Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion

This book lifted my heart. Made me closer to God and reaffirmed my belief that a life of service is a life well lived!

I read this book years ago and remembered the message it contained. It is one of hope and love and reality. We live in a society which is getting more difficult all the time. This book shows a man's heart for broken young people and truly shows that love can change someone's life.

I'd heard a number of rave reviews about TATOOS ON THE HEAT prior to my reading it, and judging form friends who read it, I expected to find a larger than life figure saving people from violence and doing his part to make the world right, a contemporary retelling of a book such as THE CROSS AND THE SWITCHBLADE. Well, if that's what you're looking for, you may need to look somewhere else. You won't find an action packed story in the life of Fr. Gregory Boyle, not because he hasn't had drama and excitement in his life, he chooses to tell his story in another manner. Fr. Boyle doesn't consider himself a hero or even someone doing extraordinary work. He sees himself as a Catholic priest and loyal to his Jesuit way of life and it is his response to this call that led him to work with gang members in Los Angeles. He also does not talk all that much about the success stories. Instead he often focuses on the tragedies and the reality of life on the streets where he serves so that neither he nor the reader forgets what still needs to be done. This is not a "good triumphing over evil all due to one man" kind of story. Instead we have a story about someone faithfully attempting to follow God's call, knowing the job is more than one person can do, knowing he's made mistakes and has learned from them. Fr. Boyle's story is more than just a tale about working with gang members and offering them a better way of life. Through his writing and reflections of his ministry, Fr. Boyle offers readers an opportunity to look at how they respond to God's call and challenge in their own lives and make an affirmative response.Fr. Boyle wrote the book while battling cancer, which may be why the book is more a series of reflections rather than a straightforward story about his ministry. Many of his insights are based on prayerful reflections from scripture, Jesuit writers, and other wisdom figures from a variety of traditions. The chapters are also bracketed into small portions that offer a story and commentary so it can be read either in one sitting or in small increments.TATOOS ON THE HEART is an excellent selection for a book club, especially one in a Church setting. It would also be an excellent selection for a reading group that focuses on Catholic social teaching. As a person in ministry, I enjoyed seeing the number of ways he found God in the midst of his work and busy schedule. This is an unforgettable book told by a person dedicated to God's work and his ministry who has touched a number of lives, not just those he has met on the streets but also the readers of this book.

What an unbelievable story! I remember visiting Father Boyle about 20 years ago with a class. He seemed kind and gentle but he also seemed tired. So I after that visit, I didn't think about his ministry much.I came across the book when I saw it featured in a bookstore and decided to give it a try.I had stopped reading for the past decade or two. It has been mostly Netflix and Kdrama.I would start books and then never get past page 30.This wasn't just a book you coudln't put down. It's a book that grabbed a hold of you and shook you to your core.What a hero! What a man of God! What guts! What complete abandon!No wonder he looked exhausted (when I saw him 20 years ago).I was reminded of apostle Paul's paradoxical statement about his life and ministry 2 Cor 6"We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything."Another reason why I feel such a deep sense of respect and admiration for Father G is that after my senior year in college, I went and worked in the inner city of Camden, New Jersey for 6 weeks and it was one of the toughest times of my life.We worked with kids and teenagers in one of the most gang/crime/drug infested parts of the country.I felt so overwhelmed and helpless. It was affecting me emotionally and physically.Such a ministry is not done casually - it doesn't happen unless you give yourself completely to the community and put your life on the line.And it's not something you do in your own strength and wisdom.Father Greg is often on the news and he does get some publicity - but not enough. Compare what he does to the billions of dollars spent on the war against drugs, against gangs, against crime.He is a one man war on gang/crime/drugs. And he's winning because his weapon is the love of Christ incarnated daily in his life.

This is a book about learning to forgive and the consequences of unforgiveness. It's a series of small stories so it's easy to read. Every 50 pages or so the author shares a golden nugget of wisdom straight from God that will explode in your heart.

Ordered as a gift. She enjoyed it

Breaking the glass of preconceived notions and judgements, Gregory Boyle takes the reader by the hand and introduces her to the tender and fragile hope that waits to wake in all of us.