Synopses & Reviews
The Loving Heart
"Alongside those who suffer there is always a loving heart."The Loving Heart collects many of the prayers and public pronouncements that Pope John Paul II has made on behalf of people suffering with illness or living with disability. In his own words, the Pope shows the depth of his compassion and the empathy he feels for those who are sick. He recognizes also that the Church has a great deal to learn from anyone who is suffering -- a realization strengthened when the Pope himself was close to death after the attempt made on his life in 1981.
"The Church is a society where those who are suffering find a special welcome," he says. "Christianity reveals that pain is not futile; rather it conceals a true meaning and value." This book delves into the nature of that meaning and value while demonstrating the Church's commitment to displaying to everyone its loving heart.
"May God bless and comfort all those who suffer. And may Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world and healer of the sick, make his light shine through human weakness as a guide for us and for all humanity. Amen." Synopsis
T"he Loving Heart is comprised of the private prayers, beliefs, thoughts, poems, and homilies of Pope John Paul II. Rich in hope and encouragement, this stirring and beautiful book focuses on prayer, and includes such topics as hope, peace, love, compassion, forgiveness, and spirituality. This extraordinarily compassionate volume consists of excerpts from Pope John Paul II's speeches to those who are suffering, whether in hospitals or leper colonies, or gathered at shrines such as Lourdes. The title is taken from a particularly lyrical and sensitive prayer in which the Pope calls for those who have a loving heart to look after the sick. Embedded in this message of love is the belief that suffering is not useless but disguises a true meaning and value. As the Introduction explains: "Sick people and the world of suffering occupy a special place in John Paul II's heart." Gorgeously packaged to match previous volumes in the series, "The Loving Heart will bring comfort and inspiration to readers the world over, especially to those who need it most.