The Anchoress
No, I don’t mean to tease you, really I don’t. I can’t wait to tell you about my retreat. But you know, sometimes a thing is so incredible that it is hard to put into words; needs processing for a bit, and besides, I got a spider bite that triggered a surprising allergic reaction (and I am the least allergic of girls…) well it’s all a bit jumbled, still…
But I wanted to tell you about these two books, because they’re going to play heavily in what I write, when I write it, and I recommend them both.
The first is Salvation is from the Jews, by Roy Schoeman. Not a flawless book – I have a few small issues with it, but it gives you a terrific overview of the whole pageant of salvation from the perspective of a faithful Jewish man who has found his completion in the Messiah who is Jesus. It’s one of my “get to read, someday” books that I grabbed off the shelf as I was packing for retreat, and I became so engrossed in it that it was devoured by my second day away. More on it, later.
The second book I found at the monastery, although I had seen it previously enthused about by our Dominican friends in Summit, NJ where the author, Sr. Rosena Marie, has been a member of the community for over 60 years. I found The Mystery and Destiny of the Church to be a stunningly unique and original exposition of the plan to be “carried out in the fullness of time” and initiated on the very first “day” of creation. It just goes to show you what 60 years of contemplation, prayer, praise and study can lead you to, and it’s marvelous!
I think it is providential that – all unplanned – I read the two books in succession (in truth I am finishing Sr. Rosena‘s book tonight). Taken together they are enlightening and instructive, and a powerful inducement to look beyond the small daily tyrannies – to leave them behind as sufficient unto themselves – and seek out the larger picture, the longer view, and the stunning individual part one plays within this “week” of creation, salvation and apocalypse.
I’ll excerpt from both of them in a later post, but wanted to at least share those titles with you, in case any of you -like me- have placed one or both of them on your bookshelf for “someday reading.” Time to break them open!
Meanwhile, check out this list of the 50 Best Catholic Movies of All Time and see if you agree! I’d forgotten about Babette’s Feast! Now I have some ideas for my Netflix list! A different list is here. I have to think about what is my favorite Catholic film. The Mission is certainly up there.
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