The Joy of the Gospel - Pope Francis

Amazon description - This special edition of Pope Francis's popular message of hope explores themes that are important for believers in the 21st century. Examining the many obstacles to faith and what can be done to overcome those hurdles, he emphasizes the importance of service to God and all his creation. Advocating for “the homeless, the addicted, refugees, indigenous peoples, the elderly who are increasingly isolated and abandoned,” the Holy Father shows us how to respond to poverty and current economic challenges that affect us locally and globally. Ultimately, Pope Francis demonstrates how to develop a more personal relationship with Jesus Christ, “to recognize the traces of God’s Spirit in events great and small.”
Profound in its insight, yet warm and accessible in its tone, The Joy of the Gospel is a call to action to live a life motivated by divine love and, in turn, to experience heaven on earth. 
Includes a foreword by Robert Barron, author of Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith and James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage

This book is filled with wisdom from our Pope.  He really emphasizes how important it is for all Christians to be evangelizers for the faith (and doing it with joy). He points out some of the most needy in the world are being abandoned, ignored, and shunned.  He speaks of obstacles and ways of overcoming them.  He speaks of the beauty of our faith.  

Sections in the book include:

The Church's Missionary Transformation
Amid the Crisis of Communal Commitment
The Proclamation of the Gospel
The Social Dimensions of Evangelization
Spirit-filled Evangelizers

My favorite chapter is on Social Dimensions of Evangelization.  It is so helpful!  It gives you direction on how to live the Gospels in your daily life.  There is so much good stuff packed into this chapter!  

I chose this as one of my spiritual readings for Lent.  It was a perfect choice for me - filled with beauty, wisdom, and advice. Perfect reflection during Lent!  I have probably highlighted over half the book! I thought it was really wonderful to see and meet the Pope in own words and to get to know this wonderful man, and his thoughts on God and Heaven, a little better.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for an honest review.