Audiobooks by James Martin

Come Forth: The Raising of Lazarus and the Promise of Jesus’s Greatest Miracle

Author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything and Learning to Pray on one of the most intriguing events in the New Testament. “this remarkable testimony demonstrates the power of a single Gospel story. This is soul-nourishing and highly recommended.”—Ben Witherington III, author of A Week in the Life of Corinth One of America’s most beloved spiritual leaders and the New York Times bestselling author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything and Learning to Pray examines one of the most intriguing events in the New Testament—the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead—and explains its significance for us today. In this wise and thoughtful book, Father James Martin, SJ, analyzes the miracle of Lazarus’s resurrection and asks us to consider what Jesus means when he calls Lazarus—and each of us—to “come forth.” Taking us through the Gospel story verse by verse, he offers deep reflection on the lessons it holds about love, family, sadness, frustration, fear, anger, freedom, and joy. Come Forth combines compelling analysis of the biblical text, insights about the historical setting of the story, meditations on Lazarus in art and the larger culture, as well as stories of Martin’s personal experiences. As he explores these strands in-depth, Martin offers us a deeper understanding of this miracle and its essential message—letting go of the limiting beliefs that prevent us from experiencing God in all His glory. “All of us have things that we need to ‘let die’ in order to follow God more freely, to love more deeply, and to become the people whom God desires us to be,” Martin writes. As this wise and profound book reveals, we need only to open ourselves to the transformative story of Lazarus and trust that God can use it to free us to experience new life—and come closer to Him.

James Martin (Author), James Martin (Narrator)

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Uncharted: A Rediscovered History of Voyages to the Americas Before Columbus

The Americas have had native groups living there for more than ten thousand years, but Columbus was surely not their first visitors. Uncharted covers a range of cultures who seemingly have been visiting the Americas since long before Columbus. Evidence is explored of potential Roman and Phoenician shipwrecks off the coast of South America through to Celtic and Norse exploration of Northern America. Put simply, the history of the discovery of the North America is all wrong. How did the Knights Templar influence the discovery of the new world? What do the Sinclair family, Rosslyn chapel, and two venetian brothers have to do with the discovery of a new continent? How did the Vikings navigate their way? With source materials dating back through millennia, including very recent finds, this book will induce you to thought about a side of history still so readily dismissed by some. Uncharted tackles the evidence and stories of visiting distant lands that abound from many cultures, such the Egyptian, Greeks, Celts, Vikings, as well as various people from Asia; and one large Chinese group likely settled in the Americas in 100 BC, which current DNA evidence supports. Columbus should be remembered, but remembered for the conquering tyrant he was. These other groups did not come to conquer, but to trade, explore, and escape.

James Martin, Tim Wallace-Murphy (Author), Nigel Patterson (Narrator)

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Learning to Pray: A Guide for Everyone

‘A brilliant introduction to prayer’ Richard Rohr, Author of Everything Belongs One of America’s most beloved spiritual leaders and the New York Times bestselling author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything and Jesus: A Pilgrimage teaches anyone to converse with God in this comprehensive guide to prayer. ‘What do we need to learn? That prayer changes us–and so changes the world we live in; that God is always there before us; that it's God's action that makes the difference. Practical, comprehensive, and above all God-centered, this book is a deeply valuable companion for growing in faith.’ Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury In The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, Father James Martin included a chapter on communicating with God. Now, he expands those thoughts in this profound and practical handbook. Learning to Pray explains what prayer is, what to expect from praying, how to do it, and how it can transform us when we make it a regular practice in our lives. A trusted guide walking beside us as we navigate our unique spiritual paths, Martin lays out the different styles and traditions of prayer throughout Christian history and invites us to experiment and discover which works best to feed our soul and build intimacy with our Creator. Father Martin makes clear there is not one secret formula for praying. But like any relationship, each person can discover the best style for building an intimate relationship with God, regardless of religion or denomination. Prayer, he teaches us, is open and accessible to anyone willing to open their heart.

James Martin (Author), James Martin (Narrator)

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Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of

The New York Times bestselling author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything and Jesus: A Pilgrimage turns his attention to the relationship between LGBT Catholics and the Church in this loving, inclusive, and revolutionary book. On the day after the Orlando nightclub shooting, James Martin S.J. posted a video on Facebook in which he called for solidarity with our LGBT brothers and sisters. "The largest mass shooting in US history took place at a gay club and the LGBT community has been profoundly affected," he began. He then implored his fellow Catholics—and people everywhere—to "stand not only with the people of Orlando but also with their LGBT brothers and sisters." A powerful call for tolerance, acceptance, and support—and a reminder of Jesus' message for us to love one another—Father Martin's post went viral and was viewed more than 1.6 million times. Now, Martin expands on his reflections in this moving and inspiring book, offering a powerful, loving, and much-needed voice in a time marked by anger, prejudice, and divisiveness. Adapted from an address he gave to New Ways Ministry, a group that ministers to and advocates for LGBT Catholics, Building a Bridge provides a roadmap for repairing and strengthening the bonds that unite all of us as God's children. Martin uses the image of a two-way bridge to enable LGBT Catholics and the Church to come together in a call to end the "us" versus "them" mentality. Turning to the Catechism, he draws on the three criteria at the heart of the Christian ministry—"respect, compassion, and sensitivity"—as a model for how the Catholic Church should relate to the LGBT community.

James Martin (Author), James Martin (Narrator)

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Seven Last Words: An Invitation to a Deeper Friendship with Jesus

Based on his talks at New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral on Good Friday 2015, the New York Times bestselling author and editor at large of America magazine offers a portrait of Jesus, using his last words on the cross to reveal how deeply he understood our predicaments, what it means to be fully human, and why we can turn to Christ completely, in mind, heart, and soul. Each meditation is dedicated to one of the seven sayings: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." "Today you will be with me in Paradise." "Woman, this is your son" . . . "This is your mother."? "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"? "I thirst."? "It is finished."? "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." With the warmth, wisdom, and grace that infuse his works, Father James Martin explains why Jesus's crucifixion and death on the cross is an important teaching moment in the Gospels. Jesus's final statements, words that are deeply cherished by his followers, exemplify the depth of his suffering but also provide a key to his empathy and why we can connect with him so deeply.

James Martin (Author), James Martin (Narrator)

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The Abbey: A Story of Discovery

In the tradition of the spiritual classics The Shack and The Screwtape Letters comes a captivating and poignant debut novel from the revered Jesuit priest and New York Times bestselling author of Jesus and The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything. A divorced single mom, Anne can barely cope with life and struggles to make sense of the death of her young son. A former architect with a promising career, Mark works as a handyman and wonders how his life got off track. The abbot of the Abbey of Saints Philip and James, Father Paul sometimes questions whether he made the right decision in secluding himself so thoroughly from the world. At this Pennsylvania abbey, this unlikely trio will discover the answers they seek—a miracle of hope and understanding that bears witness to the power of God to bring healing and wholeness to our lives. Written with the compassion, insight, and warmth of his previous bestsellers—Jesus, Between Heaven and Mirth, and The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything—Father James Martin’s debut novel is infused with deep spiritual wisdom, wry humor, and loving grace. Through his characters’ struggles, questions, and crises, we see firsthand how God uses our worries, anger, doubts, prayers, failures, and longings to help us complete ourselves and feel wholly loved.

James Martin (Author), James Martin (Narrator)

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Jesus: A Pilgrimage

A gifted storyteller and spiritual director, Father James Martin, SJ, invites readers to experience the stories of the Gospels in a completely new, vivid, and exciting way to gain a deeper understanding of Jesus. Moving sequentially through the Gospels, considering not only familiar passages but also the "hidden life" of Jesus, the book offers a bold retelling of the life of Christ, faithful to the Christian tradition, while meditating on parts of the narrative that have often escaped notice. Martin provides personal stories from his own life, the most up-to-date biblical scholarship, and powerful anecdotes from beloved spiritual teachers, and brings the reader along on his own real-life travels through the Holy Land. Combining the fascinating insights of historical Jesus studies with profound spiritual reflections about the Christ of faith, Martin re-creates the world of first-century Galilee and Judea to usher us into Jesus's life and times and reveal how Jesus speaks to us today. Jesus: A Pilgrimage is an invitation to know Jesus as Father Martin knows him: Messiah and Savior, as well as friend and brother.

James Martin (Author), James Martin (Narrator)

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Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life

In Between Heaven and Mirth, James Martin, SJ, assures us that God wants us to experience joy, to cultivate a sense of holy humor, and to laugh at life's absurdities-not to mention our own humanity. Father Martin invites believers to rediscover the importance of humor and laughter in our daily lives and to embrace an essential truth: faith leads to joy. Holy people are joyful people, says Father Martin, offering countless examples of healthy humor and purposeful levity in the stories of biblical heroes and heroines, and in the lives of the saints and the world's great spiritual masters. He shows us how the parables are often the stuff of comedy, and how the gospels reveal Jesus to be a man with a palpable sense of joy and even playfulness. In fact, Father Martin argues compellingly, thinking about a Jesus without a sense of humor may be close to heretical. Drawing on Scripture, sharing anecdotes from his experiences as a lifelong Catholic, a Jesuit for over twenty years, and a priest for more than ten, and including amusing and insightful sidebars, footnotes, and jokes, Father Martin illustrates how joy, humor, and laughter help us to live more spiritual lives, understand ourselves and others better, and more fully appreciate God's presence among us. Practical how-to advice helps us use humor to show our faith, embrace our humanity, put things into perspective, open our minds, speak truth, demonstrate courage, challenge power, learn hospitality, foster effective human relations, deepen our relationship with God, and ... enjoy ourselves. Inviting God to lighten our hearts, we can enjoy a little heaven on earth.

James Martin (Author), James Martin (Narrator)

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The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life

St. Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556), the founder of the Society of Jesus (aka the Jesuits), was known for his practical spirituality. The "way of Ignatius" has helped millions of people—from the doubtful seeker to the devout believer—find freedom, make friends, live simply, work sensibly, fall in love, experience joy, and enter into a relationship with God. The Ignatian goal of "finding God in all things" eans that every part of our lives can lead us to God. The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything shows us how this is possible, with user-friendly examples, humorous stories and anecdotes from the heroic and inspiring lives of Jesuit saints and average priests and brothers, as well as examples from Martin's twenty years as a Jesuit. The traditional wisdom that Jesuits use to help other people in their daily lives is easily applied, but not often explained well to the general public. The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything translates these insights of St. Ignatius for a modern audience and reveals how we can find God—and how God can find us—in the real world of work, love, suffering, decisions, prayer, and friendship.

James Martin (Author), James Martin (Narrator)

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My Life With The Saints

Winner of the Prestigious Christopher Award! Be inspired by the Catholic saints like never before in My Life with the Saints by James Martin, SJ. This best-selling memoir of spiritual self-discovery is an homage to the Catholic saints who have accompanied Fr. Martin throughout his life. From a lukewarm childhood Catholicism, to the Wharton School of Business, to the executive fast track at General Electric, to the Jesuits, to a media career in Manhattan, Martin has relied on the Catholic saints to intervene in and guide his life. As Martin shares with us his many surprising encounters and journeys with the saints, he convincingly shows how we, too, can be close friends with the saints of the Catholic Church. 'Over the past few years, whenever I've felt particularly close to a saint, I've spent some time writing down what drew me to him or her. Some of these essays reflect a devotion based on the public actions and well-known writings of a saint; others are rooted in a more personal response to a hidden part of a saint's life—a small, almost unnoticed, piece of his or her story that has affected me in a deep way. The memoir is organized chronologically, so that the saints are introduced more or less in the sequence in which I first encountered them.'—from 'An Introduction,' My Life with the Saints

James Martin, James Martin S.J. (Author), James Martin, James Martin Sj (Narrator)

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