Mystics & Miracles: True Stories of Lives Touched by God

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I feel inspired and encouraged when I read about Catholic saints. They lived righteous lives and they're brilliant examples of true Christian faith and practice. This book is delightful to read and it introduced to several saints that I will read more about!

I LOVE how the author tells the life of the saint and then the miracles that happened. A GREAT read for all.

I loved this book. It told the lives of these saints in down to earth terms that you could really connect with. At the same time it also told about the miracles that God worked through these saints, explaining why or when God did these miracles and what the results were. I really learned how very practical God can be in working miracles through people to draw people closer to Himself. A WONDERFUL little book! I can't resist adding what was on the back cover of this book. "When one of the novices in his monastery decided to give up the religious life for one of wealth and luxury, Martin de Porres did everything -- including pass through locked doors -- to convince the young man of his true call. When given the divine gift of healing, Lutgarde of Aywieres asked God, "Why did you give me such a grace, Lord? Take it away, please!" Then she impishly added, "But give me something getter!" "'Bert Ghezzi has rescued mysticism from the midst of trendy spiritualities. In Mystics and Miracles, he shows us how God breaks suddenly and powerfully into the lives of ordinary people -- like you and me -- and changes then forever. If your prayer leaves you longing for more of God, read this book, slowly.' Mike Aquilina, editor, New Covenant" "'Bert Ghezzi combines a wonderfully engaging style with real spiritual substance that feeds the soul. I highly recommend it.' Charles J Chaput, O.F.M., Cap. archbishop of Denver" I can only say "Amen!" to the above paragraphs of these great books! This book includes stories about the following saints in alphabetical order: Anthony of Egypt, Anthony of Padua, Apphian, Catherine of Siena, Clare of Assissi, Dominic, Elizabeth of Hungary, Francis of Assissi, Francis of Paola, Francis Xavier, Gertrude the Great, Ignatius of Loyola, Joan of Arc, John Bosco, Lutgarde of Aywieres, Martin de Porres, Padre Pio (Blessed), Patrick, Perpetua, Sabas, Solanus Casey (Venerable), Teresa of Avila, Theresa Margaret, Vincent Ferrer

I came upon Ghezzi's book during a very difficult time in my life. I picked it up because I thought it would be interesting (which it was) but it was more than that. It was encouraging, consoling, amusing, fortifying and helped give me insight to deal with my own situation. Ghezzi combines stories about the struggles and miracles of the saints with excerpts from their writings (and occasional quotes from others...I liked the remark of retreat master Martin Smith: "Do you really believe that God hides his will from us and expects us to search for it as though we are on a treasure hunt?"). I came away from Mystics and Miracles impressed not so much with the miracles as with the mystics themselves...their wholehearted reliance on God and his care for them. Ghezzi manaages to create a sense of solidarity on the part of the mystics with us ordinary humans. I had the sense, after reading it, that these men and women were my partners on the path of life and if they could make it through hard times, so could I.

What?s the difference between a magician and a mystic? The magician tricks you into seeing visible things that aren?t really there, and the mystic opens your eyes to invisible things that really are. What?s that got to do with Bert Ghezzi?s new book? Its mystics use all sorts of inexplicable marvels ? visions, healings, prophecies, you name it ? to help you see your way to the ultimate unseen reality: God. The miracles are mind-blowing, no question about that. We?re talking otherworldly, occasionally bizarre incidents ? phenomena that would seem like so much sleight of hand if not for the sanctity of the souls around whom the jaw-dropping oddities regularly occurred. St. Dominic raises the dead. Padre Pio receives the wounds of Christ and is physically present in two places at once. St. Theresa Margaret?s body refuses to decay, to this day, since her death in 1770. And so on. But consider yourself forewarned: If it?s a sideshow you?re after, you?ll waste your time and money on this title. For Ghezzi?s only so interested in the signs and wonders that followed his subjects wherever they went. What he?s really after is the unfailingly generous way they answered God?s call to holiness ? and what their example can teach us about answering that call ourselves. Ghezzi excels at combining concise, fast-paced biographical sketches with carefully selected, illustrative anecdotes that show the mystics? faith in action. Yet it?s his personal, sometimes bracingly candid, reflections on the impact the mystics have made on his own life that, for me, set this volume apart from others of its kind. I also like the way Ghezzi helps make sense of the mystical phenomena he cites by separating it into six categories ? miracles of love; miraculous prayer; dreams, visions, and other wonders; miracles of conversion; miracles to awaken us; and miracles that changed the course of history. About the only thing I would have liked to see more of, particularly when reading about some of the more eye-popping occurrences, is direct referencing to sources and eyewitness accounts. Alas, that?s probably the journalist in me. Or maybe it?s my inner Doubting Thomas. Either way, I don?t think I?m the only reader who will be tempted to ask, when reading about, for example, Jesus appearing to St. Gertrude and transporting her from her cell to a separate part of her convent: ?Come on ? did this really happen?? And maybe my skepticism is a sign of how much I need a book like this. Not so much as a reference work, but as a guide to prayer and contemplation. Ghezzi was way ahead of me on that thought. ...No argument here. And here?s hoping my enjoyment of Ghezzi?s book is not the fascination of a bystander drawn to the believe-it-or-not hour, but rather a manifestation of rightly ordered mysticism, or some small semblance of it, at work in my own life. ...

What's the difference between a magician and a mystic? The magician tricks you into seeing visible things that aren't really there, and the mystic opens your eyes to invisible things that really are. What's that got to do with Bert Ghezzi's new book? Its mystics use all sorts of inexplicable marvels - visions, healings, prophecies, you name it - to help you see your way to the ultimate unseen reality: God. The miracles are mind-blowing, no question about that. We're talking otherworldly, occasionally bizarre incidents - phenomena that would seem like so much sleight of hand if not for the sanctity of the souls around whom the jaw-dropping oddities regularly occurred. St. Dominic raises the dead. Padre Pio receives the wounds of Christ and is physically present in two places at once. St. Theresa Margaret's body refuses to decay, to this day, since her death in 1770. And so on. But consider yourself forewarned: If it's a sideshow you're after, you'll waste your time and money on this title. For Ghezzi's only so interested in the signs and wonders that followed his subjects wherever they went. What he's really after is the unfailingly generous way they answered God's call to holiness - and what their example can teach us about answering that call ourselves. Ghezzi excels at combining concise, fast-paced biographical sketches with carefully selected, illustrative anecdotes that show the mystics' faith in action. Yet it's his personal, sometimes bracingly candid, reflections on the impact the mystics have made on his own life that, for me, set this volume apart from others of its kind. I also like the way Ghezzi helps make sense of the mystical phenomena he cites by separating it into six categories - miracles of love; miraculous prayer; dreams, visions, and other wonders; miracles of conversion; miracles to awaken us; and miracles that changed the course of history. About the only thing I would have liked to see more of, particularly when reading about some of the more eye-popping occurrences, is direct referencing to sources and eyewitness accounts. Alas, that's probably the journalist in me. Or maybe it's my inner Doubting Thomas. Either way, I don't think I'm the only reader who will be tempted to ask, when reading about, for example, Jesus appearing to St. Gertrude and transporting her from her cell to a separate part of her convent: "Come on - did this really happen?" And maybe my skepticism is a sign of how much I need a book like this. Not so much as a reference work, but as a guide to prayer and contemplation. Ghezzi was way ahead of me on that thought. "Most of us will never experience mystical phenomena," he writes. "No raptures, ecstasies or other preternatural events will overtake us. I don't know about you, but I'm grateful for that, because mystical consolations come at a great personal cost that I am not sure I'm ready to pay. However, we can permit God to lift us up, embrace us, press us to his cheek, feed us, teach us to walk in his

Mystics & Miracles: True Stories Of Lives Touched By God by Bert Ghezzi Bert Ghezzi provides a scholarly focus upon the lives of twenty-four people of diverse personalities and backgrounds who have each known a special closeness to God through a greater wisdom in the mystery of the death and resurrection of Christ. Individual chapters recount the great miracles of male and female saints of history, from the healing touch of St. Martin de Porres (1579-1639) to the divine voices that made St. Joan of Arc (1412-31) change history. Mystics & Miracles is a wondrously spiritual, uplifting, inspiring volume, and enthusiastically recommended reading for students of Christianity and Christian history.