Portrait of the Master (H)

by James F. Twyman

Leo will travel with St. Francis only as far as the Muslim territory, then return to the other brothers with the drawing. During the trip he will sketch his portrait, capturing his holy image for... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1899171436
• ISBN13: 9781899171439
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: Findhorn Press
• Length: 156 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Mother Teressa held St, Francis in high esteem

St. Francis, preaching to animals, dressed in rags and sharing his message of peace through his life of simplicity is one of the best known of the medieval saints. Without possessions nothing could be taken from him and he was in a state of freedom. In the simplicity of his message peasants, nobles, kings and the pope were transformed in his presence. If we are looking for a role model, even though we have no ambitions to be saints, St. Francis must surely be a good place to start. It was a pleasant surprise therefore, to find that James Twyman had not only chosen to write about St. Francis but to give the book the title "Portrait of the Master". I had also been struck by the fact that Mother Teresa had adopted St. Francis' Prayer of Peace as part of her daily prayer routine, suggesting that St. Francis holds a particular place in her heart.It was clear to some, even in his early days, that Francis was destined for sainthood. "' The founder of our order is about to leave on one of his famous journeys,' the brother superior had told him days earlier, 'and I want you, Brother Leo, to accompany him, and in doing so to capture his likeness on your pad. No one knows where he is off to, but there is seriousness in his eye that I have never seen before. That is what I want you to capture in your drawing, the deep penetration of his gaze when he considers what only a saint can perceive. The portrait you produce will be the official representation of the future saint, so pray to the Blessed Mother that she may guide your hand.'" Before setting out on their journey Brother Leo said to Francis "The second thing I ask is that you teach me the true meaning of peace and prayer. I have listened to you for years, all the ways you honor and express the holy teachings, but it is so hard for me to understand. I ask that, as we travel forward on this path, you take the time to explain your deeper understanding of the 'peace that surpasseth understanding.' If you will do these things I will be so very grateful, and will follow you anywhere. I will also draw a portrait that will rival the works of the masters." And that is what this book is all about - the journey from Assisi to Syria, the lessons learned along the way and how the prayer "Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace" evolves and develops through their conversation during their journey carrying the message of peace to the infidel. I share with you some snippets which are representative of the book and which made an impression on me. Perhaps they will help you to decide whether this book is for you."You see, Brother Leo, before we can accept the true meaning of peace, a transformation is required which shakes the very foundation of our lives. This transformation requires that we lay aside all the concepts and beliefs we presently hold, and accept a new vision offered by the Mind of the Beloved. If we think we already have the answer, if we are hard in our ways and closed in our thoughts, then we cannot hea

The best, most simple book of how to Love

This book is amazing. I use it every day as part of my morning prayer and meditation time, and will continue to do so for many years to come. It is a simple, straight forward way to remind yourself every day how to Love without Judgement. I just ordered 10 copies for Christmas presents.

Message of Divine Love

For peace lovers everywhere, this book explains line by line in the Prayer of St. Francis how the presence of peace and love consumes and enlightens the heart, mind and spirit. Although a short book, I took two months to read it. Why? Each line of the St. Francis prayer resonated within my being and I felt compelled to take time to absorb the spiritual message. You may find as I did that when I did take this time, the message found a comfortable place to stay in my heart. You will be deeply touched by the gentle reminders of why we are here. As this book points out, "our purpose for being here is to learn how to love". Peace.

An absolute "must read".

Rarely do I find a book which I am unwilling to put down, and even more rarely do I find a book which I do not want to end, "Portrait of the Master" is such a book. The love that unfolds within these pages is overwhelming. As well it should be, for it is a story of Francis of Assisi. It is the story of his journey to meet with the Sultan to end the crusades. It is the story of his brother doing a portrait of him, and it is the story of his prayer:Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.Above all it is a story of love, and a story of a man who achieved great joy in life by modeling the life of his master, Jesus of Nazareth. The author, James F. Twyman is a long time student of "A Course in Miracles", and his dedication to, and understanding of, the Course shines in this story of St. Francis. My only complaint about the book was it's length, at 143 pages, I kept wishing it was twice as long. If, in my whole life, I could only read five books, this would be one of them.

A Book to Read and ReRead

I've just finished this very inspiring story of St.Francis of Assisi. Woven around his prayer "Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace" this book opens up, in a very simple way the main principles found in "A Course in Miracles". I've studied ACIM for over 10 years and I feel more enlightened and feel I have a clearer understanding as a result of reading and enjoying this book. If I was stranded on a desert island, this is one book I would want with me (along with the Bible, ACIM, and Divine Guidance by Doreen Virtue).