"5 Minute Prayers Around the Advent Wreath" (Lisa M. Hendey)

TITLE: 5 Minute Prayers Around the Advent Wreath
AUTHOR: Lisa M. Hendey
PUBLISHER: Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2022, (64 pages).
 

Advent is fast approaching. Derived from the Latin word "adventus," the word "Advent" literally means "coming" or "arriving." Christians in general believe in a dual emphasis in this coming of Jesus. Advent is an opportunity to look back with gratitude for the coming of Jesus as narrated in the gospels. It is also a sign to anticipate the second coming of Jesus. How then do we observe the Advent? By praying around the Advent Wreath. Written intentionally for busy people, it keeps each prayer to about five minutes so that even the busiest people would be willing to pause and reflect on the message of the Advent. Author Lisa Hendley spends some time explaining what the Advent Wreath is about, its origins, its shape, and the use of candles around the wreath. While there are many variations, the traditional use among some mainstream denominations would use three purple, one pink, and one white to represent a particular word. Each day begins with a lighting of a candle followed by a time for silent prayer. Readers are invited to sing a verse from the popular hymn, "O Come O Come Emmanuel." Following that is a reading of Scripture which should help one to pause and reflect as one meditates on the verses. Then there is a brief exhortation or encouragement to think and to ponder upon the verses in relation to life in this world. We are then invited to ask two common questions daily:

"A History of the Church in 100 Objects" (Mike Aquilina with Grace Aquilina)

TITLE: A History of the Church in 100 Objects
AUTHOR: Mike Aquilina with Grace Aquilina
PUBLISHER: Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2017, (424 pages).

How do we study history? For most of us, we would hit the books or listen to some historians explain the stories of the past. Others would go deeper into the science of archaeology or ancient artifacts. Modern technology gives many of us a way to search for information about the past. For author Mike Aquilina, "stuff" matters because they all tell a unique story. More specifically, the history of the Church could be traced through the examination of objects. These objects are then situated in seven eras:

1. The First Century Church (Apostles and Martyrs)
2. The Roman Empire (First to Third Centuries)
3. The Dark Ages (4th to 8th Century)
4. The Middle Ages (5th to 15th Century)
5. The Renaissance and Reformation (16th to 17th Century)
6. The Age of Revolutions (18th to 19th Century)
7. The Global Village (Our Modern 21st Century World)

The key idea is that these objects tell a story. Beginning with the first century Church right through to modern era, readers get to see real stuff being used as pointers to the past. The silver star in Bethlehem's Basilica of the Nativity confirms what the ancients had seen prior to the birth of Christ. Not only does it represent eye-witness accounts, it affirms the story as depicted in the Bible. We read about paving stones, wooden posts, ancient amulet, catacombs, and many fascinating events in history. The chains of Peter show us how the apostle Peter was imprisoned, even tortured. As we move on to the Roman era, the monuments like the Colossus bring us back to the times of persecutions and political chaos prior to the Edict of Constantine. Even soil in Jerusalem's Basilica of the Holy Cross were used to remind us about the purpose why they were there in the first place.

"ABCs of the Christian Life" (G.K. Chesterton)

TITLE: ABCs of the Christian Life: The Ultimate Anthology of the Prince of Paradox
AUTHOR: G.K. Chesterton (Foreword by Peter Kreeft)
PUBLISHER: Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2017, (256 pages).

Gilbert Keith Chesterton, otherwise known as G.K. Chesterton is perhaps one of the wittiest and insightful authors I have ever known. Immensely quotable, he is a master with words. He uses ordinary words that can nuance the different meanings in a sentence. With theological insight and literary prowess, Chesterton's gift of writing is showcased in this book of selected 26 words that describe the Christian life. Using the number of English alphabets as a guide, each letter or phrase corresponds to a key Chesterton wit; a historical thought; a teaching moment; a recollection; or simply a random thought. Some of the language used have also been updated for modern readers. Gleaned from his books, articles, and many published materials, the words are very much Chesterton's, the selection the publisher's. The interests are wide-ranging. There are topics on spirituality such as Asceticism; Apologetics as in Orthodoxy; historical figures in St Thomas and St Joan; reflections on literature by Charles Dickens; comparative religions; and matters for daily living. Bethlehem is a reflection on Christmas. The chapter on "Suicidal Living" is an interesting one. Instead of some predictable essay about some problem-solving approach to the issue of suicide, Chesterton pokes deep into the human psyche, wasted virtues, loose vices gone mad, and surprisingly, humility. It is humility in the wrong place. Whether it is wrong ambition or misguided thinking that leads one toward suicide. There is that chapter on Queen Victoria, the model of "political unselfishness" who shows us that restraint is power in action. The letter X is represented strangely by the word "Sex." Chesterton reminds us that it must not be allowed to be a tyrant. On his own faith, "Catholicism," he insists that it is not a Church sect but a "ecclesia," a way of thinking. A nice thing about Chesterton's writings is that even as he dives deep into some philosophical thought, he would come up with a summary statement like a swimmer coming up for breath in a long distance swim.

"Availability" (Robert J. Wicks)

TITLE: Availability: The Challenge and the Gift of Being Present
AUTHOR: Robert J. Wicks
PUBLISHER: Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2015, (160 pages).

Being present and available sounds easy and a great thing to say. Practicing it however is anything but that. In fact, people who recognize the challenges of availability will soon find out that it has complex implications, time challenges, and also a problem. Problems like how much is too much; how little is too little; how appropriate is appropriate; and how can it be a gift rather than a bane to receivers. In fact, being 'too available' can also be a problem in itself.

• What if being present with God becomes a perpetual state of self-criticism?
• What if wanting to be available is actually a sense of loneliness?
• What if our expectations for intimacy are not met even after making ourselves available?
• What if our modern lifestyle of busyness and hurry are preventing us from being truly and fully available?
• It means coming face to face with the barriers that impede our availability.

In this update of an earlier version published some thirty years ago, Psychologist and Professor at Loyola University Maryland, Robert Wicks probes the idea of availability from three angles. He begins with ourselves, which may be intriguing to some readers thinking that availability should always be for others. The wisdom of this is clear. If we do not know ourselves and our limits, how can we be of help to others? Healthy people are the best help for others. Unhealthy people suck away the emotional energy around them. Wicks is so emphatic about this that he asserts "we must understand and preserve ourselves at all costs... not merely so that we can survive, but also that Christ may live on in us and in those whom we touch in His Name." In being available to ourselves, we learn about our own uniqueness. Through our struggles, we can learn more about ourselves. Failures and our ability to forgive also teach us about ourselves. Being a psychologist or psychiatrist can often leave one empty after a session with clients. Being 'burnout' requires a theology of hope. Here, Wicks brings in the psychology and theology of hope to accomplish a deeper level of self-understanding, knowing, and clarity. True power comes with great self-awareness. Courage comes with clarity about one's strengths and weaknesses. With perspective comes clarity and prayerfulness.

The second part of the book deals with being available to others. This is helpful for any forms of self-knowledge is never mean for personal consumption. God has gifted us with one another and we ought to use these gifts to care for the people that God cares for. Wicks says it well, that being with Christ means being with others as well. In relationships, we are able to cultivate the language of love. We learn to share our pain and fears within the support of a loving community.  We show compassion to one another. We learn to rejoice with those who rejoice; and weep with those who weep.

Finally, availability also means being available to God. Wicks teaches us that true prayer has a "uniting influence" as we grow toward union with God. Being available for God means creating space within us for God. It means letting go of our idols and anxieties as we enter into periods of darkness. It means learning to withhold judgment on people and to seek God's mercy. As we deal with our inner wanting to run away from God, we will then be able to restrain our human tendencies and to experience God.

So What?

Casual readers may think this book is some kind of a self-help manual for caregiving and being present for people. On the surface it does look like that. Instead, I am pleasantly surprised at how spirituality has been weaved in through prayer and intentional spirituality that allows one to be open to God and the movement of the Spirit inside one's heart. Without shunning the reality of rush and anxieties in our society, Wicks from experience starts from self-care or soul-care. Without taking care of our own houses, how can we even offer to help others with their houses? This principle is demonstrated in the framing of this book. Slowly but surely, readers learn with increasing clarity three things. First, the need for self-care and self-awareness. This is the core part of being available. The sad fact among many people is that they want to help others without first helping themselves. Like the airline safety video that reminds parents to wear their oxygen masks first before helping their young kids, Wicks correctly points out to us that spiritual care is no different. The worst thing we can ever do to a person in a sinking ship is to invite the person onboard another sinking ship! He covers a lot of ground with honest self-discovery and through our struggles, to know more about ourselves, our potential as well as our limits. Second, there is a need to look beyond ourselves and to be reminded that we are created for community. We help because we are participants in the world of people. This is the core of being human, not for ourselves but for one another. The Bible has lots to say about learning to walk together in pain and in sorrow. Third, we learn to deepen our prayer lives. This is perhaps one of the best reasons to buy this book. From psychology to community, we move eventually to the spirituality of prayer. I appreciate Wicks for sharing the wisdom from people like David Steindl-Rast, Anthony Bloom, and Henri Nouwen. Many of these writers are modern names we recognize. The annotated bibliography at the end of the book also forms a useful resource for those of us wanting to explore the spirituality of prayer in greater depth.

All in all, this is a nice little guide book on understanding the person psychologically and spiritually. At some point of the book, readers can be forgiven when they sense they are reading a portion of the late Henri Nouwen's books.  If you feel busy to pray or too caught up with trying to meet needs of others as well as self, maybe, it is high time to pick up a book like this one to gain a better spiritual perspective of where we are and more importantly, who we are.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Sorin Books, a division of Ave Maria Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"St Peter's B-List" (Mary Ann B. Miller)

TITLE: St. Peter's B-list: Contemporary Poems Inspired by the Saints
AUTHOR: Mary Ann B. Miller
PUBLISHER: Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2014, (288 pages).

Poetry brings about an "incarnative view of art." So affirms Mary Ann Miller, professor of English at Caldwell College in New Jersey. She believes that there are many manifestations of the Divine God in the world we live in. As one well versed in Victorian poetry, Miller avoids choosing poems from a historical past by past saints, but includes poems from contemporary times by people in the present. She maintains a focus on daily activities being expressed through poems that help readers reflect back on their own lives. All 106 poets in this book try to see the "immanence of God in earthly things." The title of the book is actually from one of the poems used in the book, written by Jake Oresick, printed at the end of the book. The book is about ordinary lives, people who are on the "B-list" in the world, especially when compared to the saints who are on the "A-list." Oresick offers readers a glimpse of hat heaven looks like, through ordinary people. Thirty six poems fill the section on Family and Friends. Forty-Four poems are included for the section on Faith and Worship. Twenty-Five poems are used for the section on Sickness and Death.

The poems remind us that life is not about "right vs wrong," or "good vs bad." Neither is it about solving problems or finding a way to get things done. Life is about telling a story, making observations, and admiring the beauty among the ordinary. The many contributions from poets from all walks of life give us a picture of ordinariness among people, with a hint that it may be the way God looks at us as well. Pure, unadulterated, and unedited in any way. We see people, relationships, objects, and things as they are, not what we want them to be. Miller has brought together an impressive array of contributors, authors, poet laureate, all coming from different parts of the world.  This gives the book a wide perspective of life. I particularly appreciate James Martin's afterword, which is an extremely quotable part of the book. Here is one exceptional one.

"The most important truths about God are not reached with definitions and proofs but by poems and stories. And by people: the saints. That is why this book is a treasure. These poets take the lives of the saints as they are meant to be understood: as poems. From human works of art they draw out literary ones.You are called to be a saint, too. What will your poem be?" (James Martin)

This in itself is worth the price of the book.

Rating: 4.75 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Ave Maria Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"No Problem" (Robert J. Wicks)

TITLE: No Problem: Turning the Next Corner in Your Spiritual Life
AUTHOR: Robert J. Wicks
PUBLISHER: Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2014, (128 pages).

We have all heard about going to workshops at conferences, meetings, and external gatherings. What about having an inner workshop? How do we go about creating one in the first place? What is the purpose of such a workshop? These questions are dealt with thoughtfully, meaningfully, and prayerfully through meditation and contemplation of the divine.

A) Twenty Ways to Begin Inner Transformation

There are lots of creative ideas about grooming the inner person. There is the part about prayer, that prayer is not something merely said. It can be lived out. For prayer moves one from knowing to convicting; from convicting to exercising that conviction in faith. For when prayer and theology come alive, there is richness in spirituality and fullness in living. We are also reminded that transformation is not just inner but outer too. Otherwise, we are tempted toward a Do-It-Yourself spirituality to the detriment of an openness to God and to others. We learn too about simplicity not just de-cluttering our stuff, but training our eyes to see what is essential and what is frivolous. We learn about wonder in worship in contrast to the method driven, solutions focused world of many other religious practices. We are also taught about putting less emphasis on trying to find a middle way between the pros and cons, but to consider the way that does not drowns out God's voice. Another powerful reminder is gratefulness so that we do not fall into spiritual Alzheimer's.  On and on, we learn of so many different gems that most readers will be poised to find a few that will hit home. For me, I am intrigued by the "wisdom of spiritual sadness," which forces us to acknowledge there are many things in this world without an immediate fix, without a need to blame anyone, or to feel guilty about. Life just happens. There is also a short take on spirituality and psychology where Wicks says that "Psychology has often focused almost solely on the negative aspects of personality." Indeed, science is often good at breaking things down. What about putting them back altogether? These and many more can bring about a special spiritual transformation for anyone desiring to enter into spiritual formation.

B) So What?

After dealing with 20 ways to cultivate an inner workshop of personal devotion and spirituality, we are reminded once again that "Christianity is a community religion." All of these exercises, practices, or disciplines, are not to become an end in themselves as if one is singing out with God, "It's you and me against the world!" No. In fact, we need each other in order to be the best versions of each other to each other. Using the Parable of the Good Samaritan as a launch pad for loving our neighbours, Wicks invites readers to explore the question of what we need to do to inherit eternal life, and the three doorways to answer that question: Being present to self; to others; and to God. All of these doorways are actually not three but one focus: Everything for the sake of upholding God's glory.This is put into practice through 30 days of developing one's inner workshop of virtue. For each day, readers are urged to put into practice the various ways of spiritual growth and to respond to God's love. The instructions are brief, but the responses can be endless. The brevity of simple questions and answers is helpful as it gives room for readers or respondents to practice meditation and prayer.

Wicks is a wise guide and this book will be an excellent guide for those of us who want to embark upon the journey of inner transformation with outer application.

Rating: 4.75 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Sorin Books, Ave Maria Press, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Tools for Rebuilding" (Michael White and John Corcoran)

TITLE: Tools for Rebuilding: 75 Really, Really Practical Ways to Make Your Parish Better
AUTHOR: Michael White and John Corcoran
PUBLISHER: Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2013, (320 pages).

Whether it is tooling or retooling, making or remaking, building or rebuilding, every organization needs a refresh from time to time. After writing their book called "Rebuilt" about a year ago, Roman Catholic priest Michael White and his lay associate John Corcoran have come together again to offer practical information of what works and how to grow their parish community. Through 75 axioms or assertions, they believe that to be successful at building, one needs to know the parish (building site), the purpose (building project), and the plan to build ekklesia (living stones), and not kirche (blocks of stone).

Strategically, the first thing is to be still before God to gather a sense of where one is, instead of rushing off toward a people-pleasing program-based work. There is a need to focus on preparing the people of God by building up the Body of Christ. Know the vision and the mission of the Church. Have a big sense of God's vision for the world. Find consensus among the people. Let gratitude and enthusiasm motivate the building. Rather than compete with other attractions like sports to get attention of people, focus on excellence as a hallmark of ministry.

Facilities wise, White and Corcoran insist on proper maintenance and care of the building, even refusing to share the facilities with others. In their opinion, just because one has the space does not necessarily mean one needs to rent it to any organization who comes asking to rent or lease space. This is because the staff does not need added stress of trying to keep the place tidy. More importantly, it is to remain focused on the mission of the organization, and not be sidetracked by acts of charity that do not seem to help the Church's overall goal. This does not mean shutting out people altogether. The Church can still keep an open door for the needy through clear signs and opening hours, through welcoming atmosphere, and other hospitality matters.

In terms of office tools and limited staff resources, the authors remind readers that the needy will always be needy, and resources are to be carefully used so that the Church can respond to exceptional requests when called upon. This means being actively stewarding our resources through humble living, and avoiding piling up junk that affects our efficiency.

Communications are big building blocks of a Church community. This means not allowing others to turn our church bulletins into non-essential advertising of goods and stuff. It means regular updating of the Church's public face, like the website. It also means connecting with the community and neighbourhood. One test of the Church's effectiveness is when it closes down, how much does it affect the community? Will neighbours know it or will they be impacted significantly?

Other tools include the actual Sunday worship itself. From the designing of the worship service to the pulpit ministry, from the sacraments to the outreach ministries, the authors leave very few stones unturned in trying to galvanize the Church toward growing through building the various ministries of Church.

I like the way the authors focus on "building" Church rather than "doing" Church. The former sounds more progressive while the latter tends to suggest some kind of a maintenance mentality. It may just be semantics but it is a good reminder anyway.

For Churches that have been around for ages and are not growing, perhaps, this book can spark some creative ideas and energies to start renovating, rebuilding, or revitalizing congregations both old and new. The old needs an injection of fresh impetus to change or to grow. The new needs a regular input of ideas and creativity to spur the vitality of growth.  It is apt for the authors to remind us that we ought to stop trying to get people to "go to Church." Instead, we ought to try to improve, to build, and to live out a vibrant community life so that people will want to come. While it is not exactly trying to make Church 'work' for people that is the point. The point is, we let God use us to make Church work for God. In doing so, people will then come to Church for reason of worshiping God, rather than to be entertained or amused by nice programs. Perhaps, God can do both?

Rating: 4 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Ave Maria Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"My Soul Feels Lean" (Joyce Rupp)

TITLE: My Soul Feels Lean: Poems of Loss and Restoration
AUTHOR: Joyce Rupp
PUBLISHER: Notre Dame, IN: Sorin Books, 2013, (176 pages).

This warm and gentle book of poems and reflective meditations are written by a spiritual teacher who has sometimes been called a "spiritual midwife." She helps people navigate between the past and the future, in the challenging phase of now. She has written many books on spirituality and is a popular teacher at retreats and conferences.Taken from her years of interactions with people facing loss, death, and despair, she brings together her wealth of knowledge and reflection in 107 poems that reflect about how a lean soul looks at loss and restoration.

The first part of the book leads the reader through the ups and downs of loss. It asks what loss means to the soul. Is there a way to continue through life during times of grief? Instead of a how to manual on how to do this or why we do that, Rupp invites the reader to journey along the valley of questions without any impatient demand for quick answers. It is more descriptive of the emotional condition rather than prescribing a solution for the problems of life. Both positive and negative emotions are simply treated as is, reserving judgment on whether they are good or no good, preserving as accurately as possible the feelings without making a judgment, and gently flowing words that move with the heart. There are poems to encourage the meek to step forth in courage, the comfort of hope even when losing a job, the longing for mother, a mood of rejection and regret. Rupp expands her poems beyond North America, into the African continents, seeking a sense of meaning for the hunger, disease, and thirst. Where is love? What emotions do terrorism evoke? What about the loss of friendship? These and many more issues of life are dealt with not by prescribing solutions, but by engaging the mood of the moment, to express the deeper longing of the heart, so vulnerable to modern technological putdowns and human impatience.

The second part of the book takes a look forward to search for restoration and hope. This means new growth amid the Winter drought. It means learning to hear the breathing of Spring. It means that even in dying, there is hope for the living. In quietness and trust, one looks for a sense of freshness and a new beginning of New Year's Day. It encourages one not to run away from problems, but to be resolute to face them and tackle them in good time. Singing a melody, pacing with the rhythm, and waking up to the oft-missed little details of life in a fast-paced world, readers are encouraged to let go of non-realistic expectations and be more aware of the existential framework, anchored by hope.

There is very little references to the Christian faith, except for some brief allusions for hope and anticipation of a more restorative future. Nevertheless, this book is about journeying through life, and is a good companion for our spiritual walk through life. Loss is something that we will face from time to time. Restoration is something we need to have most of the time. Most of all, this book is a reminder that life is not to be treated as a giant jigsaw puzzle to be solved. It is to be appreciated for what it is.

Rating: 4 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Ave Maria Press and NetGalley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Cravings" (Mary DeTurris Poust)

TITLE: Cravings: A Catholic Wrestles with Food, Self-Image, and God
AUTHOR: Mary DeTurris Poust
PUBLISHER: Nortre Dame, IN: Ava Maria Press, 2012, (160 pages).

What do our cravings for food tell about us? A lot. This book basically argues that our physical hunger is essentially a symptom of a deeper condition: A desire to be filled, and a longing to be whole. The trouble with many is that they are filling themselves with things that do not last, and longing for a world that is far too inadequate to meet our deepest needs. The way we stuff ourselves with food can sometimes be due to self-loathing or deceptive loving. What about times in which we gobble food down and fail to pay attention to the people on the table? Perhaps, our inability to control any binging or inattentive eating is a symptom of a deeper problem. A big question constantly asked is this: Every time we reach out for something, say a cookie or a snack, are we satisfying a legitimate hunger or are we eating based on another kind of impulse?

Each chapter begins with a Scripture statement or a quote that spells out the main idea of the chapter. An illustration is then made to highlight the challenges many people face with regards to some form of eating. After making a case for a link between physical and spiritual needs, readers are invited back to the spiritual fathers, and practitioners of old, that we in the modern age can be trained to think about food, eating, and our self-identity in a more reflective way.  Whether it is a "goal-directed" vs "habit-directed" behaviour; a dieting based on self-delusion vs doing something based on who we are; to accept our self-image instead of trying to build up a false sense of identity; this book builds a case for us to be mindful about the motivations behind every eating. Each chapter ends with some positive applications, followed by a helpful "Food for Thought" and a "Practice" section for readers to exercise either self-control or purposefulness in their cravings. The meditations is a nice summary of each chapter, giving readers a good opportunity to turn back to the true spiritual source of fulfillment and delight. There are helpful ideas on fast food eating, vegetarian meals, instant cooking or easy meals, obsessive eating or dieting, fasting, simplicity in eating, and others. Eating is also a sacramental act too, as we exercise self-control and balance in our physical as well as spiritual feeding. The highlight is learning to turn mere meals into meaningful meditations, for all kinds of occasions.

My Thoughts

This book begins with an exploration of the connections between physical and spiritual nourishment. It then progresses to the key point about these connections reflecting our relationship with God and our journey toward becoming the persons we are made to be. Obesity and prayer can be closely linked. Eating and community building is also critical to relationships. Even eating desserts can be an utterly spiritual experience. Filled with lots of practical advice, readers will be ushered into a whole new way of thinking about their food.

There is a popular saying that we are what we eat. Mary DeTurris Poust has helped us to appreciate the deeper meanings and the underlying motivations behind our eating. She has made a strong case that links our physical nourishment with our desire for spiritual refreshment. I appreciate the author's ten-step plan for compulsive or impulsive eating. The key idea is about planning our eating, before, during, and after.


Ratin: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Ave Maria Press and NetGalley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.