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.  

Pope Peter: Defending the Church's Most Distinctive Doctrine in a Time of Crisis

Besides Mary and the Eucharist, the Office of the Papacy is among the most misunderstood and maligned teachings of the Catholic Church. Detractors, particularly Protestants, charge that the entire idea of a pope is completely unbiblical. However, as author Joe Heschmeyer, a former DC litigator and then seminarian, explains throughout his book Pope Peter: Defending the Church’s Most Distinctive Doctrine in a Time of Crisis, the papacy is entirely scriptural and based on many passages, not just the “Upon this rock” passage most commonly used to defend it (see Matthew 16:18-19 in particular). Rather, as Heschmeyer shows, the evidence for the office of the Pope - and the unique relationship between Jesus and Peter - spans the entire New Testament, lending a legitimate claim that Jesus certainly did intend to found the Church not on, say, Peter’s confession of faith but on the person and role of Peter.

For many faith-filled Catholics, the conclusions which Heschmeyer is working towards throughout his book will be sensical. The bonus for Catholics reading this is that Heschmeyer spends time drawing out the scripture passages that show the unique role Peter had among the Apostles, thus providing an excellent resource for readers who want to better understand the founding of the Papacy. 

And for readers who find themselves confronted with objections to the Papacy from Protestant friends or family members, each chapter includes a section entitled “How might a Protestant respond?” By including prominent Protestant theologians from history to better understand the objections, Heschmeyer provides a very well-rounded look at the scriptural evidence for the Office of the Pope, while also refuting misunderstandings that have arisen among non-Catholics.

While I found the book started off a bit slow, it quickly picked up steam. Heschmeyer provides some very rich intellectual and theological information but is able to present it in an easy-to-read style. I recommend Pope Peter by Joe Heschmeyer for Catholic adults and young adults who want to better understand and/or defend the Papacy.

Seeking His Mind

Author: M. Basil Pennington O.C.S.O.

Spirituality : Advanced spirituality (This is my subjective thinking.)

The author of "Seeking His Mind," M. Basil Pennington O.C.S.O., is a Trappist monk and priest who received his pontifical degree when I was 4 years old…and that is a long time ago! This book is for those to whom a fire has been started in their hearts. It is for those who wish to take the next step in their spiritual development.

Basil Pennington is a well-known spiritual leader in the Thomas Merton tradition. He offers the gambit of prayer styles from traditional to centering prayer. In this book, he uses the ancient practice of Lectio Divina as a means of spiritual advancement and illumination.

Lectio Divina is a way of approaching the scriptures and reflecting on them to transform your soul. The author uses 40 different scripture passages and offers reflections that will help facilitate our response to God’s love for us.

Each of the forty scripture quotes is followed by a mini-homily of sorts and finishes with answering the question, “What does this mean to me?” Pennington is not afraid to tackle difficult scripture passages and explore areas that may be a bit tender to us. The book is divided into three sections, Beginnings, Teaching and Healing, and Passion and Resurrection.

Each chapter is short reading and the time spent on them is to be more contemplative than explanatory. As this type of journey doesn’t appeal to everyone, all I can say is that if you experienced the 1% Challenge that the Archdiocese has offered and were  changed and looking for more, this book is it.