Book Reviews

THE POWER OF GOD’S TENDERNESS

PREPARE TO MEET the “homies” of Homeboy Industries and their bold and courageous mentor and healer, Gregory Boyle, SJ, known to the homies as simply “Father G.” Also prepare yourself for some absolute holy hilarity and tears. Father Boyle’s most recent book is a story that transpires in the worst part of the City of Angels. He ministers to those on the margins of life, and, in doing so, he brings them to true life by encountering the Holy Trinity and transforming them to be the individuals God meant them to be. In these pages you will meet many people our society dismisses, but Father Boyle

The Whole Language rescues and restores them to wholeness.

By Gregory Boyle, SJ Rooted in Scripture and mystics, including Avid Reader Press fellow Jesuit Pedro Arrupe, the Persian poets Hafiz and Rumi, and Franciscan Richard Rohr, the book teaches readers about Father G’s more than 30-year ministry. This is in no way a book about despair and sadness. Rather, Father G and his homies are repositories of joy—the kind of joy that God wants all humans to experience. Perhaps that is what makes this story so remarkable. Vulnerable people rescue one another through the miracle of simply being a fellow human being and extending compassion and healing to one another.

Follow Father G as he travels with his homies to speak across the country to groups large and small who have been inspired by this living witness to the power of God through his simple humanity. In many ways, Father G is like Christ himself, and the homies are like his apostles. They seem to be on the move all the time, practicing what Jesus taught, particularly to not be afraid of “the other,” read in this case to be rival gang members. There is no “them” in these pages, only other human beings who make up the whole language of humanity. It is a very hopeful book that not only shakes one’s conscience but also seeks to challenge our ideas about God and Christ’s mission in 2022. You will be inspired through these modern-day parables and, in the end, not only embrace Father G’s homies, but perhaps follow in their footsteps of service.

James A. Percoco is a nationally recognized history educator, author, and history chair at Loudoun School for Advanced Studies in Ashburn, Virginia.

Jesuit Father Greg Boyle (standing in the center) founded Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles over 30 years ago. For more on his work, see the article “Hope Has an Address” on page 32.

Paschal Paradox By Diarmuid O’Murchu Franciscan Media

THE PASCHAL CYCLE IS one of birth, death, and rebirth. Father Diarmuid O’Murchu of Ireland sees this pattern of spiritual evolution throughout his life experiences and reveals his reflections in this autobiography, which he penned during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

His emphasis is on the dying and letting go of the securities we hold tightly so as to grow in new, transformational directions. All life, all creation is intimately connected through this constant state of change—plants, animals, the universe itself. This book provides insight and support on our changing paths.

The Caregiver’s Companion By Debra Kelsey-Davis and Kelly Johnson Ave Maria Press

MANY PEOPLE who are called into caregiving for family or friends may find themselves feeling isolated, frustrated, and exhausted. Authors Debra KelseyDavis and Kelly Johnson have been there themselves and have created a beautifully illustrated journal to help examine many of the challenges and fears. They guide you with prayer, Scripture, and thoughtful questions, allowing you to express your thoughts and to truly reflect on your caregiving experience, encouraging you to see the sacred in your work and to cherish this holy time with your loved ones.