When they finally announce the actual release date for the Pope’s 2nd book in the Jesus of Nazareth series, which is coming “soon,” I think I should get one of those countdown clocks for my blog to mark the days, hours and minutes until it is available. That’s how excited I am about it.
One of the inspirations for my book “Who is Jesus Christ? Unlocking the Mystery in the Gospel of Matthew” (coming this September) is the Christology of Pope Benedict XVI. The depths in which the current pontiff has delved into the mystery of Christ is quite remarkable and has helped me in my own understanding of the person of Christ. His book “Jesus of Nazareth” introduced much of the world to his Christology, but he has been exploring the reality of the person of Jesus for decades.
Amy Welborn, author of numerous books and host of the popular “Charlotte was Both” blog, has just published a book entitled Come Meet Jesus: An Invitation from Pope Benedict XVI which explores the Pope’s Christology in some depth. I’m sure it will be very insightful. Click on the link of the book title to read more details from Amy.
We are now nearing the end of our first full week of Lent – have you been doing your spiritual reading? If you have not yet begun, let me make it easier on you. Here are two great lists of books to consider during this Lent, one from the East and one from the West:
Now your only problem is choosing just one book!
When I was a young Evangelical in high school, I remember picking up the book “The Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis. The book, which recounted the letters of a demonic tempter to his younger apprentice, had a profound effect on my spiritual life, primarily in that it reminded me to look at my own sins rather than studying everyone else’s. The book’s unique format allowed Lewis to remind his readers that demons can tempt everyone into sin no matter their personal beliefs and convictions. Are you conservative? Liberal? Traditionalist? New Christian? Long-time Christian? It doesn’t matter, the devil will find a way to tempt you into sin. As St. Peter wrote, “Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for (someone) to devour” (I Peter 5:8).
So it was exciting to find out that popular blogger Fr. Dwight Longenecker has taken Lewis’ format and written an updated version called “The Gargoyle Code”. 
There are two key differences between the two books, however: (1) Longenecker uses specifically contemporary examples which do not allow the reader to easily excuse himself of the sins being tempted; and (2) Longenecker writes from an explicitly Catholic perspective, as opposed to Lewis, an Anglican who wrote his books for “Mere Christians”. Whereas The Screwtape Letters will always remain a useful classic, The Gargoyle Code does modern Catholics a needful service by making a similar book more specifically geared towards them.
The Gargoyle Code primarily consists of the communications of Slubgrip, a senior-level demonic tempter who is advising his young protegé, Dogwart. Slubgrip’s “patient” is an older, conservative Catholic, and Dogwart’s is a young Catholic who is discerning his vocation. With this setup, Longenecker is able to address most situations that face Catholics today, regardless of their age or status in the Church. And Longenecker leaves no one unscathed: through the writings of Slubgrip, he warns against the sins that can beset traditionalists, charismatics, liberals and everyone in-between.
The book recounts the communications over the course of one Lent, so it obviously would be a wonderful book to read during that season. However, this leads to my one criticism of the book: it would be impossible to read over 40 days, as it is too enjoyable! I read the short book (103 pages) in only two sittings myself. But I would recommend it to anyone looking for spiritual reading for this Lent or any time of the year.
You can purchase The Gargoyle Code at Fr. Longenecker’s website.
In the technology world, everyone has been looking forward to Apple’s Tablet device. That wait will soon be over.
In the movie world, everyone has been wondering who will play Bilbo in The Hobbit. Perhaps now we know.
In the Catholic book world, everyone can’t wait for my the Pope’s book about Jesus. Looks like it will soon be released. (You’ll have to wait until September for mine).
If you want to do something well, you look to see how others have already done it well. If I want to be a great baseball player, I see what Albert Pujols and Derek Jeter do and I try to emulate that. The same is true in the spiritual life: if you want to be holy, look and see how others before you have become holy. This is why I love reading lives of the saints, and why I encourage my children to do so as well. Nothing, other than the Bible, can be more profitable reading than discovering the many and varied ways in which God has raised up saints in different cultures and times.
Which is why I’m excited by the book “Voices of the Saints: A 365-Day Journey With Our Spiritual Companions” by Bert Ghezzi (full disclosure: Bert is my editor at Our Sunday Visitor). This video explains the project in a bit more detail:
There are more videos explaining the book here.
As my first post of the new year, let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New Year! Let us pray that we might all draw closer to Christ and become more saint-like in 2010.
I usually make some type of resolution for the upcoming year, and this year is no different. My main resolution is to get more organized in my reading. I read dozens of books each year, but there is no rhyme or reason to what I read (except when I’m reading something for my Master’s classes). I usually just pick whatever catches my fancy at the time. This year I’ve decided to have a reading plan. I have divided my reading into five categories:
1) Scripture
If this is not included in a reading plan, you are not Christian. I plan on mostly using the Navarre Bible this year in my study of Scripture, as I appreciate its recognition of the Spiritual senses of the text.
2) Theology
Usually my reading is almost exclusively in this category, so it shouldn’t be too hard to keep up with theology reading.
3) Philosophy
This is going to be a challenge. I have basic philosophical training, but I admit that I don’t enjoy reading philosophy books. Any suggestions anyone has for good books in this category will be appreciated.
4) Literature
I recently read a biography of St. Thomas More, and it noted that More believed that good literature was very important in the education of a Christian. I have found this to be true, so I’m going to commit to reading more good literature this year. So far I have Paradise Lost (Milton), The Idiot (Dostoevsky), The First Circle (Solzhenitsyn) and Frankenstein (Shelley) on my list, but any suggestions in this category would be helpful as well.
5) Lives of the Saints
I always tried to include the lives of the Saints in my reading. Since the whole point of everything we do is to become saints, I figure it can’t hurt to see how others did it, right?
I’ll try to remember to update everyone at the end of the year to see if my plan was successful!
Also, if anyone is looking for a suggestion for their 2010 reading list, might I humbly suggest a book coming out this fall from Our Sunday Visitor about Christ as he is presented in the Gospel of Matthew? I’ll be sure to let everyone know when it becomes available. 
Yesterday my house lost power for seven hours. As someone who works on a computer from home, this had an obvious impact on my schedule. But I was amazed at how much of an impact this had on me – I kept thinking of non-work-related things to do, but I kept realizing I couldn’t do them without power. “I think I’ll pay the bills…oops, that is on the computer.” “I’ll fix that leak in the washer…oops, the washer is in a room in the basement with no windows, so I can’t see what I am doing.” Electricity runs through almost everything I do. If I’m not careful, I may soon end up looking like this.
My experience without power reminded me of a book I read a few years ago, Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology by Eric Brende. A graduate student studying technology’s impact on society, Brende decided to spend a year (with his new wife) living with a strict Amish community which didn’t use any electricity. He chronicles how these people live without what we would consider essentials, and in the end, he decides that in many ways, they are “better off”.
Most people think that the Amish simply reject all technology. This is not the case. The underlying rule for Amish communities is that they do not accept new technology blindly. Instead, as a community they evaluate each new technology and determine if it will have a positive or negative impact on their community. Each Amish community makes this decision on their own, and thus you will have a wide variety of acceptance of technologies between communities. The community Brende joined for a year took a very strict line: no electricity at all. This means no appliances, no telephones, and of course no television or internet. Brende discovers that the absence of many of these modern conveniences actually leads to a strengthening of community bonds. Without a telephone (or email or text messages or facebook, etc.), people were actually more connected to each other, not less. This is because they would spend time in each other’s physical company, instead of just having “drive-by” contact with the people they knew. Furthermore, without entertainment options like televisions to occupy their time, they spent more time doing things with other people for recreation. In other words, they put people above things. (Likewise, without a TV to tell them that they could only be happy as a sex-crazed New Yorker, they were completely content with their choices in life).
I do not necessarily agree with all the specific decisions that Amish communities make in regard to technology – although I strongly support their right to make those choices. But I came away from reading Better Off with the conviction that each family should consciously make their own decisions about what technology they will embrace in their particular situations. We are not all required to have televisions or cell phones or even computers to be happy. None of those things are needed for sainthood, the epitome of happiness. If any technology is hindering our ability to draw closer to God, our family or others, then it simply not worth it. We would be better off without it.
Today is the 70th anniversary of the publication of The Way, one of the best selling spiritual books of the 20th century. Written by St. Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei, it is a compilation of 999 points of reflection which are intended to help in the spiritual life. You can read the entire book online (although I don’t recommend that – print it out or buy it in book format so that you can better reflect on the points).
In 1966, St. Josemaría explained the purpose of the book in an interview:
I wrote a good part of that book in 1934, summarizing my priestly experience for the benefit of all souls with whom I was in contact, whether they were in Opus Dei or not. I never suspected that thirty years later it would be spread so widely – millions of copies, in so many languages. It is not a book solely for members of Opus Dei. It is for everyone, either Christian or not. Among those who have translated it on their own initiative are Orthodox, Protestants, and non-Christians. The Way must be read with at least some supernatural spirit, some interior life and apostolic feeling. It is not a code for the man of action. The aim of the book is to help men become friends of God, to love him and serve all men. In other words, to be an instrument…as Saint Paul the Apostle wanted to be an instrument of Christ – a free and responsible instrument. Anyone who tries to see a temporal goal in the pages of The Way is mistaken. Do not forget it has been common for spiritual authors of every age to see souls as instruments of God.
- May 16, 1966 issue of Le Figaro
Why 999 points? St. Josemaría liked the “theology of mathematics” and he saw the number 9 – three to the third power – as representing the Holy Trinity. In The Furrow, another compilation of spiritual points, he adds point 1,000: “I write this number so that you and I can finish this book with a smile, and so that those blessed readers who out of simplicity or malice sought a cabalistic significance in the 999 points of The Way may rest easy.”
I remember first trying to read The Way a number of years ago and not “getting it.” However, a few years ago I picked it up again and this time it clicked. It has been very helpful to my own spiritual growth and I recommend it highly to anyone who wishes to advance in the spiritual life and thus become a better instrument of God.
St. Josemaría Escrivá, pray for us!
As you can see from the right side of this page, I’m currently reading Henry Chadwick’s translation of St. Augustine’s Confessions, as well as Peter Brown’s biography of the great saint.
By some weird convergence, I just discovered that Oxford University Press is about to publish a biography of St. Augustine by Henry Chadwick! He wrote it back in the early 80’s and it has only recently been discovered.
I am so looking forward to reading it.
Emmaus Road Publishing is soon releasing a Catholic Concordance for the RSV-CE bible. This looks like a valuable resource, but I’m mostly interested in it because it was compiled by one of my best friends in college, Chris Lyons (he goes by C.W. Lyons for the book, but I’m revealing his top secret name here). Chris is a great Catholic and has spent years compiling this text. It will be a welcome companion to anyone who wishes to study the Scriptures more deeply (and shouldn’t that be every Catholic?).
This should be a great development: Our Sunday Visitor is getting in the catechetical field by purchasing Harcourt Religion. Anyone who has tried to find quality religious textbooks for children knows how difficult it can be. It seems that most textbooks are either bland, heretical, or written in the 1930’s.
My own family uses the Image of God series published by Ignatius Press and we are happy with it, but hopefully this aquisition will add more quality textbooks for parents and schools to choose from.
Yesterday in the mail I received my copy of Mark Shea’s three-volume work Mary, Mother of the Son. Here is some advance praise for this series:
“This fine book exploring the Church’s teaching on Our Lady will be a joy to Catholics and a revelation to Protestants. I highly recommend it for both groups.”
-Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R.“The single most helpful book on Sacred Tradition written in our generation.”
-Scott Hahn
I’m looking forward to reading it; unfortunately, it joins a backlog of about a dozen books on my “to read next” list.
If you are interested in ordering the book, go to Mark’s website and order directly from him.
I am currently reading N.T. Wright’s The New Testament and the People of God, which is a survey of the origins of Christianity, especially its growth out of 1st century Judaism. I recently was reading the section on the praxis of the early Church: how did they practice this new faith of theirs? The first item Wright mentions that distinguished early Christianity was their sense of mission:
Why then did early Christianity spread? Because early Christians believed that what they had found to be true was true for the whole world. The impetus to mission sprang from the very heart of early Christian conviction. If we know anything about early Christian praxis, at a non- or sub-literary level, it is that the early Christians engaged in mission, both to Jews and to Gentiles…This missionary activity was not an addendum to a faith that was basically ‘about’ something else (e.g. a new existential self-awareness). ‘Christianity was never more itself than in the launching of the world mission.’ (Emphasis added)
An early Christian would not conceive of being a Christian and not working to bring others into the Church. But do not think that most early Christians were St. Pauls, travelling the world preaching the Gospel to everyone they met. No, most of these Christians spread the faith through their regular daily contacts: their familes, their friends and their co-workers. The key is that they truly believed that the faith that changed their life for the better could do the same for others.
And always remember, they also knew that by sharing their faith with others they put themselves in a dangerous situation: the possibility of being denounced to the authorities and arrested for their Christian beliefs was always lurking in the background. What exactly is our excuse?
I’ve seen a lot of discussion about E-books recently, but I think that this article by Stephen Johnson in the Wall Street Journal is the best at summarizing the benefits and problems with E-books. In a nutshell, he lists the following ways that the E-book will change how we read:
Regardless of the consequences, it seems clear that the E-book is where we are going. The day will come when the majority of people do all their reading on an electronic device, be it a computer, cell phone or reader such as Amazon’s Kindle.
(An aside: one of the things I admire about the Amish is that they consider the full-range of consequences before they embrace a technology. I don’t necessarily think they always make the right decisions, but one can’t help but think that this attitude would be helpful in today’s “if it’s new, it’s good” world.)
I will admit that I am a devoted bibliophile. My idea of a perfect gift is an Amazon gift certificate so I can buy (usually obscure) books. I love to sit on the couch and read a good book, and part of my enjoyment is holding the book and seeing how far I’ve read and far I have to go. I don’t get the same experience with an E-book.
But my biggest concern is the third consequence I listed above: the fact that it will become harder to read a book straight through due to the ease of being able to read something else. I can see the value in being able to view a referenced source, but I’m afraid that it will lead to fewer and fewer people being able to sit down and read through an entire book. Most (good) books are a complete whole – one must read the entire book to get the full value of it. Reading 20% of the book does not necessarily give you 20% of its value; only when the entire book is read is the overall point made.
All that being said, I’m not anti-E-book (in fact, I originally read that Wall Street Journal article on my cell phone). I am especially excited about the possiblities of easily building a “matrix” of similar books based on the books you have already read – this could give me a reading list a mile long. I just hope that the value that undoubtedly will come from putting all books in electronic format will not be offset by our society’s increasingly short attention-span.
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This year Our Sunday Visitor will be publishing my book Who Is Jesus Christ? Unlocking the Mystery in the Gospel of Matthew, a series of reflections on the titles given to Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.
I began my study of the Catholic faith in 1991 as an Evangelical Protestant, converting to the Catholic Church in 1993.
I serve as head of evangelization at St. John Neumann parish in Gaithersburg, MD, and am cofounder of Little Flowers Foundation, a non-profit whose mission is to assist Catholic families seeking to adopt special-needs children.
You can email me at eric@ericsammons.com.
