Summa of the Christian Life: Books VI-VIII

Venerable Louis Granada

• Publisher: TAN Books
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN: 9781505136029

In the Summa of The Christian Life collection, Fr. Jordan Aumann, OP, presents an assortment of excerpts—arranged according to the topics of the Summa Theologica—from Venerable Louis of Granada's greatest works, including his Book of Prayer and Meditation, Sinner's Guide, Memorial of the Christian Life, Introduction to the Creed, and Compendium and Explanation of Christian Doctrine.

One of the most prominent and exceptional spiritual teachers of the sixteenth century, Venerable Louis stands as a master of the spiritual life throughout the whole Christian tradition. Born in extremely poor circumstances, Louis and his widowed mother subsisted on alms gathered from outside the gate of a Dominican priory. Eventually, Louis became a Dominican himself, and began a career of preaching that resulted, at length, in traveling throughout Spain and Portugal. He attained—despite the humble friar's best efforts—various posts in the Order of Preachers and served at courts of nobles and the queen regent of Portugal. He was offered bishoprics and the cardinalate, but he declined all offers.

He was accused unjustly by the Spanish Inquisition of heresy but was later vindicated by the Council of Trent and the witness of subsequent saints. Indeed, he counts among his readers and recommenders such pillars of sanctity as St. Rose of Lima, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Charles Borromeo, and St. Francis de Sales, who recommended Venerable Louis's work be read as a "second Breviary." Venerable Louis's Sinner's Guide has been compared to The Imitation of Christ for its breadth, intensity, and usefulness for devotion and has been translated into many languages. But Venerable Louis's primary mission, quite unusually for his time, was to write and preach for the laity. Indeed, he writes on difficult topics with a rare combination of simplicity and depth, such that they can be easily grasped. Let, then, the words of this venerable Spanish preacher illuminate your heart with the light of Christ, speaking, as it were, straight from the bosom of the Master.

Three Titles in this Series:

Books 1–2: The Existence and Perfections of God, The Marvels of Creation

Books 3–5: The Quest for Happiness, The Theological Virtues, The Moral Virtues

Books 6–8: Christ, Our Redeemer, The Sacraments, The Last Things

Fr. Jordan Aumann, OP, (1916–2007) was Director of the Institute of Spirituality at the Angelicum in Rome. The author of eight books, Aumann was an internationally recognized authority on spiritual theology.

Table of contents

• Summa of the Christian Life
• Copyright
• Contents
• Translator’s Preface
• Foreword
• General Introduction
• Book Six Christ, Our Redeemer
• Chapter 1 Meditation on the Life and Death of Christ
• Chapter 2 Effects of Original Sin
• Chapter 3 The Remedy for Sin
• Chapter 4 The Incarnation, a Fitting Remedy
• Chapter 5 A Work of Mercy and Love
• Chapter 6 Benefits of the Incarnation
• Chapter 7 The Immaculate Conception
• Chapter 8 The Annunciation
• Chapter 9 The Sacred Humanity of Christ
• Chapter 10 St. Joseph’s Dream
• Chapter 11 The Birth of the Savior
• Chapter 12 The Holy Name
• Chapter 13 The Presentation in the Temple
• Chapter 14 The Flight into Egypt
• Chapter 15 The Finding in the Temple
• Chapter 16 The Baptism of Christ
• Chapter 17 The Beatitudes
• Chapter 18 The Samaritan Woman
• Chapter 19 Mary Magdalen
• Chapter 20 The Transfiguration
• Chapter 21 The Sufferings of Christ
• Chapter 22 Christ’s Entrance into Jerusalem
• Chapter 23 The Last Supper
• Chapter 24 The Agony in the Garden
• Chapter 25 The Arrest of Jesus
• Chapter 26 The Trial of Jesus
• Chapter 27 The Scourging
• Chapter 28 The Crowning with Thorns
• Chapter 29 The Carrying of the Cross
• Chapter 30 The Crucifixion
• Chapter 31 The Seven Last Words
• Chapter 32 The Sorrowful Mother
• Chapter 33 The Descent from the Cross
• Chapter 34 The Resurrection
• Chapter 35 The Ascension
• Chapter 36 The Descent of the Holy Ghost
• Chapter 37 The Assumption
• Chapter 38 The Coronation
• Book Seven The Sacraments
• Chapter 39 The Sacraments in General
• Chapter 40 Baptism
• Chapter 41 Confirmation
• Chapter 42 Penance
• Chapter 43 Contrition
• Chapter 44 Confession
• Chapter 45 Satisfaction
• Chapter 46 The Conversion of the Sinner
• Chapter 47 The Holy Eucharist
• Chapter 48 Sacrament of Love
• Chapter 49 Effects of Holy Communion
• Chapter 50 Frequent Communion
• Chapter 51 Preparation for Communion
• Chapter 52 Thanksgiving After Communion
• Chapter 53 The Sacrifice of the Mass
• Chapter 54 Extreme Unction
• Chapter 55 Holy Orders
• Chapter 56 Matrimony
• Book Eight The Last Things
• Chapter 57 Meditation on Death
• Chapter 58 The Particular Judgment
• Chapter 59 The General Judgment
• Chapter 60 The Pains of Hell
• Chapter 61 Eternal Glory
• Appendix
• Endnotes