The Prodigal Son by: Georges Chevrot

The Prodigal Son
Georges Chevrot
Translated by Helena Scott
Scepter
ISBN 0906138485
ISBN 9781373015556
ASIN B0069AUJ60
 

This is another great little booklet from Scepter Press It is a real eye- opener. Chevrot approaches the parable of the prodigal son like no other author I have encountered. He helps us to see ourselves in each of the roles in this parable and helps us to see the significance of the real conversion in the repentant son's life.

The Chapters are:

1. The Younger Son
2. The Elder Son
3. Self-Reflection
4. Realization and Conversion
5. The Father
6. A Change of Heart

Considering this book has fewer than 60 pages, it has more content than many ten times that size. This book almost demands that you put it down and meditate on what you have read, or to take time to reflect before moving on, or even to pray about what you have read and the impact that that can have on your life.

Chevrot states: "And it is no exaggeration to say that our whole Christian life is one continual conversion.
Conversion is, not as some people imagine, a precondition for beginning a Christian Life, a sort of antechamber through which one must pass to be admitted to the kingdom. It is the permanent state of the Christian Life. And this radical transformation, which is aimed at making us into God's children, is never complete." p.49-50 (at least here on earth).

This booklet will open your eyes, and help you to open your heart to God's grace and love. For as Chevrot says: "The prodigal never thought how happy he was going to make his father. And we too forget that God is happy when he sees us coming towards him. It's unbelievable, I grant you. We could never have known this truth if the Son of God had not come down from Heaven to tell us so." p.55-56 This book will help you grow in experiencing this truth.

Books by Georges Chevrot available in English:

The Gospel in the Home
The Prodigal Son
The Well of Life

On the Third Day

The Easter Impact
Simon Peter
The Eight Beatitudes

Our Days Are Numbered: Getting Ready for Eternity
…

A great piece on Georges by James K. Hanna.

Procrastination & Unproductiveness

I seem to be very unproductive lately, at least when it comes to school work. I got up this morning with 100 pages of schoolwork left to read for the term. Now 8 hours later I still have 80 pages to read.

Abby, is out at the grandparents for the day so I can get some work done. My wife is working, and I ain't accomplishing much.

First I split a lb of bacon with our housemate and some pancakes for breakfast. Then 2 quad grande americano's and still not much focus or drive.

This work needs to get done I have an online exam I have to take by Friday.

Even last night I watch the Habs beat the leafs and wrote 3 book reviews but got no school work done, once the hockey was one.

Where oh where has all my discipline gone. My work place maybe too many distractions, and even a couch for naps. Maybe I need a more austere work place.

Saints on Sale on ebay

(I grabbed this off of another blog. Well worth the read.)

Bones of contention: Religious crusader battles auction giant

By Brian Murphy, Associated Press

Hardly an hour goes by without Thomas Serafin or one of his cyber-sleuths checking what eBay has to offer.

They're not hunting for bargains and never place a bid. Their interest is bone shards, bits of wizened flesh and a contemporary twist on the sacred and the profane: How the ancient trade in the most coveted religious relics has moved into the global flea market of online bidding.

"You can find bone fragments supposedly from St. Augustine being hawked on the Internet along with trinkets and antiques. There is something very wrong here," said Serafin, a professional photographer and Catholic activist based in Los Angeles, who has led an expanding campaign since the late 1990s to block the online sale of objects purported to contain the remains of Christian saints.

Last month, Serafin's group, the International Crusade for Holy Relics, opened a new front that's truly worthy of a David and Goliath metaphor: a call to boycott eBay.

It seeks to pressure the world's largest online auction site to close alleged loopholes used to bypass its ban on allowing bids for human remains.

Hani Durzy, spokesman for eBay, said the San Jose, Calif.-based company is "very willing to reopen talks" with Serafin's group about its concerns after discussions broke off about a year ago.

"As far as the boycott, well, we've really seen no impact to speak of," said Durzy. "We don't know if it's even still in place."

But Serafin said the symbolism is what's important.

"Yes, it's just a blip on the screen," he said. "But we want to make a point. They are taking the same position as Judas. They are selling out the church."

Interest in religious patrimony of all types - from icons to stained glass - has soared in recent years, along with the blockbuster novel The Da Vinci Code, the Christian-themed Left Behind series and major museum exhibits devoted to art and spirituality. At the same time, a flood of ecclesiastical items has entered mainstream antiquarian markets from once-flourishing churches that were closed because of shrinking congregations or population shifts away from older city neighborhoods.

But the sale of so-called "first-class relics" - bone, flesh, hair, nails and fragments of other body parts - remains a murky subculture, one that's increasingly shifting from the back rooms of dealers' shops to the Web's worldwide mall.

Dozens of religious items are on eBay at any time. Most are ordinary objects such as icons, medals or prayer cards. But Serafin believes the strongest interest is for the first-class relics, which he says has accounted for up to 40% of the eBay relic listings at times.

"This is where the real action is," he said. "This is where our fight is."

Serafin describes his motivation as part consciousness raiser and part consumer crusader.

He calls the sale of such relics deeply offensive to believers in their sanctity.

Then there is the caveat emptor - or "let the buyer beware" - factor. Clear documentation on a first-class relic is extremely rare and fraud is as old as faith - as noted more than 600 years ago in a scene from The Canterbury Tales in which pigs' bones and a pillow case are part of a cache of dubious religious relics brought from Rome.

Some recent offerings on eBay include "the air" that Christ breathed, the wing of the Holy Spirit and "the hand" of St. Stephen.

Serafin also says the rules - both canon and eBay's - are on his side.

Most churches with centuries-old traditions in the display and veneration of relics, including the Roman Catholic and Orthodox, prohibit the sale of any objects believed to hold body parts.

The extensive list of eBay's banned items include Nazi paraphernalia, firearms and ammunition and "human parts and remains."

Durzy said eBay has more than 2,000 people assigned to cull prohibited items, but noted that blanket enforcement is a challenge with up to 7 million new items going up for bid every day.

Sellers don't make it any easier.

Many now make a point of saying that the reliquary, or container, is for sale and the actual relic is a "gift." There are even conflicting linguistic signals. On Monday, a seller posted a relic of St. Eymard, a 19th century French priest, that was described as "ex ossibus," Latin for "from the bones." But the fuller text says the relic "does not contain any human parts."

Attempts by The Associated Press to reach the seller - and several other relic dealers on eBay - via e-mail contact information were unsuccessful.

"We just want the same rules that apply to guns, Nazi items or the bones of American Indians," said Serafin, whose group is a loose association of about 200 members around the world ranging from a Russian Orthodox archbishop to Catholic priests and lay people.

Across the time zones, they try to keep a round-the-clock vigil on eBay for any suspicious relics. They fire off e-mails to eBay and the seller - who is often known only by an online nickname and e-mail address - asking for the item to be withdrawn.

But it's a cumbersome process.

In late October, Serafin's group protested what they considered an "ex ossibus" relic of the 19th century St. John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests. The sale went ahead, starting at $25. Twenty-seven bids later, an anonymous buyer picked it up for $565, plus $12 shipping.

(Image above: Tom Serafin displays a replica of a nail claimed to be used in the crucifixion of Christ.)

By Brian Murphy, Associated Press

Tuck Everlasting - Natalie Babbitt

Tuck Everlasting
Natalie Babbitt
FS&G
ISBN 0374480095

This is an amazing book, even if the film a few years back failed to capture the magic of the story. This book is often used in Children's Literature courses, and is also used in grief counseling for children. It has much to offer on many different levels.

The Tucks have a secret, and their secret can either be seen as a blessing or a curse. The Tucks drank from a magic spring and now they cannot die. Young Winnie Foster finds out their secret and so the Tucks take her home to try and explain the secret and the importance of keeping it. Yet now the town is in an uproar looking for the Tucks, and the family needs Winnie's help.

The writing is excellent, and the story will keep you turning the pages. If you are looking for a book for yourself or to read to children in your life, this is an excellent pick. Well written, with impeccable prose, you will not be disappointed.

Accepted DVD

Accepted
Steve Pink
Universal
ISBN 141706644X

The South Harmon Institute of Technology (SHIT) will become a campus you will wish to visit and revisit again and again and the following are the reasons why.

Occasionally when you go to review something you are taken completely by surprise. Accepted is one such movie. Both the movie and the features on the DVD will be completely unexpected. I was expecting a frat party film along the line of Animal House or The Revenge of the Nerds series, and ended up with something closer to With Honors. The movie actually deals with some great questions - questions about personal integrity, traditions, growth and values.

This DVD is packed full of special features with something for everyone, such as commentaries, deleted scenes, gag reel, music videos and more. The best part of the fun is the self-guided tour of the campus. The virtual tour of SHIT takes you through the main sets, with mini commentaries on parts of the film that took place on these sets.

Justin Long and Lewis Black lead an all-star comedic cast in a romp through University life, as if the students ran the show. The gag reel will have you on the floor laughing as the cast takes the jokes on and off screen to extremes.

The feature commentary with director Steve Pink, and stars Justin Long, Lewis Black, Jonah Hill and Adam Herschman is a barrel of laughs; they seemed to have as much fun commenting about the film as they did on screen during the actual movie. They spent time mocking commentaries on DVDs, critiquing scenes and joking with each other. Early on they say if you make it through the commentary you will need psychiatric help, and though that may be true for their characters and the actors themselves, the commentary is hilarious.

These and the other no-holds-barred bonus features push this DVD from being a renter to a purchase. This is a film you will watch over and over again. It will be great for impromptu movie nights and to put on when you want a laugh after a hard day in class, or after working on that paper that would just not be written. This film will help remind you why you are really in university and what is the real purpose and goal in life.

Pick up the DVD - it will bring you hours and hours of entertainment!

(First Published in Imprint 2006-11-24 as "Accepted Defintely passes!')

Call Him Father by: Edward G. Maristany

Call Him Father
Edward G. Maristany
Scepter Publishers
ISBN 1889334332

Fr. Maristany has written another great book. My only regret is that this, and Loving the Holy Mass, are the only two books I can find by Fr. Maristany. Drawing heavily upon scriptures, The Catechism and St. Josemaria Escriva, we are shown the importance of the concept of 'divine filiation' or, in simpler terms, we are God's children. That is one of the most important things we can learn and take into our hearts. We must not just know it, we must experience it.

Fr. Maristany examines this subject from a number of different angles and perspectives. They are:

• We are children of God
• God's original plan
• Baptism
• The Good News
• A Unique love
• What the World needs now
• Experiencing the reality
• The role of parents
• The role of the Holy Spirit
• The role of Jesus
• The role of Mary
• Developing the habit of piety
• Prayer
• Trusting God in times of difficulty
• In the mass
• Awareness of the Father's presence
• Becoming like a little child
• Contrition
• Working with a right intention
• Two dangers

He states: "let me say it again: it is not enough to know that we are children of God. Millions of people know it and still live in darkness. Many who could give lectures on the subject have not made divine filiation the foundation of their spiritual lives. And as a result, their spiritual lives are shaky." p.19 It is stressed again and again, that this cannot be just head knowledge, we must come to experience it and live it or it really means nothing.

In the section on the Role of Parents, Maristany declares: "It is the role of a father to introduce each child to the love of our heavenly Father. In the decisions he makes as head of the family, in his way of answering a question, in his unselfish way of action, in the hugs and protection he gives his children, a good father becomes the natural reflection of the wisdom and love, the power and providence, the mercy and forgiveness of God." p.21 We have no greater role than to be the example of God's love to our children, and our friends and family. We can only do that if we know and experience that love firsthand ourselves.

In quoting St. Josemaria Escriva, we are told: "Presence of God, awareness of our divine filiation; everything else is a way of achieving this." p. 59 Then we are encouraged to put this into practice in our own lives and then to teach it to others. We could have no greater responsibility.

If you want to grow as a child of God, this book will help you understand and grow in that relationship.

Books by Father Edward G. Maristany:
Call Him Father: How to Experience the Fatherhood of God
Call Him Father: How to Experience the Fatherhood of God Revised Edition
Loving the Holy Mass

Spanish Editions:
Amar la Santa Misa
Llámale Padre

Loving the Holy Mass by: Edward G. Maristany

Loving the Holy Mass
Edward G. Maristany
Scepter Publishers
ISBN 1594170428

Fr. Maristany packs a lot of punch in this little booklet. Right at the beginning he says: "And yet … how can I blame people who want to spend as little time as possible in church? I remember how, when I was a kid, we loved those midweek holidays when 'you don't have to go to school, and you don't have to go to Mass' Why did we cradle Catholics ever start going to Mass? Because we were told to. It was our duty. " p.7 Yet mass can be so much more than that, and Fr. Maristany helps us to see some of them.

He outline's some things we should consider if we find mass boring and shows us some of the benefits and attractions to attending mass.

1. Jesus' Plan
2. A Sacrifice
3. A Real Presence
4. A Meal (Holy Communion)
5. How to Live and Love the Mass

These are the chapters, and each of them is packed full of spiritual nourishment.

Fr. Maristany draws from many sources, J.R.R. Tolkien, the Catechism, the Summa Theologica, Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine and so many more. I have already read this book three times and plan on reading it again and again until I internalize the message.

This is a great little book for any Catholic to help them understand the importance and centrality of the Mass to their spiritual life.

I have only found one other book by Fr. Maristany Call Him Father which I reviewed also and recommend just as much as this one.


Books by Father Edward G. Maristany:
Call Him Father: How to Experience the Fatherhood of God
Call Him Father: How to Experience the Fatherhood of God Revised Edition
Loving the Holy Mass

Spanish Editions:
Amar la Santa Misa
Llámale Padre