In Jesus the Bridegroom, Brant Pitre once again taps into the wells of Jewish Scripture and tradition, and unlocks the secrets of what is arguably the most well-known symbol of the Christian faith: the cross of Christ. In this thrilling exploration, Pitre shows how the suffering and death of Jesus was far more than a tragic Roman execution. Instead, the Passion of Christ was the fulfillment of ancient Jewish prophecies of a wedding, when the God of the universe would wed himself to humankind in an everlasting nuptial covenant. To be sure, most Christians are familiar with the apostle Paul's teaching that Christ is the 'Bridegroom' and the Church is the 'Bride'. But what does this really mean? And what would ever possess Paul to compare the death of Christ to the love of a husband for his wife? If you would have been at the Crucifixion, with Jesus hanging there dying, is that how you would have described it? How could a first-century Jew like Paul, who knew how brutal Roman crucifixions were, have ever compared the execution of Jesus to a wedding? And why does he refer to this as the "great mystery" (Ephesians 5:32)? As Pitre shows, the key to unlocking this mystery can be found by going back to Jewish Scripture and tradition and seeing the entire history of salvation, from Mount Sinai to Mount Calvary, as a divine love story between Creator and creature, between God and Israel, between Christ and his bride--a story that comes to its climax on the wood of a Roman cross. In the pages of Jesus the Bridegroom, dozens of familiar passages in the Bible--the Exodus, the Song of Songs, the Wedding at Cana, the Woman at the Well, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, and even the Second Coming at the End of Time--are suddenly transformed before our eyes. Indeed, when seen in the light of Jewish Scripture and tradition, the life of Christ is nothing less than the greatest love story ever told.

From the remarkable Ha Jin, winner of the National Book Award for his celebrated novel Waiting, a collection of comical and deeply moving tales of contemporary China that are as warm and human as they are surprising, disturbing, and delightful. In the title story, the head of security at a factory is shocked, first when the hansomest worker on the floor proposes marriage to his homely adopted daughter, and again when his new son-in-law is arrested for the "crime" of homosexuality. In "After Cowboy Chicken Came to Town," the workers at an American-style fast food franchise receive a hilarious crash course in marketing, deep frying, and that frustrating capitalist dictum, "the customer is always right."Ha Jin has triumphed again with his unforgettable storytelling in The Bridegroom.

Named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2012 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes keeps winning reader awards for her gorgeously imagined books. If you're already a fan, you'll devour her new characters and if you haven't yet discovered the richly drawn worlds of Grace Burrowes, you're in for a treat.... "Memorable heroes. Intelligent, sensual love stories. This author knows what romance readers adore."—RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars His Family or His Heart — One of Them Will Be Betrayed... Ian MacGregor is wooing a woman who's wrong for him in every way. As the new Earl of Balfour, though, he must marry an English heiress to repair the family fortunes. But in his intended's penniless chaperone, Augusta, Ian is finding everything he's ever wanted in a wife. "Historical details enrich Burrowes's intimate and erotic story, but the real stars are her vibrant characters and her masterful ear for dialogue. Burrowes is superb at creating connections that feel honest and real."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

Be swept away on the Arizona frontier in a tale of passion, adventure and dangerous promises… Don’t miss this beloved classic from #1 New York Times bestselling author Linda Lael Miller. Undercover agent Gideon Yarbro is renowned for stopping outlaws almost before they commit a crime. But now he must stop a wedding—despite the bride’s resistance. Lydia Fairmont will lose everything if she doesn’t honor her betrothal to a heartless banker. The only loophole is if she marries someone else instead, but to her, one loveless match is the same as another. It’s not good enough for Gideon. Determined to honor his own decade-old promise to help Lydia, he carries her off to Stone Creek and makes her his reluctant wife. Forget a honeymoon for “show”—not with a vengeful ex-fiancé on their trail and a hired gun on the loose. But there just might be hope for the marriage…and two hearts meant for each other. Originally published in 2009

With the mind of a theologian and the heart of a pastor, Marc Cardinal Ouellet releases this timely book to help Catholics arrive at a deeper understanding of the Church's traditional teaching on the priesthood and the discipline of celibacy. As the Church rises to the duty of evangelization amid the challenges of secularism, Cardinal Ouellet sounds a clarion call to discover enduring solutions rooted in the basics of holiness. Cardinal Ouellet deftly draws the tradition into the present, adding fresh insights that challenge us to think anew about the beauty and power of the priesthood. He shows the deep connection between the ministerial priesthood of the clergy and the royal priesthood of all believers—how they are united in Christ's priesthood, and how they work together to build up the Kingdom of God on earth. Friends of the Bridegroom is a book not just about the priesthood but for priests, and should therefore find a welcome home in rectories and seminaries everywhere. It promises to confirm them confidently in their vocation, their hope in Christ, and remind them of their dignity and duties in relation to the challenges of the modern world. As the Church prepares for the Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon region, Cardinal Ouellet charts a path forward that is both sensitive to the missionary duties of the Church and steeped in Her incomparable and irreplaceable tradition. As the President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, Cardinal Ouellet knows and loves this land and its people; his prescription for the priesthood is full of evangelical zeal and pastoral warmth. This is an essential document for understanding not just the priesthood, but this pivotal moment in Church history.

Are you, like so many, seeking refreshment and restoration for your soul, as you walk through the desert of our present culture? Have you found only mirages and "false loves" as your soul thirsts for Living Water? Perhaps you already know Jesus and you recognize that He is exactly Whom your heart has been seeking. This book opens the pathway for a deeply personal and unique heart-to-heart relationship with Jesus. God tells us throughout the scriptures that His love for us is the love of a husband for his wife, spousal love. God desires to enter a marriage covenant with each and every human person. This short yet profound book, "Consecration to Christ the Bridegroom," leads the reader to a deep understanding of God's spousal love by describing, through Scriptures, art, and teachings of the saints including St. John Paul II, how the sacrificial life-giving love of Christ is spousal love in its purest form. This book contains 9 days of prayers and reflections leading up to your consecration and enthronement of Christ the Bridegroom as King and Spouse of your heart. Each of the 9 days includes a scripture reading and a reflection from the book, The Cantata of Love, a Verse by Verse Reading of The Song of Songs, by Ignatius Press. Thought-provoking questions invite the reader to meditate upon each day's content and apply to his/her own life. Through the 9-days of prayer and reflection, our hope is for the reader to foster a new relationship with Jesus; begin to develop heart to heart conversation and spousal prayer with Christ; and to respond to the Bridegroom's invitation to enter into a more personal and intimate spousal relationship. This consecration is a call to be set apart and made holy for Christ. As you grow in love of Him and drink deeply of His life-giving Love, you will realize that your emptiness is filled, your thirst is quenched, your aching heart is soothed and the spousal love you share with Him is overflowing into your relationships, your vocation, and your life.