madrid. In the years that followed he gave many retreats to lay people, priests, and members of religious orders. In the same year, 1939, he completed his doctorate in law.
Josemaría’s father’s textile business failed in 1915, so the family relocated to Logroño, where José found other work. It was in Logroño that Josemaría sensed his vocation for the first time. After seeing some bare footprints left in the snow by a friar who had walked that way a short time earlier, he felt that God wanted something from him, though he did not know exactly what. He thought that he could more easily discover what it was if he became a priest, so he began to prepare for the priesthood, first in Logroño and later in Saragossa. Following his father’s advice, he also studied for a law degree at the University of Saragossa. His father died in 1924 and Josemaría was left as head of the family. Ordained on March 28, 1925, he began his ministry in a rural parish, and afterwards in Saragossa.
In 1927, with the permission of his bishop, Fr. Josemaría moved to Madrid to work on his doctorate in law. There, on October 2, 1928, God showed him clearly the mission he had been hinting to him for several years; and he founded Opus Dei. From that day on he worked with all his energies to develop the foundation that God asked of him, while he continued to fulfill the various priestly responsibilities he had at that time. These brought him into daily contact with sickness and poverty in the hospitals and the poor districts of Madrid.
When the civil war broke out in 1936, Josemaría was in Madrid. The religious persecution forced him to take refuge in a variety of places. He exercised his priestly ministry in a clandestine fashion until he was finally able to leave Madrid. After escaping across the Pyrenees to southern France, he took up residence in Burgos.
At the end of the war in 1939 he returned to Madrid. In the years that followed he gave many retreats to lay people, priests, and members of religious orders. In the same year, 1939, he completed his doctorate in law.
In 1946 he took up residence in Rome. There he obtained a doctorate in theology from the Lateran University and was named consultor to two Vatican Congregations, as well as honorary member of the Pontifical Academy of Theology, and prelate of honor to His Holiness. He followed closely the preparations for the Second Vatican Council and its various sessions (1962-1965), keeping in touch with many of the council fathers. From Rome he frequently went to different countries in Europe, including Britain and Ireland, to spur on the apostolic work of Opus Dei. It was with the same objective that, between 1970 and 1975, he made long trips to Mexico, Spain, Portugal, South America, and Guatemala, holding catechetical gatherings which large numbers of men and women attended.
He died in Rome on June 26, 1975. Thousands of people, including many bishops (a third of all the bishops in the world), requested that the Holy See open his cause of beatification and canonization.
On May 17, 1992, Pope John Paul II beatified Josemaría Escrivá. He proclaimed him a saint ten years later, on October 6, 2002, in St. Peter’s Square, in Rome, before a great multitude. In his homily on that occasion, the Pope said: “Following in his footsteps, spread in society the awareness that we are called to holiness, without distinction of race, class, culture or age."
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 17, 2025
The forge is the third book in the series by St. Josemaria Escriva. The book contains 1055 wonderful nuggets on Catholic faith and everyday life addressing topics such as struggle, fruitfulness, and pessimism. About 50 of these observations really spoke to me. I think I could reread this book and 50 different ones would speak to me depending on where I am at in my life. Wonderful book which I’m sure I will reread.
May 12, 2021
Yes, I understand. I'm dirt. I'm lower than low. I am a worm.
This is how they used to practice religion in South America before Vatican II. The only thing making life worth while is striving to become a saint. What I had thought might be a book of meditation and prayer became a how to in attaining holiness. All peace comes from victory on the battlefield? Really? Yes I get the metaphor but couldn't somebody try a little compassion or understanding toward other people? My only job is to attain perfection. I don't want to be perfect. I'm human. If I have free time
I'm failing Christ because I should use Christ as my model at all times and Christ never wasted a moment. Really? I am Catholic but this repeated dogma almost drove me away. I'm sure this priest finally became the apostalate he always wanted to become and I'm sure he wanted to do good by spreading the Good Word it just didn't reach me.
This is how they used to practice religion in South America before Vatican II. The only thing making life worth while is striving to become a saint. What I had thought might be a book of meditation and prayer became a how to in attaining holiness. All peace comes from victory on the battlefield? Really? Yes I get the metaphor but couldn't somebody try a little compassion or understanding toward other people? My only job is to attain perfection. I don't want to be perfect. I'm human. If I have free time
I'm failing Christ because I should use Christ as my model at all times and Christ never wasted a moment. Really? I am Catholic but this repeated dogma almost drove me away. I'm sure this priest finally became the apostalate he always wanted to become and I'm sure he wanted to do good by spreading the Good Word it just didn't reach me.
March 21, 2024
Forja, estructurado de la misma forma que Camino y Surco, de San Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, nos reta a ser mejores personas para el mundo.
Se llama Forja porque pretende meter a nuestras almas en forja y trabajarlas con el objetivo de acompañarla en la santificación.
El libro consta de 1055 puntos de meditación (frases, pensamientos...), distribuidos en 13 capítulos para ayudarnos a reflexionar sobre puntos concretos de nuestra fe, nuestras actitudes y nuestro carácter.
No es un libro para leer 'del tirón' (aunque se puede y lo hice). Sino para seleccionar un par de puntos cada día (o cuando queramos), puede ser al azar o según el tema que deseemos trabajar, y tomarse el tiempo de meditar sobre ellos.
Al final del libro se incluye un índice de temas muy útil.
Se llama Forja porque pretende meter a nuestras almas en forja y trabajarlas con el objetivo de acompañarla en la santificación.
El libro consta de 1055 puntos de meditación (frases, pensamientos...), distribuidos en 13 capítulos para ayudarnos a reflexionar sobre puntos concretos de nuestra fe, nuestras actitudes y nuestro carácter.
No es un libro para leer 'del tirón' (aunque se puede y lo hice). Sino para seleccionar un par de puntos cada día (o cuando queramos), puede ser al azar o según el tema que deseemos trabajar, y tomarse el tiempo de meditar sobre ellos.
Al final del libro se incluye un índice de temas muy útil.
November 11, 2017
Muy budno
September 2, 2018
One of the best spirituality books I've ever read on the challenges of living a vocation in the world. Extremely concrete and practical while setting the sights on heaven.
February 13, 2021
Reflection points on faith, work, and charity - helps to redirect mindset and thoughts during and after prayers. Need to reread it periodically as reminders!
April 1, 2015
My favourite book by Josemaría Escrivá. I found it was more about love towards one's neighbour and towards God than his other writings. The title comes from "forge of suffering", which he mentioned in meditation 816: "In the forge of suffering that accompanies the life of all who love, the Lord teaches us that those who tread fearlessly where the Master treads, hard though the going is, find joy." If one suffers for the sake of others, out of love, that forge of suffering will bring joy. In his other writings, Josemaría Escrivá did not seem to emphasize the fact that suffering and mortification must reflect one's love towards one's neighbour, otherwise they are of no value. To establish love between me and my neighbour, he suggests, much suffering may be inevitable. "As the Spanish mystic says (i.e. Saint John of the Cross), where there is no love, put love and you will find love"(meditation 457).
All in all, the book is more mystical than Josemaría Escrivá's other writings. How does this square with his usual emphasis on work and ordinary life and doing little things for the Lord? They are now ways to keep one's mystical experience grounded in everyday life, which is where other people can be reached, and therefore, in a way, hidden: "Don't expect God to illuminate you, for he has no reason to when you have definite human means available to you: study and work." (mediation 841) Another inconspicuous and therefore humble expression of mysticism is the Eucharist. Judging by how Josemaría Escrivá explains the necessity of leading a Eucharistic life, the Eucharist is an interior experience in the double sense that we not only ingest the elements but we also let them work inside us spiritually. No innovation and ego tripping here. Mysticism finds its soundest expressions in a structured life inside the church as well as outside it: work, study and lead a Eucharistic life.
All in all, the book is more mystical than Josemaría Escrivá's other writings. How does this square with his usual emphasis on work and ordinary life and doing little things for the Lord? They are now ways to keep one's mystical experience grounded in everyday life, which is where other people can be reached, and therefore, in a way, hidden: "Don't expect God to illuminate you, for he has no reason to when you have definite human means available to you: study and work." (mediation 841) Another inconspicuous and therefore humble expression of mysticism is the Eucharist. Judging by how Josemaría Escrivá explains the necessity of leading a Eucharistic life, the Eucharist is an interior experience in the double sense that we not only ingest the elements but we also let them work inside us spiritually. No innovation and ego tripping here. Mysticism finds its soundest expressions in a structured life inside the church as well as outside it: work, study and lead a Eucharistic life.
January 5, 2023
This is one of three great little books by Josemaria Escriva’s The Way, Furrow and The Forge. Each of these three volumes are collections of thoughts, pense’s musings and meditations. They can be read from beginning to end or randomly opened and read just as you find them. Some of the reflections will require more thought and work then others. Some examples that particularly grabbed my attention are:
“Each day be conscious of your duty to e a saint. A saint! And that doesn’t mean doing strange things. It means a daily struggle in the interior life and in heroically fulfilling your duty right through to the end.”
#60
“Make an effort to respond at each moment to what God is asking of you: have the will to love him with deeds. They may be little deeds, but do not leave any out.”
#82
“To die is a good thing. How can anyone with faith be, at the same time, afraid to die? But as long as the Lord wants to keep you here on earth, it would be cowardice for you to want to die. You must live, live and suffer and work for Love: that is your task.”
#1037
Each of these three little books will help you grow deeper in the Christian life. They will challenge you every time you pick them up and read. I have gotten to the point that I always carry one of them with me, and while waiting for a ride, or before class, or in any spare moment open it and read, and through that reading I pray. Through that prayer I hope to become a better Christian and a better person.
“Each day be conscious of your duty to e a saint. A saint! And that doesn’t mean doing strange things. It means a daily struggle in the interior life and in heroically fulfilling your duty right through to the end.”
#60
“Make an effort to respond at each moment to what God is asking of you: have the will to love him with deeds. They may be little deeds, but do not leave any out.”
#82
“To die is a good thing. How can anyone with faith be, at the same time, afraid to die? But as long as the Lord wants to keep you here on earth, it would be cowardice for you to want to die. You must live, live and suffer and work for Love: that is your task.”
#1037
Each of these three little books will help you grow deeper in the Christian life. They will challenge you every time you pick them up and read. I have gotten to the point that I always carry one of them with me, and while waiting for a ride, or before class, or in any spare moment open it and read, and through that reading I pray. Through that prayer I hope to become a better Christian and a better person.
September 9, 2017
"How can I fail to take up your soul-pure gold-and place it in 'the forge,' and fashion it with fire and hammer, until that gold nugget is turned into a splendid jewel to be offered to my God, to your God?" - Escriva
Excellent as expected. I think this is my favorite of The Way, Furrow, and Forge, but can imagine that one would need to have read The Way and Furrow to receive the impact of Forge. From the first section, "Dazzled," the book radiates the fire of divine charity and, for me, reveals to the reader the love of God for mankind and presents helpful suggestions for reflecting that heat to others.
Excellent as expected. I think this is my favorite of The Way, Furrow, and Forge, but can imagine that one would need to have read The Way and Furrow to receive the impact of Forge. From the first section, "Dazzled," the book radiates the fire of divine charity and, for me, reveals to the reader the love of God for mankind and presents helpful suggestions for reflecting that heat to others.
March 17, 2012
Brilliant and brief insights into the meaning of life. I refer to this often for inspiration and guidance.
September 14, 2023
Muy buena herramienta para la oración.
December 20, 2010
The words of St. Josemaria Escriva are words to live by.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews