in REVIEW
in REVIEW by Kim Long
Word by Word: Slowing Down with the Hail Mary edited by Sarah A. Reinhard
M
any years ago I was in an adult education class on “The Church at Prayer.” The instructor asked who had a rosary with them. Every single woman pulled at least one rosary from her purse, pocket or knitting bag. We all laughed and joked with our instructor and it seemed we all had multiple sets of rosary beads in almost every place you can imagine – the glove compartment, every purse, every sweater/jacket, in the kitchen drawer, hanging by the bed, knitting bags, yarn caches, under our pillows – you name it! The rosary certainly was all over our worlds, claiming us at every turn. Why then is this set of prayers, specifically the Hail Mary, just rolling off our tongues with little, if any, thought to the letters, words and sounds we are speaking? Comfort, familiarity, perhaps. In this book, edited by Sarah Reinhardt, each word of the Hail Mary prayer is examined, prayed upon and seen in a context of her story and our own. This book began as a blog post series with a variety of Catholic writers. It is a really interesting and slow take on the Hail Mary. I admit I was disconcerted at first, I had worked for years to get my rosary speed to a “certain time.” Now I am redirected to prayer in the slow lane. How often do we use the words “the,” “and,” “is,” “of” – words that seem to serve to string larger thoughts together? Countless times daily. In the Hail Mary prayer we use “the” and “of” four times, “is” twice, “and” twice and “the” three times. In this book, each word is examined, defined and reflected upon. These words are examined individually along with the remainder of the text. The book is broken into sections. Section One takes the phrase “Hail Mary, full of grace,” and examines each word on its own and relates it to the whole.
Here is an excerpt from that first section: “If Gabriel had greeted Mary in Hebrew, it would likely have been shalom, or peace be with you. The gospel was written in Greek, so the term chairo was used. The translation “hail” speaks of saluting one of great favor. Certainly Gabriel understood whom he was greeting and the significance of the words that would follow.” At the end of each reflection the author offers a prayer. Here is another excerpt from the reflection on the word “of:” “This humble little breath of air carries tremendous power, so much so that Merriam-Webster dictionary lists no less than 12 distinct definitions. Of denotes origin, a word that defines belonging and relationship. We are sons and daughters of God.” I have never said that prayer and given the word “of” a thought. I will now. This book is a refreshing take on a prayer that most Catholics never abandon, even if they no longer self-identify as practicing Catholics. I have read many accounts of serious situations and the non-practicing Catholics find themselves going back to this prayer, these words. I think they are written on our hearts. This book helps them be written in our heads, helps us be aware of the power of the small words and the larger ones. I cannot recommend it highly enough. This little book has given me a sense of renewal and true insight into a Catholic staple. The format is suitable for group or private study. The book, Word by Word: Slowing Down with the Hail Mary is published by Ave Maria Press and is edited by Sarah Reinhard. It is available on Amazon and in the Parish Library at St. Mary of the Pines. I hope you will give it a look and allow it to open wide the Hail Mary prayer and the beauty of each word. •
“The translation “hail” speaks of saluting one of great favor. Certainly Gabriel understood whom he was greeting and the significance of the words that would follow. " Word by Word: Slowing Down the Hail Mary
Word by Word: Slowing Down the Hail Mary is available to borrow from the St. Mary of the Pines Library, or for purchase through Amazon.com.
August 2016 7
in REVIEW by Katie Sciba
Divine Mercy for Moms by Michele Faehnle & Emily Jaminet
T
he Year of Mercy is wrapping up and, to be honest, I had become so accustomed to hearing about our Church-wide celebration that my enthusiasm had worn off. Then I picked up Divine Mercy for Moms, which must have been God’s will, and realized that when it comes to Jesus and mercy, my heart has barely scratched the surface of either. Let me start by saying this book makes the abstract idea of Divine Mercy accessible and real. As moms, it’s possible for us to receive mercy and in turn give it to others. I learned that I can perform the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy here in my home and I was encouraged to do so for my friends and fellow mamas. Divine Mercy for Moms: Sharing the Lessons of St. Faustina by Michele Faehnle and Emily Jaminet begins appropriately with a historical snapshot of the story of a nun, Sr. Maria Faustina Kowalska, and the incredible apparitions she had of both Jesus and Mary. Her apparitions were so frequent in fact, that she was able to speak with our Lord as easily as a friend, with complete vulnerability. When Jesus charged her with the weighty task of conveying the Divine Mercy to the world and Sr. Faustina felt unsuitable. She was uneducated and lived in a small community where she had no influence, yet what she deemed to be inadequacies Jesus used to further reveal himself to humanity. The story alone speaks to me as a wife and mom. I’m fully aware of my shortcomings and simplicities. I have wounds, habitual sins, hesitations and quirks like every other woman in the world; yet, as the book conveys, God will use these to move mountains. All I have to do is remain as close to Him as
possible for strength and grace. But to be close to somebody, there has to be trust. My favorite aspect of Divine Mercy for Moms is that among its initial chapters is one dedicated to increasing my trust in Jesus. “But who has time to up their trust? I don’t have time to pray; and if I do, I’m completely wiped out by the kids and life in general that what I need is coffee, or a glass of wine. And a nap.” Holiness isn’t something we reach for only in the stillness and quiet; if I waited around for that, I’d be a lost cause! Ms. Jaminet wrote, “I felt [my vocation] was holding me back from growing spiritually… I soon discovered that each moment I gave to Christ with intentionality and love, I received not only the grace I needed to be a good mother, but true happiness as well.” I felt so validated throughout this whole book. The authors spoke to the bliss, pain, needs and desires of motherhood, never taking for granted how much we mamas must give for our families. To be a mom is to be a servant to those we love most, and it’s a near guarantee that those we serve will never appreciate the depth of our devotion to them. It’s hard, endless work and Jesus pines to go through it with us. “[T]alk to me about everything,” Christ said to St. Faustina, “for my ears and heart are inclined towards you, and your words are dear to me.” The end of the Year of Mercy is no time to drop the habit to pick up a new one. It’s a resolution! It’s a chance to keep it with us from here on out. As wives and mamas, we have a particular need to receive mercy in order to give it. I’m quite certain that with Divine Mercy for Moms, I’m ready with a manual on how to live it. •
“I felt [my vocation] was holding me back from growing spiritually…I soon discovered that each moment I gave to Christ with intentionality and love, I received not only the grace I needed to be a good mother, but true happiness as well. " – Divine Mercy for Moms: Sharing the Lessons of St. Faustina
Divine Mercy for Moms: Sharing the Lessons of St. Faustina is available online through Amazon.com.
October 2016 7
in REVIEW by Mike Van Vranken
Beautiful Mercy: Experiencing God’s Unconditional Love So We Can Share It With Others
F
aith informs us that our all-powerful God can, at any time, overtake our problems, our pain and our imperfect lives and replace those troubles with His peace, love and joy. But it has been my experience that God finds great joy when He can move into His people’s lives individually through each one of us. He seems to relish the moments when we bring His peace, love and joy into the everyday experiences of our own brothers and sisters. In the book, Beautiful Mercy, 27 Catholic authors share short stories and messages that give us a glimpse of God’s plan to shower us first with His mercy, and then use us as a conduit to spread that same divine mercy to others. Divided into the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, the book leads the reader to quickly ask: “Am I doing my part?” Early on, Matthew Kelly reminds us that making ourselves available to God’s work is a prerequisite for our Catholic mission. He begs us to imagine the world where everyone experiences and then shares God’s mercy on a daily basis. The introduction, written by Pope Francis, invites us to contemplate that Jesus is the face of mercy. God cordially invites us to receive the Father in the visible and living Jesus Christ. And because His Holy Spirit dwells within us, mercy – God’s divine mercy – dwells deep within each of our hearts as well. As you might imagine, reading the Holy Father’s comments will challenge us. Filled with Sacred Scripture, the book begins with a meandering through the Corporal Works of Mercy as the authors share stories and their own understanding of the reality of God’s mercy. The Bible tells us His mercies come to us new every morning to equip us with forgiveness and compassion so we can find ways to spread the same into the lives of others. The Corporal Works of Mercy are the real life ways we can physically touch
people with food, clothing and shelter. In addition, we are reminded there are others ways to spread compassion and love. Some are indeed hungry for food to eat. Still many are hungry for love and companionship. Some are starving for a word of hope in their stressful lives, others are craving to know Jesus but we’ve failed to introduce him to them. Answers to that question: “Am I doing my part?” come quickly and often while reading this book. It caused me to reflect on the encounters with Jesus I experience in the sacraments and how easy it is to hold him within myself and not share him with others. Part two offers examples of how we can live the Spiritual Works of Mercy each day. These are the activities where we give comfort, counsel, prayer and forgiveness to all we meet. Sometimes, in our broken humanity, it is much easier to buy someone a meal than it is to forgive his or her sins. Our own ugly sin of being judgmental seems to lurk within each of us and shows its hideous presence at the most inopportune times. As the authors share their stories, we find that mercy is freeing, hopeful, personal, affirming, comforting, triumphant, sharing, enduring, empowering, humble, faithful, tireless, emphatic, infinite and even scandalous. You will smile, tear up, meditate, pray and talk to Jesus as you read the pages of this book. And throughout, the overall theme is filled with God’s enormous, unconditional and merciful love for each one of us. He cares for you. He wants you to be in constant reconciliation and communion with Him. When we move toward Him, He finds so many ways to comfort us, give us hope and fill us with His peace and joy. As we approach the mid-point of our Year of Mercy, this book is an excellent resource to begin the second half. •
“ . . . this sort of love calls for nothing less than total self donation. It demands nothing less than a constant dying to self." Dr. Scott Hahn in Beautiful Mercy: Experiencing God's Unconditional Love So We Can Share It With Others
Beautiful Mercy is available through Amazon.com and available for loan from the Slattery Library in the Catholic Center.
April 2016 7
Word by Word: Slowing Down with the Hail Mary edited by Sarah A. Reinhard
M
any years ago I was in an adult education class on “The Church at Prayer.” The instructor asked who had a rosary with them. Every single woman pulled at least one rosary from her purse, pocket or knitting bag. We all laughed and joked with our instructor and it seemed we all had multiple sets of rosary beads in almost every place you can imagine – the glove compartment, every purse, every sweater/jacket, in the kitchen drawer, hanging by the bed, knitting bags, yarn caches, under our pillows – you name it! The rosary certainly was all over our worlds, claiming us at every turn. Why then is this set of prayers, specifically the Hail Mary, just rolling off our tongues with little, if any, thought to the letters, words and sounds we are speaking? Comfort, familiarity, perhaps. In this book, edited by Sarah Reinhardt, each word of the Hail Mary prayer is examined, prayed upon and seen in a context of her story and our own. This book began as a blog post series with a variety of Catholic writers. It is a really interesting and slow take on the Hail Mary. I admit I was disconcerted at first, I had worked for years to get my rosary speed to a “certain time.” Now I am redirected to prayer in the slow lane. How often do we use the words “the,” “and,” “is,” “of” – words that seem to serve to string larger thoughts together? Countless times daily. In the Hail Mary prayer we use “the” and “of” four times, “is” twice, “and” twice and “the” three times. In this book, each word is examined, defined and reflected upon. These words are examined individually along with the remainder of the text. The book is broken into sections. Section One takes the phrase “Hail Mary, full of grace,” and examines each word on its own and relates it to the whole.
Here is an excerpt from that first section: “If Gabriel had greeted Mary in Hebrew, it would likely have been shalom, or peace be with you. The gospel was written in Greek, so the term chairo was used. The translation “hail” speaks of saluting one of great favor. Certainly Gabriel understood whom he was greeting and the significance of the words that would follow.” At the end of each reflection the author offers a prayer. Here is another excerpt from the reflection on the word “of:” “This humble little breath of air carries tremendous power, so much so that Merriam-Webster dictionary lists no less than 12 distinct definitions. Of denotes origin, a word that defines belonging and relationship. We are sons and daughters of God.” I have never said that prayer and given the word “of” a thought. I will now. This book is a refreshing take on a prayer that most Catholics never abandon, even if they no longer self-identify as practicing Catholics. I have read many accounts of serious situations and the non-practicing Catholics find themselves going back to this prayer, these words. I think they are written on our hearts. This book helps them be written in our heads, helps us be aware of the power of the small words and the larger ones. I cannot recommend it highly enough. This little book has given me a sense of renewal and true insight into a Catholic staple. The format is suitable for group or private study. The book, Word by Word: Slowing Down with the Hail Mary is published by Ave Maria Press and is edited by Sarah Reinhard. It is available on Amazon and in the Parish Library at St. Mary of the Pines. I hope you will give it a look and allow it to open wide the Hail Mary prayer and the beauty of each word. •
“The translation “hail” speaks of saluting one of great favor. Certainly Gabriel understood whom he was greeting and the significance of the words that would follow. " Word by Word: Slowing Down the Hail Mary
Word by Word: Slowing Down the Hail Mary is available to borrow from the St. Mary of the Pines Library, or for purchase through Amazon.com.
August 2016 7
in REVIEW by Katie Sciba
Divine Mercy for Moms by Michele Faehnle & Emily Jaminet
T
he Year of Mercy is wrapping up and, to be honest, I had become so accustomed to hearing about our Church-wide celebration that my enthusiasm had worn off. Then I picked up Divine Mercy for Moms, which must have been God’s will, and realized that when it comes to Jesus and mercy, my heart has barely scratched the surface of either. Let me start by saying this book makes the abstract idea of Divine Mercy accessible and real. As moms, it’s possible for us to receive mercy and in turn give it to others. I learned that I can perform the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy here in my home and I was encouraged to do so for my friends and fellow mamas. Divine Mercy for Moms: Sharing the Lessons of St. Faustina by Michele Faehnle and Emily Jaminet begins appropriately with a historical snapshot of the story of a nun, Sr. Maria Faustina Kowalska, and the incredible apparitions she had of both Jesus and Mary. Her apparitions were so frequent in fact, that she was able to speak with our Lord as easily as a friend, with complete vulnerability. When Jesus charged her with the weighty task of conveying the Divine Mercy to the world and Sr. Faustina felt unsuitable. She was uneducated and lived in a small community where she had no influence, yet what she deemed to be inadequacies Jesus used to further reveal himself to humanity. The story alone speaks to me as a wife and mom. I’m fully aware of my shortcomings and simplicities. I have wounds, habitual sins, hesitations and quirks like every other woman in the world; yet, as the book conveys, God will use these to move mountains. All I have to do is remain as close to Him as
possible for strength and grace. But to be close to somebody, there has to be trust. My favorite aspect of Divine Mercy for Moms is that among its initial chapters is one dedicated to increasing my trust in Jesus. “But who has time to up their trust? I don’t have time to pray; and if I do, I’m completely wiped out by the kids and life in general that what I need is coffee, or a glass of wine. And a nap.” Holiness isn’t something we reach for only in the stillness and quiet; if I waited around for that, I’d be a lost cause! Ms. Jaminet wrote, “I felt [my vocation] was holding me back from growing spiritually… I soon discovered that each moment I gave to Christ with intentionality and love, I received not only the grace I needed to be a good mother, but true happiness as well.” I felt so validated throughout this whole book. The authors spoke to the bliss, pain, needs and desires of motherhood, never taking for granted how much we mamas must give for our families. To be a mom is to be a servant to those we love most, and it’s a near guarantee that those we serve will never appreciate the depth of our devotion to them. It’s hard, endless work and Jesus pines to go through it with us. “[T]alk to me about everything,” Christ said to St. Faustina, “for my ears and heart are inclined towards you, and your words are dear to me.” The end of the Year of Mercy is no time to drop the habit to pick up a new one. It’s a resolution! It’s a chance to keep it with us from here on out. As wives and mamas, we have a particular need to receive mercy in order to give it. I’m quite certain that with Divine Mercy for Moms, I’m ready with a manual on how to live it. •
“I felt [my vocation] was holding me back from growing spiritually…I soon discovered that each moment I gave to Christ with intentionality and love, I received not only the grace I needed to be a good mother, but true happiness as well. " – Divine Mercy for Moms: Sharing the Lessons of St. Faustina
Divine Mercy for Moms: Sharing the Lessons of St. Faustina is available online through Amazon.com.
October 2016 7
in REVIEW by Mike Van Vranken
Beautiful Mercy: Experiencing God’s Unconditional Love So We Can Share It With Others
F
aith informs us that our all-powerful God can, at any time, overtake our problems, our pain and our imperfect lives and replace those troubles with His peace, love and joy. But it has been my experience that God finds great joy when He can move into His people’s lives individually through each one of us. He seems to relish the moments when we bring His peace, love and joy into the everyday experiences of our own brothers and sisters. In the book, Beautiful Mercy, 27 Catholic authors share short stories and messages that give us a glimpse of God’s plan to shower us first with His mercy, and then use us as a conduit to spread that same divine mercy to others. Divided into the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, the book leads the reader to quickly ask: “Am I doing my part?” Early on, Matthew Kelly reminds us that making ourselves available to God’s work is a prerequisite for our Catholic mission. He begs us to imagine the world where everyone experiences and then shares God’s mercy on a daily basis. The introduction, written by Pope Francis, invites us to contemplate that Jesus is the face of mercy. God cordially invites us to receive the Father in the visible and living Jesus Christ. And because His Holy Spirit dwells within us, mercy – God’s divine mercy – dwells deep within each of our hearts as well. As you might imagine, reading the Holy Father’s comments will challenge us. Filled with Sacred Scripture, the book begins with a meandering through the Corporal Works of Mercy as the authors share stories and their own understanding of the reality of God’s mercy. The Bible tells us His mercies come to us new every morning to equip us with forgiveness and compassion so we can find ways to spread the same into the lives of others. The Corporal Works of Mercy are the real life ways we can physically touch
people with food, clothing and shelter. In addition, we are reminded there are others ways to spread compassion and love. Some are indeed hungry for food to eat. Still many are hungry for love and companionship. Some are starving for a word of hope in their stressful lives, others are craving to know Jesus but we’ve failed to introduce him to them. Answers to that question: “Am I doing my part?” come quickly and often while reading this book. It caused me to reflect on the encounters with Jesus I experience in the sacraments and how easy it is to hold him within myself and not share him with others. Part two offers examples of how we can live the Spiritual Works of Mercy each day. These are the activities where we give comfort, counsel, prayer and forgiveness to all we meet. Sometimes, in our broken humanity, it is much easier to buy someone a meal than it is to forgive his or her sins. Our own ugly sin of being judgmental seems to lurk within each of us and shows its hideous presence at the most inopportune times. As the authors share their stories, we find that mercy is freeing, hopeful, personal, affirming, comforting, triumphant, sharing, enduring, empowering, humble, faithful, tireless, emphatic, infinite and even scandalous. You will smile, tear up, meditate, pray and talk to Jesus as you read the pages of this book. And throughout, the overall theme is filled with God’s enormous, unconditional and merciful love for each one of us. He cares for you. He wants you to be in constant reconciliation and communion with Him. When we move toward Him, He finds so many ways to comfort us, give us hope and fill us with His peace and joy. As we approach the mid-point of our Year of Mercy, this book is an excellent resource to begin the second half. •
“ . . . this sort of love calls for nothing less than total self donation. It demands nothing less than a constant dying to self." Dr. Scott Hahn in Beautiful Mercy: Experiencing God's Unconditional Love So We Can Share It With Others
Beautiful Mercy is available through Amazon.com and available for loan from the Slattery Library in the Catholic Center.
April 2016 7
