Every saint and renowned spiritual director through the ages has said the same thing: if we desire to become saints, we must spend time daily in meditation. With this book, Fr. John Bartunek has created an extensive, Christ-centered resource to serve as your daily meditation companion. The Better Part offers a practical explanation of Christian meditation as well as material to draw from during your meditations, including a Bible study on the Gospels, a survey of saints' writings, and a handy guide to prayer. As you learn to read, meditate upon, absorb, and apply the Gospels to your life, you'll also find ways to personalize your times of prayer, allowing you to follow the Holy Spirit's lead along the path of holiness. Open these pages to discover the methods of meditation that best suit you, develop your friendship with Christ, and experience the true Christian joy of a deep, fruitful life of prayer. "Father Bartunek brings to bear immense intellectual and spiritual gifts in offering a gem of insight in every Gospel meditation throughout the thousand-page volume. Father Bartunek festoons his narrative promptings with quotations from hundreds of saints, alongside relevant passages from papal documents and the Catechism. The deftness with which he has integrated the Tradition of the Church is breathtaking." Stephen Mirarchi Writer, National Catholic Register --Personal Endorsement Fr. John Bartunek, LC, S.Th.D., received his BA in History from Stanford University in 1990. He comes from an evangelical Christian background and became a member of the Catholic Church in 1991. After college he worked as a high school history teacher, drama director, and baseball coach. He then spent a year as a professional actor in Chicago before entering the religious Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ in 1993. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 2003 and earned his doctorate in moral theology in 2010. He provided spiritual support on the set of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ while researching the 2005 Catholic best seller, Inside the Passion , the only authorized, behind-the-scene explanation of the film. Fr. John has contributed news commentary regarding religious issues on NBC, CNN, Fox, and the BBC. He also served as the English-language press liaison for the Vatican's 2005 Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist. His most widely known book is called The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer. His most recent books are Seeking First the Kingdom: 30 Meditations on How to Love God with All Your Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength, and Answers: Catholic Advice for Your Spiritual Questions. Fr. John currently splits his time between Rhode Island and Rome, where he teaches theology at Mater Ecclesiae College and Regina Apostolorum. In his Order's General Directorate in Rome, he continues his writing apostolate. Fr. John answers questions about the spiritual life at SpiritualDirection.com.