Title: LESSONS FROM THE MASTER: Living Like Jesus  Author: Alexander J. Basile, Jr. ISBN: 0-8189-1295-2  Paperback: xv + 100 pp. Price: $12.95 + shipping  To Order call:  1 800-343-ALBA (2522)  Please have your Master, Visa  or American Express card ready. To order online click here. Also available on the Kindle from www.amazon.com

Of all the many ways in which the followers of Jesus referred to Him -- they looked upon Him and later referred to HIm as the Way, the Truth and the Life -- undoubtedly the most frequent and popular appellation was that of Teacher or Master. People of every sector of society came to Him looking for answers. Many sensed that He held the secrets to an existence they all aspired to, both here and hereafter, and they did not hesitate to question Him at length on topics near and dear to their hearts. In this book, Basile takes an existential look at the teachings of Jesus and invites the reader to journey with the Master from the carpentry shop, to the Sermon on the Mount, to the Resurrection, as He unlocks the key to living a happy and fruitful life. He offers a number of beautiful reflections on the Scriptures and takes a fresh look at the life of Jesus that will leave the reader with solid answers to their questions about what Jesus really taught. Lessons from the Master: Living Like Jesus is not only informative, at the same time it makes for highly engaging reading for the follower of Christ of any age. As such, it highly recommends itself for use as a classroom text, retreat resource, or simply for personal spiritual growth.

 

About the Author: Presently a member of the faculty at Kellenberg Memorial High School in Uniondale, New York, Alexander (Alex) J. Basile, Jr., is chairperson of its Religious Education Department which oversees a staff of 23 teachers. A graduate of St. John's University in Queens, New York (class of 1984), Alex is the author of the very popular work entitled Finding Faith in a Godless World: A Catholic Path to God (ST PAULS / Alba House, 2008). Over twenty-five years of classroom experience with young people have eminently prepared him for dealing with the way Jesus answered the many questions addressed to Him by His interrogators. Reviews Of all the many ways in which the followers of Jesus referred to Him they looked upon Him and later referred to Him as the Way, the Truth and the Life undoubtedly the most frequent and popular appellation was that of Teacher or Master. People of every sector of society came to Him looking for answers. Many sensed that He held the secrets to an existence they all aspired to, both here and hereafter, and they did not hesitate to question Him at length on topics near and dear to their hearts. In this book, Basile takes an existential look at the teachings of Jesus and invites the reader to journey with the Master from the carpentry shop, to the Sermon on the Mount, to the Resurrection, as he unlocks the key to living a happy and fruitful life. He offers a number of beautiful reflections on the Scriptures and takes a fresh look at the life of Jesus that will leave the reader with solid answers to their questions about what Jesus really taught. Lessons from the Master: Living Like Jesus is not only informative, at the same time it makes for highly engaging reading for the followers of Christ of any age. As such, it highly recommends itself for use as a classroom text, retreat resource, or simply for personal spiritual growth. --CWG Member Newsletter, Issue #30, August 2010           Basile is chairperson of the Religious Education Department of a prestigious and very large Catholic high school in suburban New York. He knows how to appeal to the young. In this outstanding short volume suitable for all ages and situations from high school religious education, to a religious course curriculum, to individual spiritual reading, to the outline for a retreat for the young or the adult, he covers all the topics that direct the Christian to lead a Christ-centered life.           Combining quotations from saints, Scripture, popes, novelists, poets, psychologists, and evangelical preachers, Basile provides to-the-point examples from the actions of Christ (the Master Teacher) for leading a faith-filled life. Based on the educational principle that the best teachers lead by example, his chapters are filled with the ways in which the actions of Christ have direct applications in modern life for teens and adults. Some chapters have enumerated steps for a teacher or group leader to emphasize. Examples of these are, "Follow the Leader," in which there are eight steps demonstrating how a good Christian can provide spiritual leadership. "Keeping the Peace," which lists seven methods for resolving conflicts, and "The Big Payoff," which considers heaven and the real-life actions one must take to attain eternal life.           Topics included in this well-written, accessible volume include childhood and parenthood; prayer; charity; truth; sexuality and chastity; the Eucharist; friendship; humility; and perseverance. For the group leader, there is a final section, "Questions for Reflection and Discussion," which synthesizes the points made in each chapter.           Although Lessons from the Master is intended for use with high school students in classroom and retreat settings, it would be a worthwhile read for adults who wish to do some spiritual reading on the run. The chapters are short, succinct and filled with uplifting content. It would also be a good choice for parish libraries. --Nancy K. Schmidtmann in the March 2010 issue of Catholic Library World Alex Basile is a regular visitor to these pages. He's also a teacher of high-school religion. Now he's written two remarkable little books that are great for introdcing people to Christianity. One's an introduction to belief called Finding Faith in a Godless World: A Catholic Path to God. The other's an introduction to spirituality -- prayer and Christian living -- titled Lessons from the Master: Living Like Jesus. Alex is well acquainted with the great masters from the tradition, so you'll find the familiar Fathers in his pages. These are good books to buy by the crate for handing out to inquirers. Keep some in your drawer at work, some in the automobile glove compartment, some in the briefcase, one in the back pocket. And renew the face of the earth. --Mike Aquilina, author and host of EWTN. Journey: Of all the many ways in which the followers of Jesus referred to Him undoubtedly the most frequent and popular appellation was that of Teacher or Master. People of every sector of society came to Him looking for answers. In Lessons from the Master: Living Like Jesus author Alexander J. Basile, Jr. takes an existential look at the teachings of Jesus and invites the reader to journey with the Master from the carpentry shop, to the Sermon on the Mount, to the Resurrection, as he unlocks the key to living a happy and fruitful life. He offers a number of beautiful reflections on the Scriptures and takes a fresh look at the life of Jesus that will leave the reader with solid answers to their questions about what Jesus really taught. Lessons from the Master: Living Like Jesus is not only informative, it makes for highly engaging reading for the followers of Christ of any age. As such, it highly recommends itself for use as a classroom text or retreat. --Crux of the News, August 10, 2009 Top of Page