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arrobodhi 's review for:
Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion
by Gregory Boyle
I have had this book for a long time, and even started reading it once but couldn't get into it. But when I picked it up this time, it almost immediately had an impact on me. Fr. Gregory Boyle is the author, and he writes about the gangbangers and homies he works with in Los Angeles, and the organization he founded called Homeboy Industries. The book is really about "boundless compassion", and once I started reading it again I became really moved by the stories he tells. Boyle shares true stories of people he has worked with, and many of the stories are heartbreaking and difficult to read. On the other hand, the way he weaves these stories into the larger mosaic of the true message of the gospel is totally inspirational. The book never becomes about Boyle, but rather he makes the point that in order to truly make a difference in the community he lives and works, he has had to completely open himself to what it is really like to walk in the shoes of gang members, and the role of poverty and unemployment that often lead to poor choices.
The biggest impression you will have if you read it, is that God's love for us in unconditional and never ending. We put limits on God's love for us, but God never does. When you treat even the hardest gang members with humanity, compassion, and love, it is possible to break through and create change. It cannot be easy work. But by having an open heart and an open door, by truly being one with those that society has discarded, by never giving up on anyone, miracles can happen. That is indeed powerful.
I read a lot of reviews of books on Amazon. Sometimes I read reviews that say "this book changed my life" or some variation of that theme. I hesitate to use that kind of hyperbole, but this could easily be one of those books. Ironically, the book shows that the path to "self-improvement" is not through the self at all, but rather through seeing our "self" in others and making that connection. This is a truly inspirational book, and one of the best books I've read in a very long time.
The biggest impression you will have if you read it, is that God's love for us in unconditional and never ending. We put limits on God's love for us, but God never does. When you treat even the hardest gang members with humanity, compassion, and love, it is possible to break through and create change. It cannot be easy work. But by having an open heart and an open door, by truly being one with those that society has discarded, by never giving up on anyone, miracles can happen. That is indeed powerful.
I read a lot of reviews of books on Amazon. Sometimes I read reviews that say "this book changed my life" or some variation of that theme. I hesitate to use that kind of hyperbole, but this could easily be one of those books. Ironically, the book shows that the path to "self-improvement" is not through the self at all, but rather through seeing our "self" in others and making that connection. This is a truly inspirational book, and one of the best books I've read in a very long time.