Over the centuries, indeed from the Gospel story of Martha and Mary (Lk. 10:38-42), Christians have struggled to integrate prayer and action. This book is a fresh look at the perennial problem in the context of evangelization and contemplation. In all things Christian and otherwise, the final measure of reality is how genuine is our experience God.

This text looks to Pope Francis and St. Teresa of Avila for direction in the search for God and a balance in our prayer and action. These seemingly very different persons offer much clarity for our call to proclaim the Good News of a loving God to a world floundering in a search for meaning and direction. In both The Joy of the Gospel and The Interior Castle, we find a vast font of wisdom to guide us on our pilgrimage to God in the confusion and brokenness of our lives and of our world. Both the Jesuit Pope and the saintly Carmelite never tire of telling us to keep our eyes and our heart fixed on Jesus. Both agree that one of the major consequences of this continual encounter with Jesus will be a new and inviting awareness of the poor in our midst.

About the Author

Reverend Tracy O'Sullivan, O. Carm has been an inner-city pastor for almost forty years. As a longtime activist and advocate for justice and peace he has turned his attention to Carmelite spirituality and its importance for pastoral ministry.