Prayers of the Saints: An Inspired Collection of Holy Wisdom

Rating:
Summary: An inspiring prayer collection for all Christians
Review: This is a surprisingly nice little book (it's too bad the cover is so cheesy looking). There are prayers by dozens of saints, with a brief anecdote about each one. Most of the prayers are quite short - some are just one or two lines long - but they get right to the essentials: praise, thanksgiving, contemplation, repentance, and supplication. The language is simple, not flowery, and there's a touch of wry humor here and there. For instance, from St. Philip Neri: "O Jesus, watch over me always, especially today, or I shall betray You like Judas." (Ouch!)

Although the saints are Catholic, these prayers are suitable for all Christians. Think of them as a sneak peek into the prayer lives of some very holy people over the last 2000 years. It's reassuring to know that they often had the same hopes and fears as the rest of us. This book would also be a good gift for someone who'd like to pray spontaneously, but isn't sure about the "right" way to do it. As this book shows, there are as many ways to pray as there are people praying.