We are putting most of our tax return into savings. But we decided shoes for Jim, a sewing machine for me, and a few goodies would not put our finances out of whack. I wanted to expand our Catholic library just a bit and here are some good deals I found. I loved the stories of the Desert Fathers and others from the first few centuries. The Fathers includes Saint Clement, Bishop of Rome, Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Origen of Alexandria, Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Basil, Saint Gregory Nazianzus, and St. Maximus of Turin. I can't wait.
God is Love got great reviews. It seems like such a simple concept but so many miss it. Here is a quote from the book.
"In a world where the name of God is sometimes associated with vengeance or even a duty of hatred and violence, this message is both timely and significant. For this reason, I wish in my first Encyclical, to speak of the love which God lavishes upon us, and which we in turn must share with others."
Pope Benedict's second encyclical takes its title from St. Paul, who wrote, "In hope we have been saved". A good quote from the book is...
Hope enables us to look to the next life, but it also inspires and purifies our actions in this life.
As a Catholic and lifelong Christian, I am baffled by some of my brothers and sisters in Christ and their absolute unwillingness to modify their beliefs in the seven-day Creation story. It has become so dogmatic that they actually piggy-back belief in God onto it! I saw this book and thought, thank God. I can't wait to read this.
I love the Divine Office and am slowly learning to be faithful to it. Truthfully, it goes in fits and spurts. I wanted to see what Phyllis Tickle does with it. My husband and son get up in the middle of the night to deliver papers and I am up early for work. The Night Offices intrigues me since I have never prayed them. This will be a new experience for me.
I am excited about my new books. They should be trickling in one by one for the next couple of weeks. Perfect!
