Bishop Alban Goodier, S.J. Overcoming Worldly Concerns. Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute Press, 2022. Paperback $17.95. Ebook $9.99. Available from the publisher.
Overcoming Worldly Concerns logically relates why common sense points to the existence of God, and how we find meaning by living our lives in accordance with this reality. It breaks open the blessings of knowing Christ through the Sacred Scriptures and His loving Presence in our lives today.
When we fail to “be still” and listen to God, Bishop Goodier explains, we lose sight of objective truth and reality. We may also develop a sense of helplessness in the face of sin and despair of God’s mercy. Souls often resist God to justify their own immoral lifestyles and be “free” of God’s designs. The end result is shame for having rejected Love and not returned love heroically. To live without God brings death and chains.
Bishop Goodier (1869–1939), a renowned writer, was a Jesuit who served for a time as Archbishop of Bombay, India. He contributed many articles to the magazine The Messenger of the Sacred Heart and wrote over a dozen books, including Saints for Sinners and The Good Galilean, available from Sophia Press.
Spiritual gems are included on an array of areas, such as:
• Why Jesus Christ is the greatest man to have ever lived
• The awesome mystery of Christ’s divinity and humanity
• How to finding purpose in life and build strong character
• How to discern spirits and prepare for spiritual combat
• The beauty of innocence, its shining glory, and inspiration to others
• Ways to live in God’s will and find peace of heart amid life’s storms
Readers will also discover the little-known fact that will inspire them to resist sin with all of their strength.
Best of all, they will find advice about deepening their prayer life and avoiding pitfalls. They will learn to live in imitation of the saints by living ordinary lives with extraordinary grace. Moreover, they will discover how the saints labored for God in this life while longing for eternity, but would have lived on earth forever if it meant that they could make Him loved more.
Bishop Goodier provides short prayers for after Holy Communion. He guides readers in acts of faith, hope, and love, which cause aspirations of adoration, thanksgiving, petition, and contrition to well up in one’s heart, and leads to contemplation.
The world needs laborers to go into the vineyard, and no task could be more important than that of working for the salvation of souls—or more consoling at the hour of death. Nothing brings a soul more satisfaction than knowing it has helped others on the way to Heaven.
Members of the media may send an email to Sophia Institute Press’ Director of Publicity, Sarah Lemieux at slemieux@SophiaInstitute.com to receive a physical or digital copy of Overcoming Worldly Concerns and/or to schedule an interview with the author.
