Crucifixion Church
Faith Formation Dept.

 

Blogging for Books Reviews

 

 

 

The Perfect Wedding Gift

 

Jesus the Bridegroom – Dr. Brant Pitre

 

"While many a man throughout history has jokingly described his wedding day as his funeral, Jesus of Nazareth is the only man who ever solemnly described his funeral as his wedding day."

The concept of the Church as the "Bride of Christ" is so integral to Catholic theology because of God's plan for marriage, that man and women become "one flesh". It is this sense of unity that Jesus meant to convey in His many parables that related communion with God in heaven as a marriage supper or wedding banquet, symbolically portrayed in John's Gospel in the Wedding at Cana. The idea that those who take religious vows "marry Jesus" (in the case of sisters) or "marry the Church" (in the case of priests, acting in the person of Christ) is often misunderstood and even ridiculed, but if seen through the lens that Pitre so elogantly states in this relatively short, but profound, work, it is not only better understood but more fully appreciated.

One of the beauties of this and the many works like it by Pitre and his contemporaries is that it is as much pact with insightful, critical and biblical information as it is a labor of love. It shows true understanding of the topic when he is able to present the information, but also show its incredible implications for the life of a Catholic. I often feel, as I did with this book, a sort of "preaching to the choir" tone in that one's mind needed to already be predisposed to accepting the information before hearing it. This is not to discount the novelty of the information, its veracity or its importance. What one must realize before starting is that Pitre writes with the pen of a teacher, who expects a certain trust from his students when the course begins, not necessarily needing to convince them of this truth, but to help them better understand and appreciate what they had already accepted or hadn't previously considered. With that in mind, the information he provides could certainly be repurposed to the end of convincing someone, but the tone and presentation would have to be adjusted.

Being one of the aforementioned "predisposed" minds, I greatly enjoyed the book and found myself re-examining the Scripture verses he cites, which is beneficial for my own spiritual enrichment but also validates his thesis. The chapter on the Wedding at Cana alone provides you with not only a new and profound appreciation for Jesus, but also for His Blessed Mother as we are shown a glimpse of the incredible death her knowledge of the Scriptures and their relation to the Messiah was. As stated before, this book will prove useful to the already convinced Catholic who enjoys delving deeper into the ideas that sometimes seem to high to grasp. It will also help the develop a deeper and more meaningful relationship with God, one that is truly meant to be as united as a married couple, because that's what we are as Christ's Bride, the Church.

Pages: approx.. 208
Original publication year: 2014  

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

 

 

Presents of their Presence, Our Companions in Communion: A Review of Hahn's Angels and Saints

 

Angels and Saints: A Biblical Guide to Friendship with God’s Holy Ones – Scott Hahn

ISBN: 9780307590794

 

When I first saw the title of this book, and nothing more than the title mind you, I was not very enthused simply because I assumed I knew what the content would be based on the ingredients: Devout Catholic author/teacher/dad, "Saints" in the title, which meant this would be yet another series of personal reflections on someone's favorite Saints and how they have helped in his spiritual journey.

While that is there, told with wit and wisdom that only years of experience, in the classrooms of both home and school, have attuned, that is not all. Each chapter does focus on a different Angel/Saint to guide the reader through the individual themes of the book, but there is an interaction between the chapters that creates a communion, if you will, that emphasizes the main theme of the whole book. This is the Saints' real interaction with us in our daily lives and our responsibility to open ourselves up to this communication with our perfected brothers and sisters in Christ. This sense of real relationship with the Saints has been lost by many Catholics whose intercession is taken for granted. It is this sense of relationship, one that should mirror our relationship with Christ, of whom the Saints are the "imitators" that St. Paul tells us we should all be, that must be re-established for a greater development in our devotion to both the Saints and to Christ.

What separates this book is its emphasis on the Saints' interaction with us, this communion they share with Christians. These words and images are being used purposely because of where this interaction, this Communion, takes place most profoundly this side of heaven, which is the Mass. Using Hahn's M.O. of intense biblical scholarship to not only validate this Catholic "Tradition" but also to show its genius and beauty, he highlights the importance of the Mass and the Saints presence there, as stated in the book of Revelation. It is our recognition of this presence that establishes our relationship, and eventually love, with these great followers of Christ of whom we look to for inspiration, guidance, and encouragement.

Original publication year: 2014
Pages: approx. 208

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

 

 

New Additions in a New Edition

 

Catholic Dictionary – Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.

ISBN: 978-0-307-88634-7

 

What I had come to expect from the late Fr. John Hardon is a clear and concise explanation about any matter regarding the Catholic faith. Having read numerous articles posted by other fans of his I was somewhat familiar. Though a dictionary is made to be very dry, its content is essential to a full understanding of the content. In discussing and teaching the faith, I have found the most common problem to be that an individual comes into the situation with a different definition or association with a particular word, idea or belief (papal infallibility is the first of many examples that come to mind). With this in mind it is clear how important it is to define one's terms or you may be discussing two different things, disagreeing when you should be agreeing, and with that in mind it is clear how important a resource like this would be. Because the Catholic Church is always growing in its already rich Tradition, it is essential that updates are made (just like an English dictionary). In a way, it illustrates the nature of the Church as a servant of the people, even in its language.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One Questions, Ten Answers, Eternity at Stake

 

Why Be Catholic: Ten Answers to a Very Important Question – Patrick Madrid

ISBN: 9780307986436

 

Though I first knew Madrid as an editor, blogger and speaker, he has a number of books, primarily apologetic in nature, to his credit. While this one is also apologetic in it ultimately defends the reasons he gives, it also is reminiscent of his personal touch as a speaker since the reasons he gives, while technical, are also personal. This book, more than some of his other “reasons” books, that to come mind, tells a story along with the helpful information for the burgeoning apologetic, making it an effective or not only apologetics, but also evangelization.

Like most defenders of the Catholic faith, Madrid is not out to win arguments, but souls. It is the soul Madrid speaks to here, though he may travel through the mind first. In reasing, I’m reminded of hearing a speaker at a conference who not only presents the evidence and lets it stand on its ow, but seeks to persuade or reengage his hearers. In an interview, he said the book was about helping Catholics “understand” and “appreciate” the Faith. This “pearl of great price” many of us have taken for granted out of perceived familiarity and/or repetition. Sometimes the same reasons we all knew were there just need to be re-presented in an accessible, personal, and enthusiastic way, something “Why Be Catholic,” and Madrid succeeds in doing.

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

 

 

 

Densely Packed Makes for High “Mass”

 

The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth – Scott Hahn

ISBN: 9780385496599

 

In Hahn’s conversion story, he cites his removed, academic approach to his first Mass, one that quickly became a holy longing for Christ in the Eucharist, which led him eventually to the Catholic Church. It was precisely when he started to notice at this Mass its foundation in the Bible, particularly highlighted in this book by Revelation. Replete with verses to support all of the interesting connections made in this book, Hahn takes the rich, heavenly Tradition that helped form this ancient and sacred liturgy. Hahn, in this as with all of his popular works, takes his magnifying glass to the light of God’s Written Word and sets the object of study, as well as his reader, on fire for that aspect of the faith.

 

To unformed or ill-formed Catholics, the Mass appears dry, dull and ritualistic with no practical or spiritual value. To non-Catholics, the Mass appears confusing, superstitious, and even sacrilegious. What Hahn does so clearly and beautifully in one of his most popular books is to show that not only does the Mass have practical and spiritual value, but, when properly understood, it is the most exciting, clear, faithful event in our lives and the true height of our worship: what the Catechism calls the “source and summit” of our faith.

 

Being the master of the response to, “where is that in the Bible,” Hahn is able to pull from both Old and New Testaments to support the claims he makes concerning about the book of Revelation, considered by most Christians (Catholics and non-Catholics alike) as the most confusing and cryptic books of the Bible. Because of this, many Christians throw up their hands in frustration and leave the only popular interpretation available as that of the sensationalistic “doomsday” preacher, which hurts the overall credibility of the Bible. The typical teacher, Hahn guides the reader to a most informed, reasonable approach that is not only faithful to the Church, but to history and the context of genre and geography.

Not only will this help the Catholic better appreciate the heaven on earth he/she has the option to receive every day, as well as the non-Catholic understand the background of this truly Christian practice, hopefully losing some of the prejudices associated with it, but will also allow for any reader hoping to foster a evenhanded, but faithful, approach God’s Written Word.

 

Some memorable quotes from The Lamb’s Supper:

“Catholics don’t just hear the Gospel. In the liturgy, we hear, see, smell, and taste it.”

“[W]e are fighting spiritual forces…If we had to fight them alone, we’d be trounced…The solution is the Mass, when heaven touches down to save an earth under siege.”

“God dwells among mankind, right now, because the Mass is heaven on earth.”

 

Original publication year: 1999

Pages: 174

 

 

 

Sacramental Exposure

 

Lord Have Mercy – Dr. Scott Hahn

ISBN:

 

In titling the book "Lord, Have Mercy," Dr. Hahn does not explicitly use the word "confession" in what I can only assume is to make the book more accessible to Catholics with an aversion to the Sacrament and non-Catholic with an ignorance of it. One cannot help but enjoy the sly irony in this intentional exclusion when one considers that the word sacrament original meaning was similar to "hidden". Hidden in all of the Sacraments, perhaps more so in Confession than any other besides the Eucharist, is the grace that God bestows on His children. Underneath the discomfort, shame and "judgment" that many associate with this great Sacrament lies a rich biblical heritage that Hahn is most qualified to expound upon where the best possible, and most correct, association could only be that of mercy. One would most benefit from first rereading the parable of the Prodigal Son to provide the biblical basis for the mercy on which Hahn so eloquently reflects and uses for the cover of this book. For the Catholic who has not attended Confession in years, the Catholic defending and strengthening one's personal faith, or the non-Catholic wondering from where this seemingly strange practice originates, this concise, clear and clever book proves a valuable resource.

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Signs for the Spiritual Journey of Life

 

 

Signs of Life – Dr. Scott Hahn

ISBN:

 

What makes Dr. Hahn so effective in his writing of biblical theology and apologetics is not the encyclopedic knowledge of the Old and New Testaments, though it provides a strong foundation, but his ability to see the relationship between the two and make those connections easy for the reader to follow. In following perhaps the exegetical maxim of the New Testament being concealed in the Old and the Old Testament being revealed in the New, Hahn takes the Bible, being read through the eyes of the Church, and applies it to our daily life, or journey, which is exactly what the Sacraments are meant to do. Despite his extensive education in this field, Hahn does not preach from an ivory tower, but is accessible to the "armchair theologian". The best witness to this is not necessarily the language he uses, but the real, everyday experience that he will include into his rich theological texts to draw the reader in. Having experienced an aversion and even revulsion to anything Catholic and Sacramental, Hahn writes with no vendetta or vitriol towards non-Catholics but in an inviting, charitable tone, mirroring the Sacraments that he defends to vehemently.

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Pope, Good Read, Good God, Let’s Meet!

 

Journal of a Soul – Pope St. John XXIII

ISBN: 9780385497541

 

Upon first seeing there was an autobiography from this modern spiritual giant, I must say I was guilty of disappointment for the seemingly generic nature of its title. Upon further reflection of its content, as well as other anecdotal evidence from this “Good Pope’s” life, the word “Soul” could not have been a better choice because this man had so much of it. Oftentimes, the misconceptions those unfamiliar with Catholicism have with various aspects of the Church and its hierarchy can be dispelled simply by looking at the example set by those the Church esteems so highly, her Saints, of which Guiseppe Roncalli will be canonized April 27th. Born to such humble and devout beginnings, Roncalli juxtaposed exactly what he came to embody, the pomp, the apparent royal nature, he always was the sharp, witty farm boy that those who were close to him saw. Having read his biography and heard other stories associated with his part in Vatican II, it is refreshing to hear from the source his thoughts and feelings on the matters that he felt important, on what affected him. Though it was what everyone could see that made him beloved in his time, it is perhaps what no one saw that will make him remembered in all times.

 

Original Publication Year: 1999

Pages: approx. 544

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives – Pope Benedict XVI

ISBN: 9780385346405

 

Though the final installment of Benedict’s three part series on the life of Christ, it focuses on the earliest, and most mysterious, part of Jesus’ life. Heavily influenced by the Gospel of Luke, as it is the one that provides the most material for Jesus’ childhood, there are also some interesting connections made to the other Gospels, particularly the parallels Benedict draws to the prologue of John (ch. 1, vv. 1-14). While the biblical content is sparse and lacks detail, Benedict is able to draw from prominent commentary to allow the reader to fill in the blanks that the inspired author didn’t include. What is most helpful are the insights given regarding the role of the Roman emperor in the Incarnation as well as the background and character of the Magi. Written in a clear and concise manner, The Infancy Narratives will provide useful information and profound reflection, especially during the Advent season.

 

Some memorable quotes from The Infancy Narratives:

“Mary is the new beginning. Her child does not originate from any man, but is a new creation, conceived through the Holy Spirit…in the end it is Mary, the lowly virgin form Nazareth, in whom a new beginning takes place, in whom human existence starts afresh.”

“The kingdom that Jesus proclaimed…applies to man in the depths of his being and it opens him toward the true God. The peace of Jesus is a peace that the world cannot give.”

“God is love. But loe can also be hated when it challenges us to transcend ourselves.”

“Jesus’ freedom is not the freedom of the liberal. It is the freedom of the Son, and thus the freedom of the truly devout person.”

 

Original publication year: 2012

Pages: approx. 132

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

 

 

Finding Family in the Church, and Building a Church in Family

 

First Comes Love – Scott Hahn

ISBN: 9780385496629

 

One doesn’t commonly associate the concept of family as a theological matter, less so a human symbol of the Holy Trinity. Just it requires extraordinary grace to form and maintain a family, so too do we see this grace shape Dr. Hahn’s sacramental worldview that is present throughout what I have found to be his most readable book (which is saying something if one is familiar with the works of Dr. Hahn). Always the biblical theologian, Hahn takes the reader through the Bible, starting with God’s creation of the first family, Adam and Eve, to the Holy Family, culminating in the New Adam, the perfect Son, Jesus. Though not academic, what would probably be considered the most engaging, personal, and enjoyable part of the book at the snippets of his own love story with his wife and the formation of their own family. What I found most helpful was his section on the Jewish context of family and tribe and how that would have affected the family unit before and during the time of Christ. I would probably classify this book as one of Hahn’s least academic overall in nature, though I do not say this as a detriment and with the caveat that there is still much to learn and reflect upon, especially when it concerns something so essential to mankind and also so widely accessible. This would be the perfect book study for a parish marriage formation program. Always replete with classic Hahn wit and gems of wisdom, this book is sure to be enjoyed by couples, ministers, laypersons and armchair theologians the world over.

 

Some memorable quotes from First Comes Love:

“God knows, it is not good for us to be alone. He doesn’t want us to be alone. It’s the oldest story in the world, and it’s written into our very human nature: He wants us home.”

“Romance suffices, in a limited way, to take a man outside himself. Children suffice to draw a loving couple beyond their starry-eyed mutual gaze.”

“God gave us life in a natural family to lead us to a greater life, a larger family, a supernatural family: a family as big as God.”

 

Original publication year: 2002

Pages: approx. 210

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shedding אוֹר on the Mystery of Faith

 

Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist: Unlocking the Secrets of the Last Supper – Brant Pitre

ISBN: 9780385531849

 

What is probably the most taken-for-granted aspect of Christianity, and especially Catholic Christianity, is its Jewish roots. What with the disregard many, other than seminarians and theology majors, have for the non-anecdotal, “boring,” parts of the Old Testament, this should come as no surprise. This is not said with any air of superiority on my own part, as I am just as guilty, but with a humble acknowledgement of ignorance, which leads to, at its best, a lack of recognition for the beauty in Catholic liturgy and theology, and, at its worse, a disregard for that liturgy and theology. Pitre, both a theologian and a seminary professor, beautifully synthesizes thousands of years and pages worth of Scripture and biblical commentary, both Christian and Jewish, to recreate the Last Supper as Jesus would have seen it, and how it not only confirmed His identify as the long-awaited Messiah, but also the “new Moses” and harbinger of the new Passover that was only realized in the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus. This is the first step for any Christian who wants to better understand the mysterious, or sacramental, words or phrases that Jesus uses on that last night with His Apostles and how it has shaped Christian Tradition, belief and practice for nearly 2,000 thousand years. While more academic than devotional in nature, the truths that Pitre so clearly and eloquently presents in this relatively short work will surely create a newfound sense of appreciation, and more importantly, reverence for Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, a task of which we will always be in great need, and for which we owe Pitre a great debt of gratitude.

 

Some memorable quotes from Jewish Roots of the Eucharist:

“Jesus is not just (just is in italics) a new Moses. He is also the new Israel, the chosen Son of God, who will undergo the new Exodus in his own person.”

“Jesus not only kept the Jewish Passover, he also deliberately altered it, thereby instituting a new Passover.”

“Jesus would brook no compromise on the mystery of his body and blood. It was the litmus test I'd discipleship.”

“[T]he mystery of Jesus' presence in the Eucharist is closely tied to the mystery of his divine identity…if he was the divine (italics) Son of God then, the new bread and wine of his new covenant or not just symbols.”

“By means of the Last Supper, Jesus transformed the Cross into a Passover, and by means of the Cross, he transformed the Last Supper into a sacrifice.”

“When it comes to the richness of the Christian tradition, many of its most profound insights into the Bible have not been lost, only overlooked by those of us who do not know them. They are there, present, just waiting to be discovered and realized anew.”

 

Original publication year: 2011

Pages: approx. 228

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

All is Grace in this Confession

 

Confessions – St. Augustine

ISBN: 9780385029551

 

In his most well-known and influential work, St. Augustine “confesses” the part of his life where he tried to run away from God. He also gives his conversion through the grace of God. A spiritual classic often quoted by many Catholics and non-Catholics alike, this new and revolutionary work was ahead of its time in its content and spiritual insight. What has touched so many in the centuries since its publication is the honesty of this great Saint. When one considers the fact that St. Augustine in the most often cited theologian in Church history, it is strikingly refreshing to see one who struggled so much with purity and sin. While more spiritual than theological, perhaps to its popular benefit, Confessions seeks to point one’s gaze toward God, making the study of God possible and more easily accessible. Don’t think of this book as “theology of St. Augustine in a nutshell” because that will greatly limit this giant in the development of Church doctrine. Think more of this as one small facet of St. Augustine’s, and the Church’s, theology that he chooses to highlight and apply to his own life, but not comprehensively explain in a single document (for that, one should probably look to his work “On Grace and Free Will”). Here one can simply see the progress of a very holy and intelligent person who follows the path from sin to salvation through Jesus.

 

Some memorable quotes from Confessions are:

“Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.”

“I was born into this life which leads to death—or should I say, this death which leads to life?”

“But my sin was this, that I looked for pleasure, beauty, and truth not in him but in myself and his other creatures, and the search led me instead to pain, confusion, and error.”

 

Original Publication Year: 398

Pages: approx. 352

 

 

 

This man (or men) composes, and God dispenses

 

The Imitation of Christ – Thomas à Kempis

ISBN: 9780385028615

 

Since its publication, The Imitation of Christ has become one of the most popular and inspirational Christian devotional books. In this book Thomas à Kempis stresses repentance and making ourselves an imitation of Christ. He shows remarkable wisdom in the works and character of God. Imitation especially emphasizes the importance of prayer and grace through the Eucharist. Believed to have been compiled by a group of monks but given the name of one (believed by many to be a pseudonym), I cannot think of a better product of the contemplative life other than perhaps the Gospel of John itself. Here we not only have the timeless truths of the Bible re-presented in an accessible way, but we also have the product of intense contemplation and reflection on those truths. Other than the Bible itself, there is no other book more used for one’s spiritual growth because of this. Take time to read the book that has inspired numerous Saints including St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuit Order, and St. Thomas More, English martyr for the faith.

 

Some memorable quotes from The Imitation of Christ:

“For man proposes, God disposes”

“At the Day of Judgment we shall not be asked what we have read, but what we have done”

“Without the Way, there is no going//Without the Truth, there is no knowing//Without the Life, there is no living”

 

Original Publication Year: 1427

Pages: approx. 288

 

 

 

 

 

The Orthodox Paradox, Presented Orderly

 

Orthodoxy – G.K. Chesterton

ISBN: 9780307823083

 

In perhaps his most quotable work, which is considered a classic in Christian apologetics, G.K. Chesterton shows how Christianity is not just a reasonable faith to hold, but the most reasonable and how it is actually unreasonable to hold beliefs contrary to it. Written in the time and culture greatly affected by “rationalism,” one can see the very specific targets and responses that inspired this particular work. While it is used and revered amongst all Christian denominations, Chesterton also shows his Catholicism in defending his “Orthodox” or “traditional” beliefs. Chesterton also defends the idea of objective truth, which today is constantly under attack by the idea of relativism. Since Christianity has often been attacked as unreasonable and is continually done so today, Chesterton seeks to show the reasonability of Christianity; especially the aspect of Christianity that is least understood and most attacked – its reliance on paradox. Chesterton was considered by all, except jokingly perhaps maybe himself, an extremely intelligent and charitable mind in debating the great questions, many of which he discusses here. Though not considered as powerful, evangelistic or personal as his other classic, The Everlasting Man, this book will equip the modern man, or post-modern man, with the tools needed to defend one’s faith, especially the Christian faith, in the face of the recycled objections, He states that when one is honestly seeking the Truth, without the impediment of one’s desires, one will find God, Jesus and His Church.

 

Some memorable quotes in Orthodoxy:

“The poet only asks to get his head into the heavens. It is the logician who seeks to get the heavens into his head. And it is his head that splits.”

“The believers in miracles accept them (rightly or wrongly) because they have evidence for them. The disbelievers in miracles deny them (rightly or wrongly) because they have a doctrine against them.”

“Tradition is only democracy extended through time.”

 

Original Publication Year: 1908

Pages: approx. 168

 

 

 

 

 

Verbum Et!

 

Catholic Bible Dictionary- Scott Hahn

ISBN: 9780385512299

 

As part of my work in religious education, I will peruse many Catholic Source Books, Encyclopedias, Biblical Commentaries and Dictionaries. Though dry at times, these prove valuable resources in finding clear, concise and succinct understandings of what one holds dear in the faith, making the communication of those truths possible. Dr. Hahn adds his work to the long line of comprehensive resource materials. Any philosopher will tell you that without first defining one’s terms, any vain search for truth will be without guidance and end in frustration or further misunderstanding. Just as the Bible itself acts as the foundation or all Catholic Christian doctrine, this Dictionary will act as a foundation for understanding of God’s Written Word, leading to a greater defense and propagation of the pearl of great price.

 

Original publication year: 2009

Pages: approx. 1008

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

 

 

Behold, Your Mother, Your Beholden

 

Hail, Holy Queen: Understanding the Mother of God in the Word of God – Scott Hahn

ISBN: 978-0385501699

 

Many converts to Catholicism will cite the Church’s devotion to Mary as the primary obstacle to overcome, especially the doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and Assumption as well as the title “Queen of Heaven”. For Hahn, a biblical scholar and minister, this was the case. It was when he started to recognize the “types,” or symbols, of Mary present throughout the Old Testament that he understood what the Church has always taught; the product of this realization is this book. Just as the Bible is Christ centered, so too are there various figures, items and events that revolve around Christ’s mother. The story of our salvation can be traced back to its need in our Fall of the first Adam, undone by the new and second Adam, Jesus. It is this same principle that is applied to our first Eve, who tied the knot of salvation, only to be untied by the new and second Eve, Mary. It is through this and many other examples that one not only gains a better appreciation for the Mother of God, but also for the written word of God. Though the many objections and questions concerning Mary that Hahn presents in this book were answered in the nascence of Christianity, it is Hahn’s recapitulation and restatements of these answers that allows for the modern reader to better process and accept them. With his disarming humor, Hahn lays out the most common objections that are used to attack Catholicism and how they became his strongest points of devotion to whom he finally accepted as Jesus’ mother and his own. Discover for yourself what he did about Jesus’ mother, his mother and our mother too.

 

Some memorable quotes from Hail Holy Queen:

“For Mary fills the pages of Scripture from the beginning of the first book through the end of the last. She was there, in God’s plan, from beginning of time…and she will be there at the moment everything is fulfilled.”

“If we are to come to know the brotherhood of Jesus Christ, we must come to know the mother whom we share with Jesus Christ.”

“…when I look down at my own beads [of the Rosary]…It suggests a queen’s crown, a mother’s encircling arms.”

 

Year published: 2001

Approx. # of pages: 191

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

 

Comprehensive, accessible, beautiful…just like the Church

 

Catholicism – Journey to the heart of the Faith – Fr. Robert Barron

ISBN 13: 978-0307720511

 

Written with his documentary series on the Catholic faith, Fr. Robert Barron provides much of the same information in a written format. Though it may seem wanting when compared to the video series in its visual component, stressed highly by Fr. Barron himself, what the written format provides is the opportunity for individual reflection. Fr. Barron writes clearly from a wide variety of religious and non-religious sources, one may even notice phrases that are used verbatim in the video series. This provides a wonderful continuity between the two mediums, acting as a scaffold for one who wants to absorb every detail of the infinite ocean that is the Catholic faith. This book is able to take very abstract religious ideas and solidify them concretely to the reader, making theology understandable to everyone. This is an extremely helpful resource and will give one an even more comprehensive look at the pearl of great price- the Catholic Church.

 

**Some memorable quotes from Catholicism:**

“Part of the genius of the Catholic tradition is that it never throws anything out.”

“On that cross, God went to the limits of godforsakeness and made even death itself a place of hope.”

"[…] think of God as an absolutely intense white light that, when refracted in creation, expresses itself in an infinite variety of colors. The saints reflect particular colors […]”

 

*Original Publication Year: 2011

Pages: approx. 279*

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

 

Straight from the Papa’s mouth…in context

 

Between Heaven and Earth – Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis) & Abraham Skorka

ISBN 13: 9780770435066

 

Before he was Pope Francis, Cardinal Bergoglio was the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, an ethnically and religiously diverse culture. Written in an easy-to-follow dialog format reminiscent of Pope Francis’ inviting personality, Between Heaven and Earth is a discussion between two learned, prayerful and compassionate area leaders of their respective faith traditions. Skorka, a leading Argentinean Jewish rabbi, provides a wise perspective perhaps little known to a modern American Catholic. Skorka provides at several points gems of wisdom that helps the average Catholic appreciate the long faith Tradition from which he, and him or herself, comes. While there were various times where I found myself feeling somewhat disjointed because of the fragmented nature of the book, I can appreciate the overall picture painted of two incredibly intellectual, yet faithfully devout, men. If one wants to better know how our Pope feels about current issues of faith and morality, without secular media’s interpretation, Between Heaven and Earth is a great place to hear from the Holy Father’s mouth.

 

Some memorable quotes from Between Heaven and Earth:

“Sometimes, there are moments of silence that, in themselves, constitute a sort of answer.”

“If they do not hear about G-d, children get the idea that reality centers on people, on themselves.”

“If honoring our parents were easy, there would be no need for a divine commandment.”

 

Original publication year: 2010

Pages: approx. 236

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

Got a Light? Theological Chain Smoking Between Popes…

 

The Light of Faith (Lumen Fidei) - Pope Francis

ISBN 13: 9780804185851

 

In the first encyclical of his pontificate, Pope Francis begins by expounding on the foundational virtue of faith. While belonging to Francis in name, Lumen Fidei bears the powerful fingerprints of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, highlighting the essential and underappreciated continuity between popes and friends. Francis writes specifically on the light of clear thinking that faith brings if we persevere in it. Using the Old and New Testaments, he gives concrete examples, from Abraham to Our Blessed Mother, of those who first believed then understood. Lumen Fidei reflects beautifully what Francis has made such a prominent theme in his young papacy, which is the hands-on approach to the seemingly unreachable theological concepts. While the book itself speaks toward the individual Christian’s need of discipleship, one that sits at the feet of these great modern teachers of our faith in obedient study; it also screams at the individual Christian’s equal responsibility for apostleship, one who is sent, to preach what was absorbed in that study as well. This book is a perfect introduction to the thinking of our new pope on a perpetually important issue and acts as spiritual fuel as we run the race of salvation in Jesus Christ.

 

Some memorable quotes from Lumen Fidei:

"The Church is a Mother who teaches us to speak the language of faith."

"Faith is not a light which scatters all our darkness, but a lamp which guides our steps in the night and suffices for the journey."

 

Original publication year: 2013

Pages: approx. 90

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

A “Personal Search” That Finds “The Way” Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration – Pope Benedict XVI

 

ISBN: 978-0385523417

 

From his “personal search for the face of the Lord,’” Benedict takes a lifetime of study, teaching and preaching to compile his series of three books about the life of Jesus, the focus of this book being the ministry of Jesus. The great paradox of Benedict’s work in Christology is his purification of the superfluous and unfaithful teachings about Jesus while retaining the incredibly complex, yet coherent, beliefs about Him that have been handed down since the Apostles and discovered and developed by the great minds of the Church’s history. Using the three synoptic Gospels as a cohesive unit, Benedict integrates both theological insight and spiritual reflection on the words and actions of Jesus. While the majority of this book’s references come from Matthew, Mark and Luke, it devotes a chapter to significant points in John, focusing in its beautiful imagery. An aspect both intellectually and spiritually enriching is his investigation of the titles of Jesus used throughout the Gospel. Always the teacher, Benedict also includes a glossary and bibliography, enabling the reader to both build a solid foundation to his theological writing and search further for more and wider reading in the study of Christ. Assuredly stemming from his lifelong emphasis on continuity, Benedict pulls from a wide range of sources that span across the Church’s 2,000 year history, creating a bridge, or pontifex, that is sure to continue long after the great work of this holy man is finished, but will surely act as another piece that will lead one, in conjunction with God’s written Word, to the “way, the truth and the life”.

 

Some memorable quotes from Jesus of Nazareth:

“To ‘hunger and thirst for righteousness’ – that is the path that lies open to everyone; that is the way that finds its destination in Jesus Christ.”

“When man begins to see and to live from God’s perspective, when he is a companion on Jesus’ way, then he lives by new standards…Jesus brings joy into the midst of affliction.”

“Only by touching Jesus’ wounds and encountering his Resurrection are we able to grasp them, and then they become our mission.”

 

Original publication year: 2007

Pages: approx. 374

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

The Littlest Way to the Closest of Friends Three Gifts of Therese of Lisieux: A Saint for Our Times – Patrick Ahern

ISBN: 978-0385347891

 

Perhaps the most unconventional Church “Doctor,” or Teacher, the Church has ever known and may ever know, St. Therese of Lisiuex, many would argue, is also the most accessible. Not a woman of great letters, her formal education hardly went behind the equivalence of a diploma, or of explicit mysticism like the woman after whom she is named, St. Teresa of Avila, what she appeared to lack in these aspects she exceeded in a spiritual awareness and self-awareness that, instead of succumbing her to scrupulous despair from which she briefly suffered, led her to some of the most profound spiritual insight the world has seen. It is from her one work, her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, that Bishop Ahern draws the “Three Gifts”. Regarded as the most renowned Theresian scholar and great proponent of her promotion to “Doctor,” Ahern not only shares his comprehensive knowledge of her work, but also her self, stemming from his intense love for whom he considers his “closest of friends”. It is only from this friendship that such a work of intimacy could have been made. St. Therese truly understood God, therefore, she truly understood love, this meant she loved and understood herself, because of this, she truly understood people and how to love them. Thankfully, we have someone like Bishop Ahern who truly understands St. Therese. It is in this book that this understanding, in a concise and clear manner (perhaps the length of a mere 127 pages was an unconscious nod to her “little way”), is communicated to us.

 

Some memorable quotes from Three Gifts of Therese of Lisieux:

“Her [Therese’s] familiarity with God was not visionary or ecstatic but full of the innocence of childhood. She was at home with God.”

“What she [Therese] taught us to do was simply to love life the way it is and ourselves the way we are, to love what she called our ‘littleness’”.

“All that He [God] wants from us is that we allow Him to love us, and that we cast ourselves into His arms with blind confidence in His kindness.”

 

Original publication year: 2014

Pages: approx. 127

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.