Happy Catholic Bookshelf
It’s the sign of a good satire and also of our times when the 1942 classic movie To Be Or Not To Be turns our conversation to politics and Catholicism in America. Get it at A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast. Read more
It’s the sign of a good satire and also of our times when the 1942 classic movie To Be Or Not To Be turns our conversation to politics and Catholicism in America. Get it at A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast. Read more
My contribution to Sarah Reinhard’s ongoing series which considers the Hail Mary, word by word. There’s a surprising amount to reflect upon in that simple “thou” or so it seemed to me. Read more
Gerard David. The Marriage at Cana. c. 1503. More of Fulton Sheen’s observations about the wedding at Cana and Christ’s Passion, death and resurrection. The six water pots were filled, making about one hundred and twenty gallons, and in the beautiful language of Richard Crashaw, “the conscious water saw its God and blushed.” The first miracle was something like creation itself; it was done by the power of “the Word.” The wine He created was so good that the bridegroom... Read more
Giotto. The Wedding Feast at Cana. 1304-1306. Continuing with Fulton Sheen’s insights connecting the wedding at Cana and Christ’s Passion, death and resurrection. At the Resurrection He gave Himself back to her, to show that while she had gained new children, she had not lost Him. At Cana the prophecy that Simeon had made to her in the temple was confirmed: henceforth, whatever involved her Son would involve her, too; whatever happened to Him would happen to her. If He... Read more
Hieronymus Bosch. Hieronymus Bosch. Marriage Feast at Cana. Continuing sharing the mind blowing connections Fulton Sheen makes between the wedding at Cana and Christ’s Passion, death and resurrection. As soon as He has consented to begin His “Hour,” He proceeded immediately to tell her that her relations with Him would be henceforth changed. Until then, during His hidden life, she had been known as the mother of Jesus. But now that He was launched on the work of Redemption, she... Read more
Not only are we offering a free book from one of true greats in science fiction (Locus Magazine lists him as having won more awards for short fiction than any other writer, ever), but we are going to significantly expand our Amazon program. We will be offering 10 titles absolutely free over the next 10 weeks via Amazon. Starting April 3rd, we will offer a book absolutely free for two days (Tuesday and Wednesday) for the next ten weeks (a... Read more
Jan Steen. The Marriage Feast at Cana. c. 1665/70. Fulton Sheen makes some wonderful connections between the wedding at Cana and Christ’s Passion, death, and resurrection in his excellent Life of Christ. (You can refresh your memory about the wedding at Cana here.) I will be sharing it as a series for the next few days. It may make good food for thought during the early part of Holy Week. At least it has for me for the past few... Read more
MARK 1:21-28 I knew all these facts, of course, but until reading this concise summary of Jesus’ announcement of the kingdom and his attack on evil, it never all came together being shown a planned progression (so to speak). Once I was shown, it was so obvious. So it is not Mark that is simple, it is my reading of his work. (That’s a tune we’ll be singing throughout the book … he’s a much smarter cookie than he gets... Read more
MARK 1:16-20 Why so many fishermen? It never occurred to me to think about that since everywhere Jesus went the place seemed to be crawling with them. In support of that observation, here is some interesting information about Galilee and fish. There were many fishermen in Galilee. Josephus, who, for a time, was governor of Galilee, and who is the great historian of the Jews, tells us that in his day three hundred and thirty fishing boats sailed the waters... Read more
MARK 1:12-13 Jesus faces the same ordeal that Adam and Israel endured in the OT (CCC 538-540). He is thus tempted by Satan among the wild beasts, as the first Adam was tempted amid the beasts in paradise. He likewise retraces the steps of Israel, being led into the wilderness by the Spirit and tested for forty days as the Israelites marched in the desert for 40 years of testing. In the end, Jesus succeeds where Adam and Israel failed... Read more
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