This book was written by a Vietnamese Cardinal who presents himself as a humble ex-prisoner. He spent more than thirteen years in prison, nine of which were in solitary confinement. Cardinal Van Thuan wrote of his experience: "After my liberation from prison many people said: "Father, you must have had a lot of time to pray in prison." Then he continued to say "The Lord allowed me to experience all my weakness, my physical and mental fragility. Time passes slowly in prison, above all in isolation. Imagine a week, one month, two months and more...of silence. They are terribly long, but when they become years, they are an eternity. There were days when, exhausted by fatigue and sickness, I did not manage to say a single prayer!" Ultimately, Cardinal Thuan looked to Jesus as a model for prayer.
"Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do" (Lk. 23:34).
"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (Lk. 23:42).
"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit" (Lk. 23:46).
Cardinal Thuan said that these short prayers help him to "sanctify everything".
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