Julie Davis's Blog, page 9

April 19, 2012

Flannery O'Connor at A Good Story is Hard to Find Podcast

Julie talks Scott's leg off, but since it isn't wooden he gets to keep it? Confused? So are we, but we bravely discuss three of Flannery O'Connor's stories: A Good Man is Hard to Find, The River, and Good Country People.

And find out what happens when we leave the recorder running for another five minutes after signing off.

Come and listen at A Good Story is Hard to Find.
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Published on April 19, 2012 08:24 Tags: a-good-story-is-hard-to-find, flannery-o-connor, podcast

April 12, 2012

Now That It's Easter ... I Recommend the Gospel of Mark

Specifically, the Gospel of Mark from the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture series. My review is here.
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Published on April 12, 2012 06:32 Tags: bible-study, gospel-of-mark, happy-catholic, mary-healy

February 22, 2012

Lenten Reading Ideas

WHAT I'M READING
I am already reading two books that are really hitting me where I live. How handy! I can just keep going with them through Lent.

Night of the Confessor by Tomas Halik
Night of the Confessor is rich and deep, with somehow simple ideas. Just when the author says something that I have a knee-jerk reaction of "that's not how faith works" he goes further and deeper so that I understand the reasons behind the surface statement ... and usually agree. This is thoughtful and thought provoking writing which I am letting sink in. And it is enriching my internal life. A fuller review is here with a lengthy excerpt.

Gospel of Mark, The (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture) by Mary Healy
This is a really great commentary. Healy combines a lot of the information that I have in a variety of other commentaries (both Catholic and Protestant), but then pulls it all together with additional observations that make it very accessible while still being scholarly. She follows up many sections with items for reflection.

Sometimes I am enlightened by the factual information which gives me new insights into the text. Sometimes it is from the material for reflection. However, it is a rare day that I fail coming away with an insight that I ponder the rest of the day. Highest recommendation and I will be getting another in the series after I am done with this book.

OTHER GREAT BOOKS
Here are some other books that I either have read for Lent or would gladly read. Some may be familiar because I just can't stop pushing them (or rereading them).

To Know Christ Jesus by Frank Sheed
Sheed looks at Jesus' life by weaving together all four Gospels. He also takes into consideration the times in which Jesus lived, how the people then would have interpreted Christ's teachings and witness, links to the Old Testament, teachings of the Chruch Fathers, archaeology, and more. The goal of all this is to give us a richer, deeper understanding of Jesus since to know the Father you must know the Son ... and there is nowhere better to meet him than through the Gospels.

The School of Prayer: An Introduction to the Divine Office for All Christians by John Brook
Interestingly Brook partially presents this introduction to promote ecumenism for he points out that praying from the Psalms makes Protestants feel right at home in the practice. This book not only tells about the divine office, but has an explication of the psalms commonly prayed so that we more easily find Christ in them.

Beginning to Pray by Anthony Bloom
This book is written with complete simplicity but yet somehow contains depths that one thinks of for some time afterward. Let's just begin with this ... "If you look at the relationship (us and God) in terms of mutual relationship, you would see that God could complain about us a great deal more than we about Him. We complain that He does make Himself present to us for a few minutes we reserve for Him, but what about the twenty-three and half hours during which God may be knocking at our door and we answer 'I am busy..."

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry is an incredible Christ-figure as I discovered when I reread the series recently. Of course, this only works for those who have read the series before. For more depth and as accompanying materials, readers may want to listen to Episode 26 of A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast where Scott Danielson and I discuss the book and the entire series from a Catholic point of view.

Contemplating the Trinity: The Path to Abundant Christian Life by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa
He was the preacher to the papal household for Pope John Paul II and continued in that capacity for Pope Benedict XVI, at least for a while. I always have found his writing and homilies to be both easy to understand and inspirational. This book to be the same sort as The Interior Castle in that reading a few paragraphs a day lets the message sink in each day. I read this during Lent a few years ago and it was wonderful.

In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden
This extraordinarily sensitive and insightful portrait of religious life centers on Philippa Talbot, a highly successful professional woman who leaves her life among the London elite to join a cloistered Benedictine community. That's the official description but it doesn't begin to cover the richly woven tapestry Godden weaves with nuanced personalities, mysteries to solve so that the order may continue, Philippa's internal struggles, and much more.

Five for Sorrow, Ten for Joy by Rumer Godden
Another Godden book about a completely different order of nuns. This is an inspiring tale of conversion and redemption told in flashback sequence. We meet Lise when she is being released from prison where she has served her term for murder. She is going to join an order that ministers to those on the fringes of society. Through Lise's thoughts, we watch her go from being a young WWII staffer in Paris, become seduced by a man who has a brothel and eventually turns her into a prostitute where later on she becomes the manager. The reasons behind the murder become clear as the threads come together again in the people around Lise in current time. My full review is here.

Paul Among the People by Sarah Ruden
Sarah Ruden goes to great pains to put St. Paul's writings in the context of Paul's "modern times" of Greek and Roman culture so we can see just what cultural forces he was referring to when he wrote his letters. By juxtaposing her knowledge of those cultures (which were considerably cruder and more hostile to Christian religious concepts than we would think) and writings of the people (not high-brow philosophers) with Paul's writings and concepts, a new picture emerges of just what was being battled and why Christian concepts would be so welcome and revolutionary. My full review is here.

The Reapers Are the Angels by Alden Bell
Of course, I'm still pushing this book. It is rare, to find a book about the zombie apocalypse that addresses the larger themes that one finds in science fiction apocalyptic literature. The Reapers Are the Angels is just such a rarity. Author Alden Bell looks beyond the popular appeal of zombies to the depths of the human soul. The column I wrote for last Lent about this book is at Patheos.

IF THOSE DON'T HIT THE SPOT
Here are last year's recommendations, both nonfiction and fiction.
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Published on February 22, 2012 09:41 Tags: catholic, christian, inspirational, lent, recommendations

February 7, 2012

Lord, Open My Heart: Scriptural Reflections for Lent by Julie Davis

I know it is too early to be talking about Lent, really. I'm so excited by this booklet though that I just had to mention it now.

I thought I was ghostwriting this for Creative Communications for the Parish. Now I see that they have my name on the cover. Woohoo!

These are brief day-by-day scriptural reflections for use during Lent.

It's available in booklet, Kindle, and Nook formats. Pick it up in any of these formats at Creative Communications for the Parish or at Amazon for your Kindle or at Barnes & Noble for your Nook.

Here's a sample.

Ash Wednesday

A Transforming Time

Pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. — Matt. 6:6

I have friends who love Lent and eagerly look forward to it every year. I’m not one of those people. I always have to work at the proper frame of mind before I can approach a time of penitence with anything close to sincerity. Let’s face it, I don’t like giving things up.
I have to remind myself that it isn’t about what I am sacrificing so much as it is about what I am making room for. It is a sort of spring-cleaning of the soul.

It is about restoring proper perspective, through denial and sacrifice, so my whole heart is given to God. He generously gives me every good thing in my life. I inevitably come to Lent knowing that I have let some of those good things become more important to me than God himself.

It is a time of transformation. I must approach Lent expecting to be radically changed otherwise there isn’t any point to observing Lent at all. Simply going through the motions doesn’t cut it.

Ash Wednesday begins a time of penitence that I embrace (eventually) with interest and anticipation. What will God transform in me?
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Published on February 07, 2012 11:02 Tags: devotional, faith, inspirational, lent

December 28, 2011

My 2011 Best Books List

Best to me, of course, not definitively "best," which is impossible to say.

This was the year I was not going to do a "best of" list.

Not. going. to.

Done and done.

And then The Anchoress challenged me and put her own book list up. Plus she put Brandon Vogt's 2011 book list link ... which further challenged me.

Darn it.

In general I tend to be puzzled by many Catholic's book lists. So many religious books, so few zombie books. Although, I note with approval that Brandon read the Harry Potter series last year. There is hope.

So here we go, top 10 books with descriptions in 10 words or less. Plus a few bonus items at the end.

Mystery of Grace by Charles DeLint
Urban fantasy about Grace (the person) and grace (of God). (discussion/review at A Good Story is Hard to Find)

East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Genesis, Cain, and Abel ... in California. (review at A Free Mind; discussion/review at A Good Story is Hard to Find)

Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux
Little things can make you a saint. (review at A Free Mind)

Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry
Red, white, blue, and zombies. (review at SFFaudio)

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
Concentration camps and God from an unlikely storyteller. (review at A Free Mind)

White Cat / Red Glove (The Curse Workers series) by Holly Black
When a touch can curse, gloves alone can't protect you (SFFaudio reviews: White Cat / Red Glove)

Declare by Tim Powers
WWII, Cold War spies, and the supernatural with Catholic details (discussion/review at A Good Story is Hard to Find)

The Jewish Roots of the Eucharist by Brant Pitre
What the title says. (review at Happy Catholic)

Desert of Souls by Howard Andrew Jones
Rattling good adventure in ancient Arabia with djinn and improbable heroes (review at Happy Catholic)

BONUS

AUTHOR DISCOVERIES
Diana Wynne Jones - I never knew how fabulous her books were or how inventive or how different they were from each other. Thank heavens my pal D.J. took it upon herself to lend me carefully selected stories each month. YA fantasy that is a treat for any age to read.

Norbert Davis - who wrote the short but memorable series featuring Doan and Carstairs. Doan is a short, chubby man in rumpled clothes who, despite appearances, is "the most dangerous little devil I've ever seen, and he's all the worse because of that half-witted manner of his. You never suspect what he's up to until it's too late." At least that what his boss says. Carstairs is his Great Dane who is one of the most intelligent characters ever included in mysteries. Together they are a duo to reckon with. And the stories are not only interesting but are tinged with humor throughout.

Louis L'Amour - I grew up scorning Western stories, even though I did occasionally dip into Zane Grey along the way. I'm not sure what made me sample a few of Louis L'Amour's short story collections on my Kindle. I was surprised to find his stories compelling and so picked up this collection via Paperback Swap. He has a talent for making you speed to the end of the story even when you're fairly sure you know what will happen ... because you're only fairly sure and often he flips the story just a bit on you.

SERIES REREADING

Two words.

Harry Potter.

When the last movie came out, it made me suddenly realize that the Potter books probably were available in audiobook format. Sure enough they were and Jim Dale's narration was nothing short of inspired. I began at book one and "reread" them all. Surprisingly, I remembered only a few key elements of the last three books and so was able to experience them once again with breathless anticipation.

A truly wonderful experience.
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Published on December 28, 2011 12:25 Tags: 2011-list

December 23, 2011

Julie's 2012 Reading Challenges

I realized recently that I have a handful of certifiable classics which I really want to read but that I keep acting as if the Reading Fairy is going to drop extra time and a book on my lap when I'll suddenly begin reading.

Bravely taking responsibility on myself, I made a list.

I love making lists. Don't you? And crossing things off them.

I'm super excited to begin The Brothers Karamazov. SUPER! EXCITED!

Then those lists came up in conversation over at A Good Story is Hard to Find so I put together an actual blog page. Which I'm sharing here.

So here are my "must reads" ... I may not get through all of them in 2012, but I will be trying to always be reading one of them despite other distractions. In no particular order.

(By the way, Scott is also making a list with a bit of a different twist. Check it out at his blog, Rivets and Trees.)

2012 Classics
The Brothers Karamazov - Dostoyevsky
Bleak House- Dickens
Middlemarch - Eliot
Belly of Paris (Emile Zola)
Last Call - Tim Powers (not a true classic, I know ... but still a "challenging" read which is what all these are for me)
A Movable Feast - Hemingway
The Four Quartets - T.S. Eliot
Wuthering Heights

2012 Religion
Introduction to the Devout Life - St. Francis de Sales
The Way of Perfection - St. Teresa of Avila
The Sabbath - Abraham Heschel
Introduction to Christianity - Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI)
Joan of Arc - Mark Twain

2012 Rereading
The Sand Pebbles
Fahrenheit 451 - Bradbury
Fire and Hemlock - Diana Wynne Jones
Lark Rise - Flora Thompson

2012 Nonfiction
A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bryson
Keeping House: The Litany of Everyday Life - Margaret Kim Peterson
On Pilgrimage - Jennifer Lash
Twain's Feast - Beahrs
Politically Incorrect Guide to English and American Literature
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Published on December 23, 2011 05:23 Tags: 2012-reading-challenge, book-lists, classics

December 6, 2011

Optional Memorial of St. Nicholas, bishop

Today, December 6, is the true St. Nicholas Day, celebrating that Turkish bishop who generously gave to the poor and is an intercessor for financial problems. Look Catholic Culture for information about St. Nick, including activities to do with the kids.

I love the details you can find there.

Patron: against imprisonment; against robberies; against robbers; apothecaries; bakers; barrel makers; boatmen; boot blacks; boys; brewers; brides; captives; children; coopers; dock workers; druggists; fishermen; grooms; judges; lawsuits lost unjustly; longshoremen; maidens; mariners; merchants; murderers; newlyweds; old maids; parish clerks; paupers; pawnbrokers; perfumeries; perfumers; pharmacists; pilgrims; poor people; prisoners; sailors; scholars; schoolchildren; shoe shiners; spinsters; students; thieves; travellers; unmarried girls; watermen; Greek Catholic Church in America; Greek Catholic Union; Bari, Italy; Fossalto, Italy; Duronia, Italy; Portsmouth, England; Greece; Lorraine; Russia; Sicily.

Symbols: Three children in a trough or tub; three golden balls on a book; six golden balls; three golden apples; three loaves; three purses or bags of gold; anchor; ship; Trinity symbol on a cope; angel; small church; three balls;
Often Portrayed As: Bishop with three children in a tub at his feet; Bishop calming a storm; bishop holding three balls; bishop holding three bags of gold; bishop with three children.

Much more about St. Nicholas also may be found at the excellent St. Nicholas Center site.

Also, Recta Ratio has some great info and wonderful pictures including those from American Culture (of Santa, natch, not St. Nick).
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Published on December 06, 2011 11:46 Tags: happy-catholic, santa-claus, st-nicholas

November 30, 2011

A Word From Our Sponsor: Isaiah in Advent


On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines, of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines.

On this mountain he will remove the mourning veil covering all peoples, and the shroud enwrapping all nations, he will destroy Death for ever.

The Lord will wipe away the tears from every cheek; he will take away his people’s shame every where on earth, for the Lord has said so.

That day, it will be said: See, this is our God in whom we hoped for salvation; the Lord is the one in whom we hoped.

We exult and we rejoice that he has saved us; for the hand of the Lord rests on this mountain.

Isaiah 25:6-10

I heard this when listening to Pray As You Go this morning. I was so struck by the imagery when thinking of Advent and Christ's second coming. The reflection for the day focused listeners on their own personal sorrows and disappointments which would be wiped away with the tears from our cheeks.

I really couldn't do anything with that, though. I just couldn't come up with anything which I hadn't dealt with already or was in the process of dealing with ... and so no revelations were forthcoming from that viewpoint.

What hit me ... what continues to hit me, hard ... was the picture of perfection that is painted for us by Isaiah.

A celebratory feast for all of us.

No more sadness or death for any nation because the veil is removed. That's what we hope to find in prayer and at Mass, a time when that veil between God and us is lifted just a little. But Isaiah tells us that it will be permanently removed for all of us. Every person, every nation.

It will be as it should have been from the beginning.

During Advent we are to look for the two comings of Christ. We look for his Incarnation as a baby among us. We look for his second coming. For the first time, I really caught a sense of just what that second coming means. For all of us. For every person, every nation. I can look forward with great anticipation, thanks to that moment when the veil lifted for a second so I got the bigger picture from this reading.

Come, Lord Jesus.
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Published on November 30, 2011 12:52 Tags: advent, happy-catholic, isaiah, second-coming

October 4, 2011

October Means Halloween ... All Month Long

HALLOWEEN (the book): I downloaded a sample of this book of Halloween short stories. I definitely would pick up the actual book because Ray Bradbury has forbidden anyone to use his work in ebooks and his story October Country is no exception. It is not in the ebook but is in the print version. There is an extremely interesting essay at the beginning about the history of Halloween. Among other things, it points out that Americans have fallen into the habit of celebrating Halloween all month long ... as this very post probably proves. (I prefer to look on it as a count-down, but po-tay-to, po-tah-to, right?)

Redecorating Middle-Earth in Early Lovecraft (Always Halloween and Never Thanksgiving): Amy H. Sturgis reinforces that month-long celebration point with her annual Halloween count-down. Art, quotes, and other ghostly things will be there every day of October.

Halloween Haunt : This annual podcast is back up and running. I always enjoy it for the good mix of fact, poetry, and pop culture episodes.
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Published on October 04, 2011 11:41 Tags: halloween

October Means Halloween ... All Month Long

HALLOWEEN (the book): I downloaded a sample of this book of Halloween short stories. I definitely would pick up the actual book because Ray Bradbury has forbidden anyone to use his work in ebooks and his story October Country is no exception. It is not in the ebook but is in the print version. There is an extremely interesting essay at the beginning about the history of Halloween. Among other things, it points out that Americans have fallen into the habit of celebrating Halloween all month long ... as this very post probably proves. (I prefer to look on it as a count-down, but po-tay-to, po-tah-to, right?)

Redecorating Middle-Earth in Early Lovecraft (Always Halloween and Never Thanksgiving): Amy H. Sturgis reinforces that month-long celebration point with her annual Halloween count-down. Art, quotes, and other ghostly things will be there every day of October.

Halloween Haunt : This annual podcast is back up and running. I always enjoy it for the good mix of fact, poetry, and pop culture episodes.
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Published on October 04, 2011 11:41