Daily Inspiration

The Little Flowers of Saint Francis translated by Raphael Brown

I love reading books like this. I feel like a daily dose of the saints helps guide me toward living a better life in my attitude and actions in every day life. Some day I expect to make the time to really read a bit like this every day.

As enlightening and uplifting as the stories of St. Francis were, my favorite part of the book were the vignettes on Brother Juniper. He was so enamored by the love of Christ that his Brothers had to command him to stop giving away the very clothes he was wearing. He obeyed the command but not quite the spirit of it by allowing and encouraging a needy man to "steal" the habit right off his back.

The Church in a Destructive Age

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr.

This is not a new book; it was written in the late 1950s, but has been appearing in new editions ever since. It is one of the few science fiction books to treat the Church seriously and faithfully within the present and future depicted in the novel. St. Leibowitz (who is not a saint when the book begins but is already long dead) joins the church at a time when mobs are destroying all places of learning and all learned men and women in a misguided effort to find restitution for the devastation and destruction of a nuclear war. He forms an order charged with collecting, memorizing and saving what remnants they can of learning for future generations.

The most interesting part of the book in my opinion describes the Radiation Disaster Act in action. The Green Star Relief establishes mobile units to humanely and expediently kill those who have received a lethal dose of radiation. The Church disagrees with these centers and all they represent.

Here are a few quotes relevant to issues our society currently faces. When asked why he cannot allow the Green Star Relief doctor to counsel individuals to travel to the euthanasia center, the abbot says:

Because if a man is ignorant of the fact that something is wrong, and acts in ignorance, he incurs no guilt, provided natural reason was not enough to show him that it was wrong. But while ignorance may excuse the man, it does not excuse the act, which is wrong in itself. If I permitted the act simply because the man is ignorant that it is wrong, then I would incur guilt, because I do know it to be wrong.

Below is a quote of the priest's thoughts as the relief doctor leaves:

Seeing misery everywhere and detesting it, and sincere in wanting to do something about it. Sincere--that was the hell of it. From a distance, one's adversaries seemed fiends, but with a closer view, one saw the sincerity, and it was as great as one's own. Perhaps Satan was the sincerest of the lot.

Late in the novel, Father Zerchi pleads with a young women who has been convinced by the Green Star Relief doctor to take herself and her baby to the euthanasia center. Imagine the struggle of this poor young mother, broken and sick herself, watching her little one, barely recognizable and whimpering in pain, knowing there was no way to save either life. I can understand how she feels when she says "I cannot understand a God who is pleased by my baby's hurting!" The priest answers:

"No, no! It is not the pain that is pleasing to God, child. It is the soul's endurance in faith and hope and love in spite of bodily afflictions that pleases Heaven. Pain is like negative temptation. God is not pleased by temptations that afflict the flesh; He is pleased when the soul rises above the temptation and says 'Go, Satan.' It's the same with pain, which is often a temptation to despair, anger, loss of faith--"

Later, he changes tactics:

"No! I am not asking you. As a priest of God I am commanding you by the authority of Almighty God not to lay hands on your child, not to offer her life in sacrifice to a false god of expedient mercy. I do not advise you, I adjure and command you in the name of Christ the King."

Dom Zerchi had never spoken with such a voice before, and the ease with which the words came to his lips surprised even the priest. As he continued to look at her, her eyes fell. For an instant he had feared that the girl would laugh in his face. When Holy Church occasionally hinted that she still considered her authority to be supreme over all nations and superior to the authority of states, men in these times tended to snicker. And yet the authenticity of the command could still be sensed by a bitter girl with a dying child.

Even in the most difficult, horrific circumstances, we must protect and cherish the lives God creates.

As a side note, a little blurb I found here reminded me that the threat of annihilation remains, but now they can destroy an entire city without fear of environmental repercussions. That's right: Throw those weapons all you like, then move your citizens right in. No consequences. It's comforting to believe Christ will come again in glory before terrorists or governments could destroy the world with weapons such as these.

What Dreams May Come

Lying Awake
by Mark Salzman

The mystical visions of a cloistered nun bring her close to God in a real way for the first time in her vocation. She's even published a book of poems and essays. But migraine headaches force her to see a doctor who suspects she has epilepsy, known as the "holy madness". In the novel, Sister John of the Cross struggles with the decision to cure her "disease", which will likely end her visions and her intimate connection to the God she loves and serves.

I loved reading this book. I loved the interjections in the story of praise, thanksgiving and petition to God. That's how I'd love to live my life. I also love reading of the orders. When they are present to me, I can more easily remember to pray for them. But I don't want to give anything away, so I'll leave it at that.

More Catholic Education

The Salvation Controversy
by James Akin

This is an excellent little book written by a man who converted to Catholicism. I highly recommend it for Catholics who talk to non-Catholic Christians and for any non-Catholic Christians who talk to Catholics (though the latter will have to be prepared for a book that teaches why the Church is correct). I'm only sorry I don't have time to give a better description.

Now It's Everywhere

It seems everywhere I look now, I see new support for homeschooling. I suppose it's a combination of looking for it more and actively seeking it out. Here's a link to that great journal I've mentioned before, First Things:

Homeschooling and the Christian Duty

It's a good response to those (none of whom have spoken to me) who argue parents who coose to homeschool their children are withdrawing from the world. Now that we're living in a little house in a neighborhood just as she describes (including a large number of older residents who complain about the "young set" down the street), I understand exactly how we could develop stronger relationships with our neighbors by being home all day. Since I work, it's not quite the same, but my mother-in-law has been out and about meeting people often.

A Well-Ordered Life

One of our favorite magazines (see previous post) had another little article I particularly enjoyed. It's one of the few they've chosen from the most recent issue to be available online to non-subscribers, so I wanted to post a link here.

Schooling at Home

Enjoy - and consider a subscription!

Thy Kingdom Come

Will Catholics Be Left Behind?
A Critique of the Rapture and Today's Prophecy Preachers
by Carl E. Olson

In a recent Bible study, I realized I didn't really know what the Catholic faith teaches about the end times, other than that Jesus will come again in glory (as we recite every week). I wanted to learn more so I could understand how my study-mates' vision of the Rapture fit with Catholic teaching.

Reading this book gave me exactly what I needed to understand my faith's vision. I wish it hadn't taken me so long to read, in very small chunks, because I feel like my understanding is a little disjointed, but that's the fault of my current reading time, not the book itself. The author, Mr. Olson, is a convert to Catholicism who once believed in the Rapture, so he has great insight into exactly what others believe. I do think it was a little harsh on the fundamentalists, not because I think they're right, but because I'd like to recommend this book to friends who don't understand the Catholic view but would be afraid they'd find it abrasive. (Though a lot of his comments are actually amusing.)

If you're Catholic, I highly recommend this book so you can feel confident in the beliefs of your faith and your ability to talk with someone who does believe in the Rapture without being overwhelmed. If you're not Catholic but have a heart to understand the Catholic faith, give it a try. You might be surprised at what you find.

A Catholic Tragedy

Brideshead Revisited
by Evelyn Waugh

I read this book over a year ago, started this post and then promptly got sucked into other life events. I didn't want to just delete the post, though, because it's a great book. Following the lives of a Catholic family through the eyes of a dear friend and lover (who is certainly not Catholic), we see how they live through their faith or in hopeless denial of it. I think it would be a particularly great book for a book club, especially one interested in matters of faith, but the compelling story is enough for any discussions.

I don't want to give (much) away, but I'll add my favorite quote from the book:

"'Living in sin'; not just doing wrong, as I did when I went to America; doing wrong, knowing it is wrong, stopping doing it, forgetting. That's not what they mean...Living in sin, with sin, by sin, for sin, every hour, every day, year in, year out. Waking up with sin in the morning, seeing the curtains drawn on sin, bathing it, dressing it, clipping diamonds to it, feeding it, showing it round, giving it a good time, putting it to sleep at night with a tablet of Dial if it's fretful."

She's speaking of actually living with a man who is not her husband, but I love this quote because it doesn't have to be about adultery. It's an amazing description of life for anyone who's committing what he or she knows is a sin and yet continues to do so - and hints at the self-inflicted suffering and weight that becomes overwhelming.

You can check out a biography of Evelyn Waugh at his alma mater. Here's a link to an article by the man who first interested me in the book, George Weigel for First Things (another plug for the magazine).

After reading the book, Josh and I rented the series from Netflix. It follows the book very closely and I recommend it as well.