The “anger” of Christ is his mercy When we say that Christ is “angry” with sinners, says St. Ambrose, we don’t mean that he’s carried away by rage. We mean that he’s doing everything he can to bring us back into his forgiveness. Isn’t it obvious that the Lord Jesus is angry with us when we sin so that He may convert us through fear of his indignation? So his indignation is not revenge, but rather the working of forgiveness,... Read more
Welcome back to this recurring feature at The Catholic Book Blogger. As a book reviewer I get access to early or hot off the presses books from many Catholic publishers. My goal is to share a few titles each post that have either just released or are soon to be released. These are books I am looking forward to reading and think you might be too. Like the First Morning: The Morning Offering as a Daily Renewal by Michael Ortiz Release... Read more
Take the medicine that cures you When you’ve been wounded in the battle against sin, says Aphrahat the Sage, penitence is the medicine you need. But you can’t be cured if you’re ashamed to go to the doctor. There is a medicine for every disease, and the disease is healed when the skillful physician finds the medicine. For those who have been wounded in our battle, there is the medicine of penitence, and those who rub it on their wounds... Read more
Attack your strongest sin first The wise abbot Serapion told St. John Cassian that we should attack the enemy first where he’s strongest. The struggle builds up our spiritual strength, and we know that the rest of the struggles will be easier. Discover your most characteristic sin, and direct your main attack against it, turning all your care and watchfulness of mind to guard against its assault. Send against it daily the weapons of fasting, and at all times hurl... Read more
Be happy to be corrected St. Clement of Rome tells us to correct one another, and—more important—to accept correction happily. That’s hard to do, but it’s worthwhile, because God uses our brothers and sisters to show us when we’re headed down the wrong path. So let us also pray for those who have fallen into sin. Pray that they may be given meekness and humility, so that they may submit, not to us, but to the will of God. That... Read more
This week publisher Pauline Books & Media sponsors the giveaway. One lucky winner will receive one copy of The Way of the Passion: Forty Days with Jesus by Julien Chilcott-Monk (you can read my review here). I use Rafflecopter to run my giveaways which makes it simple for you and me! Enter below. The contest starts at midnight tonight EST and will end 12AM EST 3/27 with a winner being announced later that day. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway Read more
Five ways to repent There are many ways to repent, says St. John Chrysostom, and they all lead to heaven. Not one of them is too hard for any of us. Would you like me to talk about the ways of repentance? There are many ways, and various, and diverse—and they all lead to heaven. The first way of repentance is condemning your sins. “Declare your sins, that you may be justified” (Isaiah 42:26, Septuagint). So condemn yourself for your... Read more
The Way of the Passion: Forty Stations with Jesus is a companion book that leads readers into a deeper understanding of our Lord’s Passion. Julien Chilcott-Monk provides readers with an insightful look into the Passion by combining Scripture readings, poetry, prayers and mediations. It’s a book of great value and by the end of it you will grow in understanding and love for what Jesus endured for us. Julien takes the traditional fourteen Stations of the Cross and expands them into... Read more
Sincere repentance saves the wickedest No one was more wicked than Nebuchadnezzar, says St. Cyril of Jerusalem. Yet even he was forgiven when he sincerely repented. God may send us hard times to remind us that we need to repent, but we can be confident that sincere repentance brigs salvation and an eternal place in the Kingdom. What do you think of Nebuchadnezzar? What great punishments he deserved for murdering kings, setting fire to the Temple, taking the people captive,... Read more
To know God, confess your sins Why do we confess our sins when God knows them already? St. Augustine tells us that we can’t hide our sins from God, but not confessing them will hide God from us. Lord, the depths of a man’s conscience are bare to your eyes. What in me could be hidden from you, even if I were unwilling to confess it to you? By not confessing I would hide you from myself, not myself from... Read more
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