Book Reflections: True Freedom: On Protecting Human Dignity and Religious Liberty

True Freedom: On Protecting Human Dignity and Religious Liberty

This is a quick read, but it is perhaps the most clearly spoken and masterful explanation of freedom and the protection of human dignity and religious liberty that I have ever read.  I love Cardinal Dolan.  What an amazing leader and spiritual father!  You can purchase this for just $.99 on Amazon.  Please do yourself a favor and give this a read.  I guarantee it will be an hour well worth your time.  This book is not just for Catholics, but is also for all Christians and people of good will who value freedom.  Also included is an excerpt from one of his other books which is on my short list of next books to read.  God bless you Cardinal Dolan for this timeless treasure.  I am sure that I will be reading this again and I encourage you to do the same.  I give this short book my absolute highest recommendation.

God bless,

Mike

A Father's Day Message

Today on Father's Day I pray that I become a better husband for my wife and a better father to my children. The Lord knows that I have lots of room for improvement.  I pray that I am a good Christian example for my children, and that I help lead them to holiness and not lead them astray.  I also pray in thanksgiving for my father, John.  He has been and continues to be a great example for me.  Dad - Thank you!  I love you so much!  I also want to thank my Grandfathers, especially Grandpa Duquaine, who is now suffering from cancer.  I have so many great memories from childhood through the present of Grandpa Duquaine.  He sure knows how to tell great stories.  His time on earth may not be much longer, but I know that he will live forever with God in heaven when his time does come. What a wonderful and holy Christian man is my Grandpa Duquaine.  Grandpa, I love you and my prayers are with you.  If you read this, I selfishly ask that you keep me in your prayers as well.  (We all can use prayer especially from good and holy people such as my Grandpa.)

Don't forget to wish your priests a happy Father's Day as well as they are our spiritual fathers.  Please keep all fathers in your prayers.  The role of fathers in the family is being diminished by our culture today, but fathers are absolutely necessary for raising good and well rounded children.  Children need a positive male influence in their lives and need that love of a father.  We have a great responsibility to our children, fathers, to be spiritual leaders in our families.  Let us never forget this great responsibility.  Our actions or inactions can have a great impact on not just ourselves but on our children and family.  Be a great Christian example for your children by what you say and most importantly by how you live.  Love God and teach your children to do the same.  Happy Father's Day!

God bless,

Mike

Book Reflections: A Grief Observed

A Grief Observed

I just finished another of one of C.S. Lewis' masterpieces.  This short book is one which he probably would have preferred not to write, but it helped him cope with the loss of his wife, and he hopes others who are grieving will also find his experience and words consoling.  I found this book to be a very interesting look inside the mind of a person who was going through an intense time of grieving.  There is a very touching and personal introduction by C.S. Lewis' stepson which provides good background for the book.  Early on in the book, the author was going through many unsettling emotions.  His grief he found to be like fear or suspense.  The man of faith even began to question everything including God.  I believe that his thoughts were tormenting him more than any other person or thing.  Sometimes his expectations and thoughts were completely irrational; such as he didn't want people to talk about his grief but also didn't want them to ignore it.  In the end, he began to heal and his sorrow although never completely gone was at least a little less intense.  He correctly observed that sorrow is not a state but a process.  It is natural for us to go through times of grief and sorrow, but we must not let sorrow consume us.  Strong faith and hope in God is the best medicine.  This is a book I would recommend to any person who is grieving or for anyone who knows someone close to them who is grieving.  We may never fully understand what another human being is feeling, but at least we can better understand and have a little more compassion and sympathy.  For those who are grieving the loss of a loved one, especially the loss of a child, I also recommend reading A Gathering of Angels: Seeking Healing After an Infant's Death.  May the peace of God's grace and love fill the hearts of all those who are grieving.

God bless,

Mike

Book Reflections: A Minute in the Church

A Minute in the Church, written by Catholic evangelist and radio host of Seize the Day on The Catholic Channel, Gus Lloyd, is a great reference guide for Catholics who want to be able to defend their faith in a minutes notice, and it is also a great book for those who aren't Catholic but want a greater understanding of what Catholics believe and why they believe.  People today are constantly busy and don't often have a lot of time for deep and thoughtful reflections.  This book is a very quick read, I finished it in about an hour and I'm a slow reader.  I try to listen to Gus Lloyd's radio show every weekday and he is doing great things for the Church.  I think this book would be great for those considering entering the church and going through the RCIA or for anyone who is at all curious about the Catholic faith.  It is also a great book for the practicing Catholic, who would like to be able to evangelize or at least be able to give a quick explanation to someone about some of the common misunderstandings of the Catholic faith.  The book is only $3 on Amazon and although it is a quick read, I imagine you might want to reference this book frequently when different issues or questions about the Catholic faith arise.  Gus ends each of his explanations with biblical passages which deal with the issue, and he encourages those reading to do more research on their own.  It is great to get a quick explanation, but to get a fuller understanding of the faith more research is necessary.

In my opinion, this book along with the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church should be in every Catholic family's household.  We are all called to evangelize.  Jesus said to his apostles to go and preach to all nations.  This book will be a great help for Catholics in accomplishing this task.  I also encourage those not Catholic, especially Christians of other denominations that are open to exploring the Catholic faith, to pick up this book.  It is a short read, but it might answer some of the questions you have about the Catholic faith.  If you like what you hear, I encourage you to explore even deeper into the Catholic faith.

You can find A Minute in the Church HERE, and I encourage you to learn more about Gus Lloyd at his website HERE.

God bless,

Mike