It's Thankful Thursday! (Special spider hygge edition)
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Labels: books, eternal squee, gratitude, spiders, teh cuuute, thankful thursday, thankfulness
It's Thankful Thursday! (Special canceled bliss edition)
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Book love (too brief to be called a "review"): "Odd Thomas"
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Labels: beauty, books, dean koontz
It's Thankful Thursday!
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It's Thankful Thursday!
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It's Thankful Thursday!
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"A true adult reaches for reality, truth and possibility."
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Book review (preliminary): "My Daily Life"
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Who knew that flea racing scenes could be entertaining?
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::insert Cliff's kick-arse intro here::
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Labels: books, hears the silence so loud, metallica, music
It's Thankful Thursday!
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Seriously, read this book: "33 Days to Morning Glory"
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Labels: books, marian, mariology
Encyclicals and salmon and vigil Mass
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Ten books that've stayed with me
I don't usually play along with these things, but this'un actually grabbed my interest. So ...
I was pinged elsewhere by a pal to list 10 books that have stayed with me. They don't have to be the "right" books or great works of literature, just ones that have affected you in some way. The guidelines: 1) Don't take more than a few minutes, and 2) don't think too hard.
The instructions also say to tag 10 pals, including the one who tagged you, but I don't play that way. If you're reading and wanna join in, consider yourself tagged. :-)
My Ten Books:
- Hiroshima by John Hersey
- The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
- Soup for the King: A Fable by Leonard P. Kessler
- The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
- Deep Conversion, Deep Prayer by Fr. Thomas Dubay
- Happy Are You Poor: The Simple Life and Spiritual Freedom by Fr. Thomas Dubay
- Joseph the Silent by Michel Gasnier, OP
- The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
- Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy
- The Gate to Women's Country by Sheri S. Tepper
Labels: books
Ozzy & St. Thérèse
I keep a pile of books I'm reading next to my side of the bed (usually about 4 or so). The other night, when I looked over at it, I started laughing when I realized that I had these two autobiographies stacked one on the other.
Yep. Ozzy and St. Thérèse. Like peas 'n' carrots.
\m/
(Side note: In case you're wondering, I've got Zoya "Ginni" on my nails.)
Labels: books, ozzy osbourne, saints, st. thérèse
Purple polished biography
Check it out, you guys -- my nail polish (China Glaze "Spontaneous") matches the purple on Tony's cover, LOL!
I've been trying to read this for weeks, and have renewed it twice. Alas, it was due y'day, and I
still haven't finished! (I'm close; just got about 50 pages or so to go.) So, earlier tonight, Husband Mike demanded I hand it over so he could drop it off at the library when he went out to run errands, and as I reached for it (to get in some hurried reading before he left), that's when I noticed the color match!
Side note:
The book itself is quite charming. Tony writes in a conversational, casual style, and the chapters are all short, so it lends itself to quick bursts of reading (which, as it turns out, was all I've been able to manage with anything lately). It's as though you're sitting with him in a pub, chatting away and listening to him relate (often hysterical) episodes from his life. Nothing spectacular or deep, but entertaining nonetheless.
He's also amazingly gentlemanlike in the way he describes others -- he never takes any opportunity to say something mean or unflattering about others, even when you
know he could, and would be justified in doing so. No dirty laundry flapping in the breeze here, and I very, very much admire him for that. Hope to be able to pick this up soon again from the library so I can finish it properly.
Labels: black sabbath, books, manicure, music, nail polish, nails
Josephology: Joseph, Man of Dreams
Recently, the subject of Joseph and his dreams came up in an online Bible study, and I said I'd do a little lookin' around t'see what I could find on the subject. Seeing as how today's the Solemnity of Joseph, Husband of Mary, it seemed appropriate to toss out another Josephology post. :-)
Happily, in
Joseph in the New Testament by Fr. Larry Toschi, OSJ, is a wonderful chapter, "Joseph, the Man of Dreams". Since I can't include the whole thing here, following are excerpts that I especially liked.
Background on Dreams and Angel Appearances
(pages 51-52)
"In Joseph's dreams it is
ággelos kuríou, the 'angel of the Lord,' who appears to him. This exact phrase is found repeatedly and consistently in the Septuagint as a translation for 'the angel of Yahweh,' who is sent with most important messages to Hagar (Gen 16:7-12), Abraham (Gen 22:11,15), Moses (Ex 3:2), the people of Israel (Jgs 2:1-4), the barren wife of Manoah (Jgs 13:3-5), Elijah (1 Kgs 19:7; 2 Kgs 1:15), and Joshua the high priest (Zec 3:1-10). The types of communications in the dreams cited above and those through the angel of the Lord are most similar, and it is not so surprising that for Joseph these two forms are combined, so that he invariably awakes with total faith and no doubt whatsoever about their interpretation.
"... Matthew has shown how Joseph received the vocation to be a key personage in Jesus' infancy, and how that role can only be fulfilled by a special charism, a charism which was communicated to him by an angel of the Lord in dreams, in the way that God communicated to his patriarchs and prophets in the Old Testament. ... In the New Testament, this role and this manner of divine communication are unique to Joseph, so that he alone can be called a 'man of dreams,' a title previously given to his namesake, the patriarch Joseph (Gen 37:19)."
Joseph's Patriarchal Role, Midrashic Technique
(pages 56-58)
"Such strong similarities with the Old Testament literature do not mean that Joseph is an invention created by Matthew on the basis of scriptural patterns. His dream narrations are not
midrash in the sense of reflecting on Old Testament events to make them intelligible, but rather are descriptions of the historical nucleus of events surrounding the early years of Jesus Christ understood against the background of the Old Testament.
"... Matthew's portrayal thus communicates the multi-leveled truth that Joseph has a patriarchal role to play in connection with the prophetic mission of Christ. As a privileged recipient of multiple, combined forms of divine communications, and as a perfectly obedient man of faith who collaborates with all that is commanded him, he recapitulates the history of salvation of Israel, which has reached its definitive culmination in the child he names, protects and raises. The man of dreams who took the child and his mother to Egypt and back is the last of the patriarchs, who receives revelation about the promised descendence in the style of the Old Testament shared by no one else in the New Testament or thereafter."
Labels: books, joseph, josephology
Book review: "Hungry Souls"
Hungry Souls: Supernatural Visits, Messages, and Warnings from Purgatory
by Gerard J.M. van den Aardweg (2009, TAN Books)
I finished this a couple days ago, and I
highly recommend it! Well-written, even-handed, tons of endnotes -- which add greatly to the book! -- and a substantial bibliography. It's a fascinating, sobering, compelling, and hope-inspiring read, all jammed into a short 157 pages (that includes the endnotes and bibliography).
The biggest takeaways for me -- none of which are new, simply restated in a thunks-ya-deep-in-the-heart way -- are:
1) Clear reminder of how God's mercy is limitless, and how Our Lady
and Joseph are
always there for us. Stories were mentioned of dying folks being saved in their last moments through "insight and repentance", even after leading deplorable lives.
I especially loved this account of a man's particular judgment, which he told to his daughter when he was permitted to appear to her to beg for her prayers:
"He then disclosed that on leaving this world he had seen the infinite majesty of God, the sacred humanity of Jesus Christ, and the Blessed Virgin Mary and that this vision had left him in a continually increasing and most ardent yearning to see them again. He also told [his daughter] that St. Joseph was present at his judgment, and that he had since repeatedly visited purgatory in company of the Blessed Virgin to console him, and that he often saw his guardian angel, who came to comfort him." (p. 132)
2) Even though Purgatory exists because of God's mercy, it's still
not something we should aim for ("Oh, well, I'll just hope for Purgatory!"), but rather work our butts off to avoid. The intense longing to be closer to God is the source of the Holy Souls' indescribable suffering.
3) Do
not assume that everyone who dies zips straight to heaven. Sure, you can
hope that they do, but
pray like heck for them, anyway, because chances are really good that they're in Purgatory and
they desperately need and want your prayers. Frankly, we've done a piss-poor job of remembering to pray and sacrifice for the Holy Souls (myself included), who depend on us for relief and assistance.
There's an account (pages 128-134) of a father appearing to one of his daughters to ask for her prayers because of his purgatorial sufferings. His other children didn't bother praying for him because they all assumed he was in heaven, and she alone was his only source of help. And it's not like this was a "bad" man. He'd been devoted to Our Lady, in whose honor he received the sacraments on all her feasts, and was exceedingly charitable -- not sparing any expense to help those in need. He'd even gone begging door to door to help the Little Sisters of the Poor establish a home. Yet, he was in Purgatory: "I suffer for my continual impatience, and for faults which I cannot mention." (p. 128)
If you've been wondering about whether or not it's worth the time to read this, it is. Check it out from your library or get a copy!
Note: I didn't receive any kind of compensation for this review, nor was I asked to review it by anyone. I simply read this book and wanted to share it. :-)Labels: books, joseph, mary
What'cha readin'?
In answer to Marco's question,
What are [you] reading??, I thought I'd share my current reads. I have a pernicious habit of consuming books buffet-style in that I rarely plow through just one tome at a time.
So, here's what's on the menu, in alphabetical order by title.
Note: Titles with an asterisk (*) indicate ones we own. We usually just check out stuff from the library -- much cheaper that way! Less clutter, too.
- The Blessed Eucharist: Our Greatest Treasure*
Fr. Michael Muller, CSSR
A rich meditation on and exploration of the unparalleled gift we have in the Eucharist. It was a bit of a tangent, but a paragraph in this is what sparked my recent post, Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.
- Fit for Eternal Life: A Christian Approach to Working Out, Eating Right, and Building the Virtues of Fitness in Your Soul
Kevin Vost
OK, I haven't actually started this'un yet -- it's languishing on my to-read pile. But, it looks interesting!
- Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection*
Pope Benedict XVI
B16 is, quite simply, a master teacher (among many other things, all awesome). Totally engrossing, worth taking your time over every nugget ... which is basically every paragraph. I started this during Lent and concentrated on the sections pertaining to the Passion. I'm now going through it from the beginning. (Of course, I highly recommend the previous book, Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration, which we also own.)
- Memorize the Faith! (and Most Anything Else): Using the Methods of the Great Catholic Medieval Memory Masters*
Kevin Vost
Full of awesome. I always struggled to remember bits like the 7 capital sins, the 7 cardinal and theological virtues, the 6 sins against the Holy Spirit, etc. Thanks to this book, even I -- with my mind like a steel colander -- can indeed memorize all this good stuff, and more. Every kid preparing for First Communion or adult for RCIA should have this sucker. My ultimate goal: Memorize all the popes. (Not in the book.)
- No Place for God: The Denial of Transcendence in Modern Church Architecture
Moyra Doorly
After reading an interview with Doorly, I decided to give this a look-see. As described in the interview's lead-in, her book provides "a critique and examination of the banality and ugliness that is evident in so many modern Catholic parishes and cathedrals". A bit of a depressing read, especially the wreckovation pics, but it's still well-written and -researched.
Your turn -- what'cha readin'?
Labels: books
Josephology: List of Must-Read Books
Happily, there are Lots And Tons Of Many Great Josephite Books out there, but before I get to those:
Occasionally, I'll come across an author who says something like, "Poor Joseph, there's really not much written about him! Oh, well!" To that I reply: Come on.
There are
loads of excellent books and articles written about Joseph, ranging from devotional to scholarly and all shades in-between, so whenever a writer says that they "couldn't find anything", it suggests that they really didn't do much searching.
So, the list ... While I've cited a few of the titles in
my Joseph posts, I figured, why not list them all in one spot for ease of reference? Here are what I own (save the
Bibliographie).
I'll update this post as I find more, and please note that I'm only listing books that I think are
good.*
Lisa's List of Happy Fun Josephy Books That You Should Read :-)
The Must-Reads
Joseph: The Man Closest to Jesus: The Complete Life, Theology and Devotional History of St. Joseph by Fr. Francis L. Filas, SJ
Considered to be the definitive Josephological tome out there, this is essential reading. While it's out of print, you can find a copy through used booksellers (I got mine through
AbeBooks.com) or borrow one from your local library.
Joseph the Silent by Michel Gasnier, OP
If you only read one Josephite book, make it this. (Though you really should also read the previous one.) Gasnier presents a vivid and moving portrait of Joseph, and it's all based on extensive research and serious study. He knows his subject and presents it all in a relatively short, yet engrossing, read.
Joseph in the New Testament by Fr. Larry Toschi, OSJ
The amount of info. that Fr. Toschi is able to draw from the NT about Joseph is just mind-bogglingly amazing. Sure, Scripture doesn't say a lot, but what it
does say offers tons of food for thought, and Fr. Toschi delivers.
The Good-to-ReadsHere are the rest (alphabetical by title). This isn't a comprehensive list, just my faves.
Bibliographie sur saint Joseph et la sainte Famille by Roland Gauthier, CSC
THE be-all, end-all Josephological bibliography, weighing in at 1,365 pages, with 19,725 entries. As the book's description says, it's "the single most important source of information about publications of all kinds (ecclesiastical, theological, devotional, artistic, etc.) on St. Joseph and the Holy Family." I read this monster thanks to an interlibrary loan request.
Husband, Father, Worker: Questions & Answers About St. Joseph by Fr. Larry Toschi, OSJ; Fr. José Antonio Bertolin, OSJ; Rick Sarkisian, PhD
Just Man, Husband of Mary, Guardian of Christ: An Anthology of Readings from Jeronimo Gracian's Summary of the Excellencies of St. Joseph (1597) by Joseph F. Chorpenning, OSFS
The Life and Glories of St. Joseph by Edward Healy Thompson, MA
A Manual of Practical Devotion to St. Joseph by Fr. Antony-Joseph Patriganani, SJ
Saint Joseph by Boniface Llamera, OP (out-of-print)
Saint Joseph: Patron of the Triumph by Fr. Richard Foley, SJ
Saint Joseph: Shadow of the Father by Fr. Andrew Doze
Saint Joseph Studies: Papers in English from the Seventh and Eighth International St. Joseph Symposia, Malta 1997 and El Salvador 2001 edited by Fr. Larry Toschi, OSJ
St. Joseph: A Theological Introduction by Michael D. Griffin, OCD
St. Joseph and the Third Millennium: Traditional Themes and Contemporary Issues edited by Michael D. Griffin, OCD
St. Joseph in Early Christianity: Devotion and Theology: A Study and an Anthology of Patristic Texts by Joseph T. Lienhard, SJ
True Devotion to St. Joseph and the Church by Dominic De Domenico, OP
-------
* Books like Saint Joseph: His Life and His Role in the Church Today by Louise Bourassa Perrotta, in which she talks about "not finding anything on Joseph", do NOT make the cut.Labels: books, joseph, josephite, josephology
