30 Days with Saint Paul
ISBN 9781618900715
eISBN 9781935302681
ASIN B009ZNHKTC
I stumbled across this volume while doing research for a volume from the Great Spiritual Teachers series from Ave Maria Press. I picked up this volume to read in parallel, I was only a few days in when I picked up the other two volumes in this series by Craughwell. I really enjoyed this volume and am looking forward to exploring other Catholic works from the pen of Thomas. Back to the volume at hand:
The description of this volume states:
“Saint Paul was perhaps the most important evangelist in the early Church, baptizing scores into a burgeoning Christianity. An Apostle and a martyr, he is most often remembered as a firebrand, but his letters were deeply and profoundly spiritual. In "30 Days with Saint Paul", Thomas J. Craughwell delves into the scriptures, and brings forth the devotional power of Saint Paul. An intimate encounter with one of the most powerful missionaries of Church, learn from the man who converted thousands to Christianity. Packed with excerpts from Saint Paul's epistles and other passages of scripture, and supplemented with beautiful prayers and meditations for each day, "30 Days with Saint Paul" brings the Apostle's passionate and unfailing faith to life.”
The chapters in this volume are:
Biography of Saint Paul
Day 1: The Love of Christ
Day 2: O Death, Where Is Thy Sting?
Day 3: Members of the Household of God
Day 4: The Holy Name of Jesus
Day 5: The Image of the Invisible God
Day 6: Those Who Have Fallen Asleep
Day 7: God’s Kindness
Day 8: The Nature of Love
Day 9: Live by the Spirit
Day 10: Your Calling
Day 11: Alive to God
Day 12: Love Never Ends
Day 13: The Whole Armor of God
Day 14: The Love of Christ
Day 15: Children without Blemish
Day 16: What Abides
Day 17: The Potter and the Clay
Day 18: Give Praise to the Life-Giving God
Day 19: Rooted in Christ
Day 20: The Body and Blood of the Lord
Day 21: Be Steady
Day 22: Forbear with One Another
Day 23: Encourage the Fainthearted
Day 24: Put on Immortality
Day 25: Beware the False Prophets
Day 26: Bring Christ to All Nations
Day 27: Seek the Quiet Peace of Prayer
Day 28: Take Up the Cross, and Follow Him
Day 29: Give Humble Thanks for God’s Grace
Day 30: Fight the Good Fight
About the Author
A sample day is:
“Day 13: The Whole Armor of God
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
EPHESIANS 6:11–12
Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down.
REVELATION 12:7–9
TODAY’S MEDITATION
As Christians we are part of a spiritual war against the power of the Evil One, who delights in corrupting individual souls and entire societies. Invoking the intercession of St. Michael the Archangel, let us prepare ourselves for the fight by frequent, worthy reception of the sacraments and daily prayer and good works.
PRAYER
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle! Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into Hell Satan, and all the other evil spirits, who wander about the world, seeking the destruction of souls. St. Paul and St. Michael the Archangel, pray for me!”
I highlighted a few passages while reading this volume. Some of them are:
“The Christians of Damascus were uneasy with Paul the convert. Was this a ruse; a way to win their confidence so it would be simple to round up the entire congregation? If the Christians were wary, the Jews of Damascus were openly hostile. They looked on Paul as a traitor, and some plotted to assassinate him. When word of the plot leaked out, some Christians hurried Paul to a house that had a window cut into the city wall. After dark, Paul climbed into a large basket, and the Christians lowered him to the ground.”
“Cling to the Faith! Do not let yourself be led astray by new fangled notions, or celebrity preachers who spout novel but untrustworthy interpretations. The Church has preserved the deposit of faith it received from Jesus Christ through the apostles—that is the sure way to salvation.”
“PRAYER I would like to be Mary, good Jesus, but most of my time is spent being Martha. These few moments alone with you are precious to me. Since I cannot sit at your feet all day, accept everything that I do today as my offering to you. Help me to do everything well, and may I always have you in mind as I go about my work. St. Paul, who chose the good portion, pray for me!”
“To meditate upon the Passion of Christ is one of the most ancient devotions of the Church. As we see in 1 Corinthians, St. Paul practiced it. Begin by reading one of the accounts of the Passion in the gospels. Imagine yourself present at the scene and how you would react to the sufferings and death of Jesus.”
“My good Jesus! How wondrous is your love for us, that you humble yourself to become man and dwell among us, and then suffer a terrible death on the Cross to save us. I can never repay such goodness and loving kindness, yet I ask you, dear Savior, to accept my heart, which is filled with love and gratitude for all you have done for your unworthy servant. That I might be an heir of eternal life, St. Paul, pray for me!”
I hope that sample day and the few quotes give you a feel for this excellent work. I was really blessed to have worked through this book. From the about the author section:
“For the last 30 years, Thomas Craughwell has been an independent scholar of the saints, digging through the autobiographies and letters of the saints, as well the writings of their contemporaries, to get past the sentimentality that tends to surround saints and find the living, breathing, struggling, real-life men and women.”
This was an excellent volume. When I returned to university as a mature student almost 30 years ago the first course I took was Pauls Life and Letters taught by Dr. Peter Frick, At St. Paul’s College at the University of Waterloo. It sparked a lifelong passion for Saint Paul and Pauline Theology. The final course I took to graduate was a directed readings course with the same professor on Paul. Since then I have aimed to read at least one volume on Paul a year. This was a great volume to read this year, and I could see myself returning to it and doing it again in the future.
I really enjoyed this volume. And to be honest am disappointed there are only three in the series from the pen of Thomas J. Craughwell. It was wonderful to work through on my own, but could also be used for a small group of the family. I enjoyed it so much I have already picked up the other 2 in this series and three other titles from Craughwell’s pen. I can easily recommend this volume! It is certain to challenge and inspire. A great read for any Catholic.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan!
Books by Thomas J. Craughwell:
30 days with St. Thérèse
50 States
5,000 Years of Royalty: Kings, Queens, Princes, Emperors & Tsars
101 Places to Pray Before You Die: A Roamin' Catholic's Guide
30,000 Years of Inventions
Alligators In the Sewer and 222 Other Urban Legends
America's Great (and Not So Great) Catholic Moments
Baby On the Car Roof and 222 Other Urban Legends
Bad Kids of the Bible: And What They Can Teach Us
Busted: Mugshots and Arrest Records of the Famous and Infamous
Catholic Cardlinks
Cowparade Kansas City
CowParade New York
CowParade Stamford
Do Blue Bedsheets Bring Babies?: The Truth Behind Old Wives' Tales
Failures of the Presidents: from the Whiskey Rebellion and War of 1812 to the Bay of Pigs and war in Iraq
Great Books for Every Book Lover: 2002 Great Reading Suggestions for the Discriminating Bibliophile
Great rescues of World War II : stories of adventure, daring and sacrifice
Heaven Help Us: Saints That Will Change Your Life
Heaven Help Us: 300 Patron Saints to Call Upon for Every Occasion
How Smart Are You Testing Your IQ
How the Barbarian Invasions Shaped the Modern World
How the Irish Brigade Cleared the Way to Victory in the Greatest Brigade American Civil War
Lent and Easter With Mary
Patron Saints: Saints for Every Member of Your Family, Every Profession, Every Ailment, Every Emergency, and Even Every Amusement
Pope Francis
Popes Who Resigned: Benedict Xvi and 13 Other Popes Who Retired
Presidential Payola: The True Stories of Monetary Scandals in the Oval Office that Robbed Taxpayers to Grease Palms, Stuff Pockets, and Pay for Undue Influence from Teapot Dome to Halliburton
Saints Behaving Badly
Saints for Every Occasion: 101 of Heaven's Most Powerful Patrons
Saints Preserved: An Encyclopaedia of Relics
Shakespeare
Stealing Lincoln's Body
St. Peter's Bones: How the Relics of the First Pope Were Lost and Found. . . and Then Lost and Found Again
The Buck Stops Here: The 28 Toughest Presidential Decisions and How They Changed History
The Cat in the Dryer: And 222 Other Urban Legends
The Odds – What Are the Chances
The Rise and Fall of the Second Largest Empire in History
The War Scientists
The Wisdom Of the Popes
This Saint Will Change Your Life
This Saint's for You! 300 Heavenly Allies Who Will Change Your Life
Thomas Jefferson's Creme Brulee
Who are you? Test Your Emotional Intelligence
…
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