The Hidden Power of Kindness: A Practical Handbook for Souls Who Dare to Transform the World, One Deed at a Time

Fr. Kenneth Baker, Homiletic and Pastoral Review Supremely practical. If you would like to improve your relations with others and so lead a more happy and peaceful life, get this book and read it carefully. Sr. Mary Rose McGeady, Covenant House "This wonderful book increases our insights into the wonders of the message that speaks so powerfully to us: 'Love is patient, love is kind.' " --Personal Endorsements Kindness counts. If you have trouble acting with the consistent kindness our Lord expects, your relationships with God and those you love may be suffering. Probably you just can't find the time and can't ever seem to develop the patience that you need in order to be consistently kind amid the irritations that afflict you daily. That's why this book is such a godsend. You'll learn how to be kinder, even in difficult circumstances There's nothing complicated or magical about learning to be kinder; it just takes greater attention to the things that you do and how you do them. The Hidden Power of Kindness shows you how to become more aware of even your most offhand daily actions. You'll find simple, step-by-step, and spiritually crucial directions for how to overcome the habitual unkindnesses that creep undetected into the behavior of even the most careful souls. If you want to make progress in the spiritual life, you can't afford to miss the bracing insights in this handbook for souls who yearn to be kinder. They'll give you years of solid help in overcoming sin so that you'll live more fully with others and truly transform your corner of the world! Lawrence G. Lovasik (1913-1986) did missionary work in America's coal and steel regions, founded the Sisters of the Divine Spirit, a missionary congregation, and wrote numerous books and pamphlets emphasizing prayer and the Eucharist. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Be charitable in your speech. Many a saint in Heaven has been sent there by a heartening word. Perhaps many a soul that is lost and shut out from God's sight forever would be a shining light in the land beyond the grave, but for the fact that someone failed to say a kind word at the proper time or failed to leave a cruel word unspoken. The most common form of sins of anger is that of harsh, loud, intemperate words. You sin by anger in using angry words every time you raise your voice when you feel upset by something that is said or done to hurt your feelings; when you say harsh and bitter things without pausing to think of the meaning of what you are saying; when you use profanity or vulgar or even obscene words in your anger as if you are trying to shock and hurt those who cross you; when you make accusations against others that you know you have no right to make; and when you feel resentful against others. Angry words become more harmful and more wicked when they are associated with cursing. With the tongue a person praises God, and with the tongue he curses men, who have been made after the likeness of God. Cursing is a sin against the reverence due to God's name. But another motive for avoiding it can be found in the fact that it arouses a special bitterness in the heart of its victim. No one likes to be cursed at, for cursing is an insult to one's dignity as a human being. The sensitive are deeply wounded by it. Angry words cause smarting wounds that are hard to heal, and sometimes never heal. They are like knife stabs to the heart. Only too often, in the recklessness of anger, or in a peevish, jealous spirit, you may give vent to words you will perhaps someday regret bitterly. A kind word is spoken as easily as a harsh one - even more easily, for with it goes the consciousness of its value and the good it will do; whereas, with the harsh, unkind word goes the consciousness of cowardice and meanness and of great harm done. By harsh words, you write on the souls of men that which you cannot rub out. A cruel remark to your mother can write itself upon her loving heart and give her great pain. It will hurt her every time she thinks of it. To fail to give to your friend in distress a kind word may sear his soul. You cannot rub out the memory of it. The best remedy for harsh, angry words is silence. You must learn to say nothing at all, when you know that anything said will hurt another in some way. If you are tempted to anger, train yourself to keep silence for thirty seconds and say a little prayer for patience. Then you will deal with people reasonably and effectively. Read more