One of my lifestyle changes for 2018 was to always have a book on my nightstand and to read 30 minutes minimum daily. This month, I forwent the digital search and browsed my library's shelves for the titles that spoke to me as well as finished Catholic titles on my personal shelves.
Women of the Word
In 2016, I made a goal to read and finish the Bible within a year. I succeeded, but at the start of 2017, my reading fell to the back burner as I finished my Confirmation class and then I found excuse after excuse to let my entire faith be reserved for Sunday. It wasn't until this past January, the 8th to be exact, that God called me to get back into my studies as fervently as before.
Jen Wilkin focuses on the surest ways to study the Bible and understand its intentions in Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with both our Hearts and our Minds. I didn't think I needed a reminder of how to study, but this book taught me the way that I needed to incorporate into my study sessions to better understand God's story, the individual book's story, and how it applies to me as a follower of God.
This is a title I recommend reading at least twice. The second time, come prepared to write down notes so that you remember the suggestions later when you don't have Wilkin's text in front of you. I also appreciate how she reiterated the need for interpreting the Bible on our own rather than solely relying on commentaries and sermons. God wants us to follow Him as ourselves, not as author so-and-so or pastor this-or-that.
I enjoyed this reading because it taught me how to be a more involved reader and how to apply every story to my character to improve and better imitate God's image.
What Pope Francis Really Said
When Pope Francis was chosen to lead the church in 2013, I hadn't yet been introduced to Catholicism. I knew as much about the pontificate as I did about international politics. However, in the last year I studied on what Pope Francis has ushered in: an age of love and acceptance.
Tom Hoopes explains the reality of our current pope in his work What Pope Francis Really Said: Words of Comfort and Challenge. Sometimes, it's difficult to understand the modern meaning of his heavy language (I'm very simplistic in mine and often need a dictionary), and other times, the media twists the words into the meaning that they want, either positive or negative. Hoopes repeats Pope Francis' words and actions and then translates them literally so the reader can decide what to view.
Hoopes wrote this to help himself understand the truth as much as his readership. I appreciate works like this because I often need additional help outside of the dictionary. Having someone, even if they are Catholic and can be viewed as biased by the opposing side, explain the literal message helps me to form my own opinion.
Pope Francis cannot change the church. No matter what the sin, the church does not approve. However, Pope Francis exudes love and peace from his person, and it is this openness that allows Catholics, non-Catholic Christians, and non-Christians the chance to learn about Catholicism and understand the true message of Jesus Christ.
Love and forgiveness. We are called for nothing else.
I highly recommend this book to boost your faith and hope in your church and its community. A strong leader is needed for any group or organization and even in a family, and so far, it looks like Pope Francis is an excellent choice to lead the Catholic Church.
Catholic Book of Prayers
I received this book as a gift from my confirmation teacher. Maurus Fitzgerald compiled the most common prayers used by Catholics, and it has proven invaluable to my studies and prayer life. I started reading it this month during my Holy Hour and so knew for certain that I read each and every passage in this little book.
I use this book daily for the Rosary, but it also provides great examples of prayer for the morning, afternoon, and evening; for the most popular saints; and for the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and the Holy Trinity. It also offers prayers to be said during communion and to express thanksgiving, adoration, and repentance, among others.
Reluctant Saint
St. Francis of Assisi is a name I hear often. My church is Franciscan, our nursery room is the St. Reluctant Saint: The Life of Francis of Assisi by Donald Spoto hoping to understand why everyone adores this man.Francis Room, and I believe there's a statue of him on our grounds (I need to check). However, his story is one I've always been unfamiliar with. I picked up
Let me start with, St. Francis of Assisi had an eccentric but engrossing past. I wanted to learn more about his lifestyle and how he shaped fellow believers, but Spoto wrote the book with textbook language. Every other word felt like it had four or more syllables where the vernacular would have worked just fine. The history was bogged down with too much detail and not enough narrative. The writing was so overly academic, I struggled to stay awake after reading ten pages in a sitting.
I'm not saying this is a bad book; in fact, it was quite informative and unbiased. However, I am not a historian. I like shows such as Expedition Unknown where the host is humorous and takes tangents like one would naturally, or where there is more narrative bits to make it feel like a story or movie versus a social studies lesson. I couldn't enjoy this title, but others might like it if it fits their taste.
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