The Bookshelf

Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist

Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist,” by Brant Pitre does a marvelous job of sharing his knowledge and research into Jewish traditions and Old Testament Scripture that is easy to read yet provides a  wealth of information on the Last Supper. Want to know what the Passover was like at the time of Jesus and what Jesus meant when he said, "This is my body...This is my blood? This book opens your eyes to the magnificent story of God's presence - the mystery that we are called to see and are invited to partake in. It helps one truly believe in the mystery of the real presence of Christ, body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Eucharist.  

Padro Pio: The True Story

Padre Pio: The True Story is the best kind of book about a saint, perhaps because it remains faithful to its title. Padre Pio is an incredible and holy man and the author of this book does a fantastic job of highlighting those two truths: that Padre Pio was holy and Padre Pio was a man. We can often separate these two things and think the only way to be holy is to throw away our humanity. The saints, and the story of Padre Pio in this book, remind us holiness and humanity are not at odds with one another.

In this book one reads about incredible miracles and graces Padre Pio brought about in his life: Reading souls in confession, healing illness and injury, fighting with the devil, and bilocation to name a few. One also reads about his humor, pain, suffering, and struggles to follow God’s will for his life. These two elements show what sainthood is all about: the courage to follow God in the midst of our weakness and inadequacy and even sometimes the misunderstandings of our peers. Padre Pio is a saint not because he was perfect, but because he did not allow his imperfections to prevent him from following and loving God. If you are looking for a book which will inspire you to be a saint, this one is for you! St. Padre Pio: Pray for us! 

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

A while back, a person came to speak with me and graciously gave me a gift in gratitude. It was a book entitled, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. It was written by Charlie Mackesy. It is an illustrated book, written in cursive. At first blush, you could quickly pass it off as a children’s book, but considering the source, I knew that there was much more to it. I spent two months reading just one page at a time, spending some time contemplating the few words spoken between the boy, the mole, the fox, and the horse. Here is what one special page holds. “What is the bravest thing you ever said?” asked the boy. “Help.” said the horse. When was the last time you asked for help, for anything?

Can an entire state of mind be echoed in a single word? Can we be brave enough to ask the God of the great universe for help? Can we ask each other for help? Can the help we offer when asked be a prayer, a connection between two hearts which is authentic love? A lot of questions that come from this one quote, “What is the bravest thing you have ever said?” 

This book has many more thoughts to contemplate in the simple words spoken between the boy, the mole, the fox, and the horse.