Thursday, 20 March 2025

Do Not be Afraid to Believe Homilies and Addresses in Africa - Pope Benedict XVI - CTS Books

Do Not be Afraid to Believe: 
Homilies and Addresses in Africa
Pope Benedict XVI
ISBN 9781860826153
ISBN 1860826156
CTS Booklet Do815

Do Not be Afraid to Believe Homilies and Addresses in Africa - Pope Benedict XVI - CTS Books

Over the last few years, I have read several of books by and about Pope Benedict XVI, many from the Catholic Truth Society. Of the popes in my lifetime, I find his writings of immense spiritual benefit. I would state that I underappreciated him until his resignation. And since then, I have read much. And with each piece I read I appreciate his wisdom, faith, and stand against modernism. And nearly every time I finish one, I find another I want to read. At the end of this it highlight one I had not yet encountered. This work is a little more cautious than much of his writings I have a feeling this is more political because of where the addresses were given. This was another excellent read. 

The descriptions of the book is:

“I come among you as a pastor; I come to confirm my brothers and sisters in the faith. This was the role that Christ entrusted to Peter and his successors. And the witness of many great saints from this continent during the first centuries of Christianity — Saint Cyprian, Saint Monica, Saint Augustine, Saint Athanasius, to name but a few — guarantees a distinguished place for Africa in the annals of Church history. Right up to the present day, waves of missionaries and martyrs have continued to bear witness to Christ throughout Africa, and today the Church is blessed with almost a hundred and fifty million members. How fitting then, that Peter’s successor should come to Africa, to celebrate with you the life-giving faith in Christ that sustains and nourishes so many of the sons an t his great continent!”

The volume is drawn from talks and homilies given between March 17th and Match 22nd from his Apostolic journey to Cameroon and Angola in 2009. The chapters in this edition are:

Hope is our salvation
Proclaim the Gospel
Joseph, wise and faithful servant
For the world, not against it
Only Christ is the Way of Life
You are not alone in your pain
The faith of Africa
Love God and Neighbour
Workers in the Lord’s vineyard
The power to shape the future is within you
The message of Christ’s forgiveness
Do whatever he tells you
Sources

I highlighted a few passages while reading this volume, some of them are:

“I thank God that I have found the Church here to be so alive and full of enthusiasm, despite the difficulties, able to take up its own cross and that of others, bearing witness before everyone to the saving power of the Gospel message.”

“I come among you as a pastor; I come to confirm my brothers and sisters in the faith. This was the role that Christ entrusted to Peter at the Last Supper, and it is the role of Peter’s successors. When Peter preached to the multitudes in Jerusalem at Pentecost, there were visitors from Africa present among them.”

“How fitting then, that Peter’s successor should come to Africa, to celebrate with you the life-giving faith in Christ that sustains and nourishes so many of the sons and daughters of this great continent!”

“In a continent which, in times past, saw so many of its people cruelly uprooted and traded overseas to work as slaves, today human trafficking, especially of defenceless women and children, has become a new form of slavery.”

“Here in Cameroon, where over a quarter of the population is Catholic, the Church is well placed to carry forward her mission of healing and reconciliation.”

“Education is another key element of the Church’s ministry, and now we see the efforts of generations of missionary teachers bearing fruit in the work of the Catholic University for Central Africa, a sign of great hope for the future of the region.”

“As I come among you today, I pray that the Church here and throughout Africa will continue to grow in holiness, in the service of reconciliation, justice and peace. ... I pray for each of you, for your families and loved ones, and I ask you to join me in praying for all the people of this vast continent. God bless Cameroon! And God bless Africa!”

“This mandate, which the Church received from Christ, remains a priority, for there are countless people still waiting to hear the message of hope and love that will enable them to “obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Rom 8:21).”

“The words and example of their Bishop have a key role in inspiring them to give their spiritual and sacramental life a central place in their ministry, spurring them on to discover and to live ever more deeply the particular role of the shepherd as, first and foremost, a man of prayer. The spiritual and sacramental life is an extraordinary treasure, given to us for ourselves and for the good of the people entrusted to us.”

“I am glad to know that the lay faithful in your country are becoming increasingly active in the life of the Church and of society. The numerous lay associations flourishing in your dioceses are a sign of the Spirit’s work at the heart of the people of God, and they contribute to a renewed proclamation of the Gospel.”

“Dear brothers and sisters, our meditation on the human and spiritual journey of Saint Joseph invites us to ponder his vocation in all its richness, and to see him as a constant model for all those who have devoted their lives to Christ in the priesthood, in the consecrated life or in the different forms of lay engagement.”

“The life of Saint Joseph, lived in obedience to God’s word, is an eloquent sign for all the disciples of Jesus who seek the unity of the Church.”

“Indeed, religion and reason mutually reinforce one another since religion is purified and structured by reason, and reason’s full potential is unleashed by revelation and faith.”

“Praised be Jesus Christ who has gathered us in this stadium today that we may enter more deeply into his life!”

“We are asking the Lord to protect the Church always — and he does! — just as Joseph protected his family and kept watch over the child Jesus during his early years.”

“Why was Saint Matthew so keen to note Joseph’s trust in the words received from the messenger of God, if not to invite us to imitate this same loving trust?”

“Do not let yourselves be captivated by selfish illusions and false ideals! Believe — yes! — continue to believe in God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — he alone truly loves you in the way you yearn to be loved, he alone can satisfy you, can bring stability to your lives. Only Christ is the way of Life.”

“God alone could grant Joseph the strength to trust the Angel. God alone will give you, dear married couples, the strength to raise your family as he wants. Ask it of him! God loves to be asked for what he wishes to give.”

“The first priority will consist in restoring a sense of the acceptance of life as a gift from God. According to both Sacred Scripture and the wisest traditions of your continent, the arrival of a child is always a gift, a blessing from God.”

““Hoping against hope”: is this not a magnificent description of a Christian?”

“Let us praise and thank Christ for having drawn so close to us, and for giving us Joseph as an example and model of love for him.”

“Dear brothers and sisters, I want to say to you once more from the bottom of my heart: like Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary into your home, that is to say do not be afraid to love the Church. Mary, Mother of the Church, will teach you to follow your pastors, to love your bishops, your priests, your deacons and your catechists; to heed what they teach you and to pray for their intentions.”

“This Centre is named after Cardinal Paul-Emile Léger, a son of Canada who came among you to bring relief to bodies and souls. As I stand here today, I am mindful of all the people in hospitals, in specialized health centres or clinics, who suffer from a disability, mental or physical.”

“It is hard to accept to carry someone else’s cross.”

“Christ offers us his loving presence even if we find it hard to understand that he is at our side. Only the Lord’s final victory will reveal for us the definitive meaning of our trials.”

“During this period, Africa was also blessed with numerous saints. I will content myself with naming the martyrs of Uganda, the great missionaries Anne-Marie Javouhey and Daniele Comboni, as well as Sister Anuarite Nengapeta and the catechist Isidore Bakanja, without forgetting the humble Josephine Bakhita.”

“Why could we not hope that Africans today and the universal Church might thereby be furnished with great theologians and spiritual masters capable of contributing to the sanctification of those who dwell in this continent and throughout the Church?”

“The Lord makes us his friends, he entrusts himself to us, he gives us his Body in the Eucharist, he entrusts his Church to us. And so we ought truly to be his friends, to be one in mind with him, to desire what he desires and to reject what he does not desire.”

“Jesus himself traversed the desert of our humanity and, passing beyond death, he rose from the dead and now draws all humanity with himself towards God. Jesus is no longer confined to a particular place and time. His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, flows forth from him, enters our hearts and thus joins us to him, and with him to the Father — to the God who is one and three.”

“When you have a chance, take time to read the Church’s history. You will find that the Church does not grow old with the passing of the years. Rather, she grows younger, for she is journeying towards her Lord, day by day drawing nearer to the one true fountain overflowing with youthfulness, rebirth, the power of life.”

“See how Jesus does not leave us without an answer; he tells us one thing very clearly: renewal starts from within; you will receive a power from on high. The power to shape the future is within you.”

“Can I make a life-long commitment now, without knowing what unforeseen events lie in store for me? By making a definitive decision, would I not be risking my freedom and tying my own hands?” These are the doubts you feel, and today’s individualistic and hedonist culture aggravates them. Yet when young people avoid decisions, there is a risk of never attaining to full maturity!”

“Trusting in this power, like Jesus, risk taking a leap and making a definitive decision. Give life a chance!”

“In Baptism you were given the Spirit in order to be heralds of God’s Kingdom of truth and life, of holiness and grace, of justice, love and peace (cf. Roman Missal, Preface of Christ the King). On the day of your Baptism you received the light of Christ. Be faithful to that gifts!”

“Look to the future with hope, trust in God’s promises, and live in his truth. In this way, you will build something destined to endure, and leave to future generations a lasting inheritance of reconciliation, justice and peace. Amen.”

I hope those quotes give you a feel for this volume. This was one of a number of volumes written by Pope Benedict XVI on various papal visits. I have a number of these I am trying to track down that are proving very elusive. The CTS had a wide range of booklets based on his sermons, audiences, and papal visits. I have been working on tracking them down, and some are very hard to find at a reasonable price or at all. I was glad to track this one down, and it was a very interesting read. This book feels like very careful political language was used. 

This volume was very engaging as are many I have read by Pope Benedict XVI. If you can lay your hands on it, it is well worth a read. Another excellent volume by Pope Benedict XVI from the Catholic Truth Society. 

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.


Books by Benedict XVI:
Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church and Church Fathers 
...          

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Wednesday, 19 March 2025

Faith is a Journey, Meditations for Pilgrims and Wayfarers - Pope Francis

Faith is a Journey, Meditations for Pilgrims and Wayfarers
Jubilee 2025 Book 1
Pope Francis
ISBN 9781565486546
eISBN 9781565486553
ASIN B0DNRB5H8K

Faith is a Journey, Meditations for Pilgrims and Wayfarers - Pope Francis

I stumbled upon this volume and a companion volume: A Light in the Night Meditations on Hope early in this Jubilee Year. I was searching for books to read during this year and decided to give these two a try. 

The description of this volume states:

“Pope Francis often reminds us that faith “is a road to be traveled, without ever losing the goal,” and this is the theme that forms the background to the meditations contained in this brief anthology. It is a collection of significant passages from the Pontiff’s speeches, given on various occasions of meetings with the faithful, and is intended to offer food for thought in light of the Jubilee 2025 in particular, as its motto is “Pilgrims of Hope.””

The chapters in this volume are:

Introduction
Editor’s Note
Pilgrimage
The Pilgrim Church to the Kingdom
Jesus, Fellow Traveler
Walk According to the Spirit
On the Way
So Many Reasons to Run
Shrines and Popular Spirituality
Walking Together
Not To Be Existential Tourists
Fellow Travelers of Youth
Sources

I highlighted a few passages while working through this book, some of them are:

From the introduction by Pope Francis:

“When I was a priest in Buenos Aires (and I continued this habit as a bishop in my hometown), I loved walking through the various neighborhoods to visit fellow priests, visit a religious community, or talk to friends. Walking is good for you: It puts us in touch with what is happening around us; it makes us discover sounds, smells, and noises in the reality that surrounds us; in brief, it brings us closer to the lives of others.

To walk means to not stand still: To believe means having within us a restlessness that leads us toward a “more,” toward a step forward, toward a height to reach today, knowing that tomorrow the road will take us higher—or deeper—in our relationship with God, which is exactly like the relationship with the beloveds of our life, or between friends: never finished, never taken for granted, never fulfilled, always searching, not yet satisfying. It is impossible to say with God: “Done; everything is fine; it is enough.”

“For this reason, the Jubilee of 2025, together with the essential dimension of hope, must push us to an ever-greater awareness of the fact that faith is a pilgrimage and that we on this Earth are pilgrims, not tourists or wanderers: We do not move randomly, existentially speaking. We are pilgrims. The pilgrim lives their journey under the banner of three keywords: risk, effort, and destination.”

“To walk like a pilgrim means that we have a landing place, that our movement has a direction, a goal. To walk means to have a destination and to not be at the mercy of chance. Those who walk have a direction; they do not wander aimlessly; they do not waste time zigzagging from one place to another. This is why I have often recalled the similarities between walking and believing: Those who have God in their hearts have received the gift of a North Star to strive for—the love we have received from God is the reason for the love we must offer to other people.”

“Rather, if outwardly we know well that we have arrived, inwardly we are aware that the journey is not over, because God is just like that—a milestone that pushes us further, a goal that constantly calls us to continue—because God is always greater than the idea we have of him.”

From the Editor’s Note:

“Pope Francis often reminds us that faith “is a road to be traveled, without ever losing the goal,” and this is the theme that forms the background to the meditations contained in this brief anthology. It is a collection of significant passages from the Pontiff’s speeches, given on various occasions of meetings with the faithful, and is intended to offer food for thought in light of the Jubilee 2025 in particular, as its motto is “Pilgrims of Hope.”

“Believing, therefore, requires a constant, daily commitment made up of an interior search that must be accompanied by a renewed trust in one’s neighbor, in order to make a common journey that leads to happiness and salvation. Those who walk, having the Lord as their traveling companion, are sure of the path they take and the goal they will reach.”

From the chapters:

“The Jubilee Churches along the pilgrimage routes and in the city of Rome can serve as oases of spirituality and places of rest on the pilgrimage of faith, where we can drink from the wellsprings of hope, above all by approaching the sacrament of Reconciliation, the essential starting point of any true journey of conversion….”

“In this perspective, it is good to grasp the kind of continuity and deep communion there is between the Church in heaven and that which is still a pilgrim on earth. Those who already live in the sight of God can indeed sustain us and intercede for us, pray for us. On the other hand, we, too, are always invited to offer up good works, prayer, and the Eucharist itself, in order to alleviate the tribulation of souls still awaiting never-ending beatitude. Yes, because in the Christian perspective, the distinction is not between who is dead and who is not, but between who is in Christ and who is not! This is the point of determination, what is truly decisive for our salvation and for our happiness.”

“Dear friends, when we think of this magnificent reality awaiting us, we become aware of how marvelous a gift it is to belong to the Church which bears in writing the highest of vocations! So, let us ask the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, to keep constant watch over our journey and to help us to be, as she is, a joyful sign of trust and hope among our brothers and sisters.”

“Very often we have heard that Christianity is not merely a doctrine, or a way of behaving, or a culture. Yes, it is all this, but it is, first and foremost, an encounter. A person is Christian because he or she has encountered Jesus Christ and has let him or herself be encountered by him.”

“May the Lord give us all this grace to meet Jesus every day, to know, to be aware that it is really he who is walking with us in all the moments of our lives. He is our pilgrim companion.”

“The Spirit is the guide for this journey along the way of Christ, a wonderful but also difficult journey that begins in Baptism and lasts our entire lives. Let us think of it as a long excursion to the mountain heights: it is breathtaking, and the destination is attractive, but it requires a lot of effort and tenacity.”

“This does not mean that the evil present in the world disappears, or that the negative impulses of our selfishness and pride diminish. Rather, it means that belief in God is always stronger than our resistance and greater than our sins. And this is important!”

“It would be a mistake to assume that those who go on pilgrimage live a spirituality that is not personal but “mass.” In reality, the pilgrim brings with him his own story, his own faith, the lights and shadows of his life. Everyone carries in his heart a special desire and a special prayer. Those who enter the shrine immediately feel that they are at home, welcomed, understood, and supported.”

“To go on pilgrimage is to feel called and compelled to journey together, asking the Lord for the grace to change past and present resentments and mistrust into new opportunities for fellowship. It means leaving behind our security and comfort and setting out for a new land that the Lord wants to give us. To go on pilgrimage means daring to discover and communicate the mystique of living together, and not being afraid to mingle, to embrace, and to support one another.”

“To go on pilgrimage is to commit ourselves to ensuring that the stragglers of yesterday can become the protagonists of tomorrow and that today’s protagonists do not become tomorrow’s stragglers. And this, dear brothers and sisters, requires a certain skill, the art of weaving the threads of the future.”

“Lent, Pope Francis concluded, is a propitious time to consider whether we are on the journey or instead “have come to a standstill.” If so, we must repent. Or if we “have taken the wrong road,” then we must go to confession in order “to set out on the right path once more,” or lastly, we are “theological tourists,” like those who wander through life but never advance. “Let us ask the Lord for the grace,” Pope Francis urged, “to get back on the road, to set out on the journey toward the promises. As we consider this, it will benefit us greatly to reread chapter 11 of the Letter to the Hebrews “for a correct understanding of what it means to walk toward the promises which the Lord has made.””

I hope those quotes give you a feel for this volume. It is an edited selection of works from Pope Francis, pieces ranging from a General Audience in 2014 to the Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee Year 2025. The pieces are drawn from General audiences, refection’s, homilies and addresses. It is a small volume but backs some great information for the Jubilee year in 2025. There is also a companion volume: A Light in the Night Meditations on Hope, which I have picked up but not read yet. 

This was an interesting little read. Good as a primer for the Jubilee Year. It can easily be read in a sitting or 2 over a large mug of tea. If you are looking for a small volume to pick up this Jubilee year and give a read this could be a good starting point.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan! 


Jubilee of Hope 2025 Book List:

Notes on Prayer Series:
1. Prayer Today: A Challenge to Overcome - Cardinal Angelo Comastri
2. Praying with the Psalms - Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi
3. The Prayer of Jesus – Juan Lopez Vergara
4. Praying with Saints and Sinners - Fr Paul Brendan Murray, OP
5. The Parables of Prayer – Msgr Antonio Pitta
6. The Church in Prayer - Carthusian Monks
7. The Prayer of Mary and the Saints Who Met Her - Sr Catherine Aubin, OP

A Light in the Night Meditations on Hope - Pope Francis

Faith is a Journey, Meditations for Pilgrims and Wayfarers - Pope Francis
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Tuesday, 18 March 2025

Columbo The Hoffa Connection - William Harrington - TOR Columbo Series Book 3

Columbo The Hoffa Connection
TOR Columbo Series Book 3
Forge
ISBN 9780812550788
ISBN 9780312858162


Columbo The Hoffa Connection - William Harrington - TOR Columbo Series Book 3

Over many months, nearly a year to be more accurate, Last year I watched the complete run of Columbo, while researching an article I wrote as an overview on the series I discovered this novel and the other 6 in the series. I also found about casebooks, and even a cookbook. I thought I would try tracking down these books and give them a try. They do not disappoint. It was almost like watching an episode, his mannerisms, his process, and even his favourite foods. This was the third of 6 I have read in the series. I cannot see any fan of the series not enjoying this book, and if the other 3 remaining in the series are a good I am in for some great reads!

The description of this book states:

“When a racy, beautiful rock mega-star is found floating dead in her Beverly Hills swimming pool, Columbo, America's favorite TV detective launches an investigation that takes him all the way to the coast of Italy, to the birthplace of the mafia. But to solve this case, Columbo must first tackle on of the most publicized and puzzling mysteries to sweep the United States--the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa exactly twenty years ago.”

Another description is:

“To find out who killed a Madonna-like superstar and dumped her body in her Beverly Hills swimming pool, the TV detective must unlock the mystery of Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance twenty years earlier.”

This story starts in an interesting way. In the typical Columbo manner we soon witness the murder and know who the perpetrators are and how they did it. The big difference between this and other books or even the series was the naked victim, and the story contains numerous references to the victim and he many male partners. From the beginning there is some obvious suspects, but Columbo knows from early on to focus on the missing Old man, who lived with the victim, and has some pretty clear ideas who is involved. He just needs to figure out the ‘why?’. 

As mentioned there were a few things in this story that felt a little off based on my experiences with Columbo. First the murder victim being naked and prancing and swimming around naked in front of numerous people. Second the sheer number of references to the victims sexual prowess and many man use used and discarded. And third Columbo allowing himself to be kissed a few times by a reporter pumping him for information. The victim’s name being Regina, which literally means Queen. The beginning of the second chapter of Part I of the novel states:

“At 10:00 a silvery Rolls-Royce entered the driveway of Regina’s estate in Beverly Hills. Although cars crowded the narrow'lane bumper-to-bumper, space had carefully been left for the Rolls to glide through unimpeded; and it stopped only at the front door to the sprawling Spanish-style mansion. Before the chauffeur could come around to open the door, Regina opened it and flung herself impatiently from the car, stark naked.

Without the blond wig, she exposed her hair: dark brown and brush cut. Her skin gleamed with sweat. Speaking to no one, she strode through the house and out the back door to the swimming pool, where she threw herself off the edge and into the water. She floundered. People gathered around the pool as she thrashed and struggled and—gradually made her way across the pool to the opposite side. Breathless and sputtering, she reached up and accepted a glass from Johnny, her houseboy, a handsome dark-visaged young man. She drank. Straight gin, no ice.

Her guests gathered around her, none of them surprised to see her naked, most of them anxious to have a look at her—or, as it was for many of them, another look.”

The other two novels could easily have been episodes of the series. I just cannot see how they would have ever filmed let alone aired this one. We still got to watch Columbo pull all the threads and eliminate some suspects. Including an international trip to the funeral of Regina in Italy. He does make a few references to Mrs C. But the events with the reporter just feel off. 

While researching for the review of the first volume in this series I discovered that there were also 6 Columbo novels in the 1970; 2 new stores and 4 novelizations of episodes and also a collection called The Columbo Collection of 12 stories by William Link. These 6 novels came out overlapping with the 6 of the last 8 episodes of the TV Movie Special Era. 

This was a good read, but not great, A great read for fans of the series or Jimmy Hoffa buff’s and for those who just like a mystery. I enjoyed the other 2 novels in this series far more than this one, it feels off and forced. I can recommend this book and series, and still look forward to reading the remaining three. 

Books about Peter Falk or Columbo:
Columbo Phile - A Casebook - Mark Dawidziak
Cooking With Columbo Suppers With The Shambling Sleuth - Jenny Hammerton
Shooting Columbo - David Koenig
The Columbo Companion, 1968-78: Investigating Every Detail of All 45 'Classic Era' Columbo Adventures - The Columbophile
...

Related Posts:
...

Columbo Books:
A Christmas Killing - Alfred Lawrence
The Dean's Death - Alfred Lawrence
Any Old Port in a Storm - Henry Clements
By Dawn's Early Light - Henry Clements
Murder by the Book - Lee Hays
A Deadly State of Mind Book - Lee Hays
The Columbo Collection – William Link
…

Columbo Novels by William Harrington:
Grassy Knoll (1993)
The Game Show Killer (1996)
The Glitter Murders (1997)
The Hover Files (1998)
…

Other Books by William Harrington:
Which the Justice, Which the Thief (1963)
The Power (1964)
     aka The Gospel of Death
Yoshar the Soldier (1966)
     aka One Over One
The Search for Elisabeth Brandt (1968)
Trial (1970)
The Jupiter Crisis (1971)
Mister Target (1974)
Scorpio 5 (1975)
Partners (1980)
The English Lady (1982)
Skin Deep (1983)
The Cromwell File (1986)
Oberst (1987)
For the Defense (1988)
Virus (1990)
Endgame in Berlin (1991)
Town on Trial (1994)
Murder at the President's Door (2001)
     with Elliott Roosevelt published posthumously. 
…

Columbo The Grassy Knoll - William Harrington - TOR Columbo Series Book 1

Columbo The Helter Skelter Murders - William Harrington - TOR Columbo Series Book 2

Columbo The Hoffa Connection - William Harrington - TOR Columbo Series Book 3

Columbo The Game Show Killer - William Harrington - TOR Columbo Series Book 4

Columbo The Glitter Murders - William Harrington - TOR Columbo Series Book 5

Columbo The Hover Files - William Harrington - TOR Columbo Series Book 6
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Monday, 17 March 2025

Pray with Us: A Saint for Every Day - Belinda Terro Mooney

Pray with Us: A Saint for Every Day 
ISBN 9781639662104
ASIN B0DMTHSRZV

Pray with Us: A Saint for Every Day - Belinda Terro Mooney

This is the second volume I have read by Belinda; it will not be the last. I have followed her on social media for a while and we have some friends and contacts in common. When I had the chance to read an advanced copy of this volume I jumped at it. But like many titles from OSV, I wish they would release the eBooks to the Canadian market without being chased.

The description of this volume states:

“The saints in heaven are powerful intercessors, praying for our needs before the face of God. As part of the communion of saints, we on earth pray with power when we ask the saints to pray with and for us, especially on their feast days.

Pray with Us invites us to connect with 365 saints, blesseds, venerables, and servants of God -- one for each day of the year. Each day's entry includes a brief biography of the saint and a prayer. This book provides a concise, approachable format for individuals and families to form the habit of daily prayer and to rely more purposefully on the intercession of the saints.

Let us pray together in unity with all the saints, who love us so much and want to assist us on our spiritual journey.”

The chapters in this volume are:

Foreword by Mike Aquilina 
Introduction 
January: The Month of the Holy Name of Jesus 
February: The Month of the Passion of Our Lord 
March: The Month of Saint Joseph 
April: The Month of the Resurrection of Jesus 
May: The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary 
June: The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus 
July: The Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus 
August: The Month of the Assumption of Mary 
September: The Month of the Seven Sorrows of Mary 
October: The Month of the Holy Rosary 
November: The Month of the Souls in Purgatory 
December: The Month of the Immaculate Conception 
Epilogue 
Acknowledgments 
Calendar of Saints 

Mike Aquilina at the beginning of the Forward states:

“The Church forms us in many different ways, and the calendar is one of the most important.

Think about it. Most people, through most of history, couldn’t read. So they didn’t learn the Faith from catechisms. There were no catechisms, and there was no technology to mass-produce such books. And again, very few people could read anyway. But they learned the Faith, and they passed it along to their children, through the celebration of the feasts. They did what this book asks all of us to do.

I remember reading that, in antiquity, when a Jewish boy read from the Torah for the first time, his rabbi would stick a spoonful of honey in his mouth — so the Law would always be a sweet memory. Well, that’s what the feasts do for us. They make the Faith memorable, and they make it sweet.”

In the forwards Belinda states:

“The saints in heaven are particularly powerful in their prayers because they have completed their time on earth and are already enjoying eternity with God in heaven. The Church teaches, “Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness. … [T]hey do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus. … So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped” (CCC 956).

We celebrate many saints every single day of the year, and each feast day is an opportunity to spend time with the saint, joining in prayer and interceding with and praising God together. As Catholics, we should regularly ask the saints to pray for our intentions — for us, our families, and the needs of others. In this book, we will also focus on developing the habit of asking the saints to pray with us, much as we might grab the hands of a friend here and pray to God together. In this book, during the prayers for each day, we will be spiritually holding the saints’ hands, asking them to enter into our prayer and to let us enter their pure prayer before God. This way of praying has borne incredible fruit in my life, and I have experienced firsthand the power of this unified intercessory prayer. I hope that, through this book, you will too!”

A sample reflection:

“JANUARY 24
Saint Francis de Sales (1567–1622)

Saint Francis was a nobleman who heard God’s call to become a priest and followed it. Eventually he became bishop of Geneva, which at that time was under the control of Calvinist reformers, who hated the Catholic Church. He was forced to live outside of his diocese, but his kindness, gentleness, humility, and excellent writings helped many people return to Catholicism. His famous book Introduction to the Devout Life shows that holiness is God’s will for all of us, no matter our state in life. We are called to be saints, and Saint Francis’s practical suggestions help us do just that. He and Saint Jane Frances de Chantal founded the Order of the Visitation. Saint Francis is a Doctor of the Church and the patron saint of authors, spiritual writers, journalists, teachers, and people with deafness.

PRAYER
Saint Francis de Sales, your spiritual guidance continues to transform minds and hearts today. Pray for us to grow in holiness, and pray with us: Merciful Father, show each of us the unique path to sainthood you have planned for us. Inspire us to live holy lives so that we can attract and serve those who do not believe in you or your Church. Dispel confusion regarding truths of the Faith, and teach us to study our faith for the sake of our conversion and the conversion of others. Assist authors to use their writing to uphold and promote the truth. Heal people with deafness. Bless the Order of the Visitation, keeping it faithful to you. We ask this in the name of Jesus. 
Amen.”

Another is:

“MARCH 17
Saint Patrick (385–461)

Saint Patrick was only sixteen when he was kidnapped from his home in Britain, taken to Ireland, and sold as a slave to do shepherd’s work. For six years he worked and prayed during the long, lonely nights, and he became close to God and learned to love Him deeply. After he escaped and returned to his home, he followed God’s call to become a priest. Following his ordination, he returned to Ireland as a bishop, and he worked tirelessly to convert the whole island to Christianity. He had the gifts of healing and miracles, and the Irish people revered him. He wrote the “Confessio” and a beautiful prayer called “The Breastplate of Saint Patrick.” Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.

PRAYER
Saint Patrick, you turned the trauma of your kidnapping and slavery into an opportunity for abundant grace for you and for Ireland. Pray for us to be open to God’s work in us through our suffering, and pray with us: Dear Father, inspire us to proclaim the truth of your Gospel with love, accepting any suffering you allow. Give us a heart of compassion for all people, and free those who are enslaved in any way. Strengthen and increase in us the virtues of faith, hope, and charity. Bless all bishops, making them true shepherds and virtuous leaders. We ask this in the name of Jesus.
Amen.”

And a third:

“JUNE 26
Saint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer (1902–1975)

Saint Josemaría had a unique mission to help people pursue holiness in every area of life, especially in their work. Born in Spain, he experienced the pain of loss, grief, and war from boyhood. As a young man, he followed God’s call to become a priest. Later, he recognized that God was calling him to help people find holiness through their ordinary lives and work, and he founded Opus Dei (Work of God) for laypeople, and later, within it, the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross. He taught the importance of sanctifying work because it is the way in which God wants to make us holy. He wrote that “work is born of love; it is a manifestation of love and is directed toward love. We see the hand of God, not only in the wonders of nature but also in our experience of work and effort.” He wrote many books, which are full of wisdom and practical help.

PRAYER
Saint Josemaría, you taught people to seek growth in holiness through their daily work. Pray for us to sanctify our work, and pray with us: Righteous Father, inspire us to pray, as Saint Josemaría did, “Lord, let me see what you want,” and then give us the grace to follow where you lead. Grant us the grace to see our work as a gift, and teach us to sanctify it. Make us saints in our ordinary lives, teaching us to see each moment as an opportunity to grow closer to you. Bless Opus Dei and the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross, keeping them faithful to you. We ask this in the name of Jesus. 
Amen.”

I picked those three dates to share for personal reasons, 2 are saints I have particular devotion to. I worked through the volume much quicker than a reflection a day. I did this in order to be able to write this review. Once the eBook is available in my region I will read it again doing the day a year as planned. 

I hope those three reflections give you a feel for this volume. I really enjoyed this book. It is a wonderful collection of reflections. Great for daily encouragement and to challenge us. Perfect for use during prayer or reflection time. It would be a great addition to any home library. A wonderful read.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Books by Belinda Terro Mooney:
A Look At Life (Poetry)
A Look at Life, Volume II (Poetry)
Christ the King Lord of History: The Continuing Story
Christ the King Lord of History: Workbook and Study Guide
Christ and the Americas Workbook
My Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Workbook: Creating a Comprehensive Plan for a Calm, Ordered Life
Leave Me Alone!: Helping Your Troubled Teenager
…
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Sunday, 16 March 2025

The Three Ordinary Voices of God - Matthew Kelly

The Three Ordinary Voices of God
Matthew Kelly
Blue Sparrow Publishing 
Dynamic Catholic
ISBN 9781635825596
eISBN 9781635825602
ASIN B0DB8PFYPZ

The Three Ordinary Voices of God - Matthew Kelly

This is a book all Catholics today need to read! I have read many volumes by Mathew Kelly over 36 times. I have also listened to a number of audio talks and attended 2 virtual conferences. I can state this is an excellent volume. The description of this volume states:

“GOD HASN'T STOPPED SPEAKING. WE'VE STOPPED LISTENING.

We yearn for God's direction. We want to hear his voice. We know his will is the path to the peace, joy, and happiness we hunger for. But how do we discover his will?

God has been speaking to humanity from the very beginning—and he has been speaking to you. . .

Learning to listen to the voice of God will change your life powerfully and wonderfully. The Three Ordinary Voices of God will help you discover how God is speaking to you today and how that will change all your tomorrows.

In this simple and powerful guide, Matthew Kelly demonstrates that God speaks to everyone—whether we are aware of it or not—through three ordinary voices: OUR NEEDS, OUR TALENTS, and OUR DESIRES.

"When I listen to the voice of God and strive to carry out his will, I become focused, energized, and invigorated. When I turn my back on God or run from his will, I become distracted, depleted, and lethargic. All the energy and enthusiasm drain from my life."

What's next for you?

Do you have a decision to make? Are you trying to decide what to do with your life? Or maybe you are discerning what God is calling you to for the next season of your life?

This may just be the right book at the right time for you.

God yearns to speak to you.”

The chapters Sections in this volume are:

Chapter One: Let Your Life Speak
     It’s Possible to Mis-Live Your Life
     Let Your Life Speak
     God Speaks to Everyone
     The Three Voices: A Simple Introduction
     The Benefits of Listening to God’s Voice
     Personal Clarity
     Clarity Leads to Engagement
     Will You Listen?

Chapter Two: The First Voice: Needs
     Every Parent’s Dream
     The First Voice: The Basics
     The Four Aspects of the Human Person
     The Happiness Paradox
     Getting What You Want Doesn’t Make You Happy
     God Loves Order
     God Wants You to Serve Powerfully

Chapter Three: The Second Voice: Talent
     The Two Paths
     The Second Voice: The Basics
     Everybody Is a Genius
     Two Truths
     Context Is a Beautiful Thing
     Unique and Universal Talent

Chapter Four: The Third Voice: Desires
     The Power of Desire
     The Third Voice: The Basics
     The Trivial Many vs. The Essential Few
     From FOMO to JOMO
     Desire and the Four Aspects
     The Want Beyond the Want

Chapter Five: The Ultimate Desire
     That Nagging Feeling
     Your Heart’s Dominant Desire
     Unanswered Questions
     This Is How We Change Our Lives
     The Cause of Our Pain
     The Only Tragedy
     The Unavoidable Appointment

Epilogue: Come To The Quiet
     Fear the Right Things
     All the Other Voices
     Come to the Quiet

I highlighted numerous passages while reading this volume. Some of them are:

“I am petrified of mis-living my life. You can mis-live your life. Most people never consider it as a possibility, but it’s true. You can mis-live your life. Let it sink in. It is possible.”

“All it takes is the consistent application of mediocrity, laziness, procrastination, obsession with material possessions, and self-centeredness.”

“A well-lived life is built the same way a mis-lived life is built—one choice at a time. Every choice builds character or erodes character. Make your next choice one that belongs in a well-lived life. It’s amazing how one good choice can shift the momentum of your day. Do you need to make a shift?”

“Meet with the person you are capable of becoming for a few minutes each day. The more time you spend in these meetings the less you will fear death. Use your thoughts, words, choices, and actions to close the gap between who you are today and who you are capable of being. This is the path that leads to a deeply fulfilling life.”

“Let your life speak implies that your life might not speak. That isn’t the case. The truth is this: You don’t have a choice. Your life speaks whether you let it or not. Your actions speak and your inaction speaks. The only choice you have in this matter surrounds this question: What is your life saying to the world?”

“And that’s what we are going to learn to do: Listen to God speak to you each and every day of your life. And it will change everything. I know it may seem impossible, but I assure you, it isn’t. In fact, once you learn how to listen to God’s voice in the moments of your day, you will understand why you made the mistakes you made along the way, and you will wonder how you ever lived without his intimate guidance.”

“God speaks to every single person every single day using three ordinary voices: needs, talents, and desires. He speaks to us in the depths of our souls.”

“God is the ultimate Father who yearns to speak into the lives of his children. He will go to unfathomable lengths to communicate with us. Do you really think he’s not going to speak to you?”

“God the Father yearns deeply to communicate with you. He is the Father who wants good things for you more than you want them for yourself. Will you pause the insanity of your life for a few minutes each day and listen to him?”

“There is no such thing as an ordinary person and there is no such thing as an ordinary voice of God. When God speaks it is a gift of inestimable value.”

“This is where we find the three “ordinary” voices most active. These voices are: need, talent, and desire.”

“What is personal clarity? Personal clarity is a spiritual state of awareness that allows you to see clearly who you are, what you are here for, what matters most, and what doesn’t matter at all.”

“People with great personal clarity have taken time to answer five of life’s biggest questions. We all wrestle with these five questions throughout our lives. The great thinkers of every age have discussed and debated them, and now it is your turn. Who am I? What am I here for? Where am I going? What matters most? What matters least?”

“Who you become is infinitely more important than what you do, have, accomplish, or buy. What matters least? Anything that becomes an obstacle between you and God, you and loving others, or you and your God-given mission.”

“Making money to sustain ourselves and support our families is noble. It is one of the reasons we work. But it isn’t enough to make work fulfilling, not if you are making fourteen dollars an hour and not if you are making $400,000 a year. It may be hard to believe for the person making fourteen dollars an hour, but people who are lazy and have bad attitudes are still miserable when they are making $400,000 a year.”

“The primary purpose of work is that it helps you become a-better-version-of-yourself. Working hard, striving for excellence, paying attention to the details of your work, and serving other people joyfully transforms you into a better human being. The primary value of work is that it helps you develop character—and character is destiny.”

“Work is also a form of prayer. Each hour of work offered to God for a specific person or intention has infinite value and power.”

“The second practical benefit of listening to the voice of God is engagement.”

“But along the way, remember to watch out for these three things we discussed. When I am striving earnestly to listen to the voice of God, I get focused, energized, and invigorated. Focused. Energized. Invigorated.”

“It’s easy to question whether God speaks to us, but the preponderance of evidence suggests we should give our attention to another question. This more pertinent question, the question that confronts us daily is: Will you listen? And the question that follows next is: Will you carry out what God asks of you?”

“What should you be afraid of missing out on? The one path God imagined for you from the beginning of time. This is a righteous fear. It’s an enlightened fear that will keep you from wasting whatever is left of your one short life.”

“Relationships thrive under one condition: carefree timelessness. What is carefree timelessness? It is time together without an agenda.”

“Think of it in this way: We become the stories we listen to. It doesn’t matter if we get those stories from movies, music, television, newspapers, magazines, videogames, social media, politicians, friends, or books—the stories we listen to form our lives.”

“Our intellectual needs are never urgent, so it is easy to overlook them. When was the last time you said to yourself, “I urgently need to read a good book today”? It doesn’t happen. Why? For one, our intellectual needs are not primary needs. If we neglect them, we won’t die. But mental vitality leads to physical, emotional, and spiritual vitality. Everything in our lives begins as a thought.”

“To really stretch ourselves, we must delve into the wisdom writings. Selections could include a variety of philosophical texts, the writings of countless spiritual leaders past and present, and the Scriptures. It is in these writings that the intellect comes face-to-face with the most profound questions and truths about the world, creation, God, humanity, and our individual journeys.”

“Books change our lives. Begin your own collection of great books. Choose books that will help you to achieve your essential purpose and become the-best-version-of-yourself. Make daily reading one of the defining habits of your life.”

“Your spiritual needs are for stillness, silence, solitude, simplicity, Scriptures, and Sacraments.”

“It is also in silence and solitude that life’s preeminent challenge is proposed to us. Brother Silence and Sister Solitude unveil the person we are today with all our strengths and weaknesses, but they also remind us of the better person we know we can be.”

“We come now to the spiritual need of simplicity. Simplicity is one of the governing principles of the universe, yet with every passing century, humanity looks to greater complexity to solve its problems and improve its life.”

“The Sacraments are the center of the life of the Church. And while the Sacraments are surrounded by profound rituals, it’s important not to forget what they are at their core: an encounter with Jesus Christ.”

“The Sacraments are a profound source of unlimited grace, they pour incredible grace into our lives in a direct and powerful way. Embrace them with a new and radical urgency. Accept these divine gifts. Cherish them.”

“This is the great modern paradox: We know the things that make us happy; we just don’t do them.”

“We live in a culture that isn’t interested in needs. We live in a culture obsessed with wants. We neglect our needs because the culture boldly and confidently proclaims, “The meaning of life is to get what you want, and the more you get what you want the happier you’ll be.””

“God created you to be reasonably happy in this life and completely happy in the next life. But the culture tells you the path to happiness is getting what you want and that’s where most people’s lives depart from the path of reasonable happiness and contentment. When we prioritize our wants over what we need, we begin pursuing the wrong things.”

“Needs are primary, wants are secondary. Keep this essential truth in mind throughout your day as you make decisions, allow it to guide you, and usher the clarity and order God loves into every corner of your life.”

“The Catholic Church is the best in the world at putting things side by side, the best in the world at pointing out the true value of things, the best in the world at putting things in context. Who is the worst in the world at creating context? The media. To push their agendas and bolster their opinions, they willfully and negligently avoid putting things in context. You almost never see untampered with realities put side by side in the media. Why? Because the media doesn’t want to give you context. The more you understand the true value of things, the less likely you will be to waste your time consuming modern media. The media is not interested in the true value of things. They sold their souls for ratings, then advertising dollars, and now clicks.”

“Desire is powerful. It is one of the more powerful forces at work within the human person. It can be harnessed for good or left to run amok.”

“Our desires play a powerful part in shaping our lives. Desire the wrong things and that alone will ruin your life. The power of desire attached to the wrong thing is like a runaway train—and that runaway train can be your life.”

“God uses the three ordinary voices to speak to us every single day of our lives. There are no exceptions. There are no days when he doesn’t speak to you in these ways, and there is no one he doesn’t speak to.”

“The key to achieving this transition is letting go of FOMO and embracing JOMO. This is a topic I have written about before, but I feel compelled to revisit it here because it is critical to understanding the joy that comes from listening to God’s voice.”

“Our faith is simple and beautiful. And it is possible to live it out in new and exciting ways, here and now, in our times. Your personality and circumstances, your needs, talents, and desires, are all gifts to help you live the faith in a deeply personal way.”

“Holiness is simply the application of the values, principles, and spirit of the Gospel to the circumstances of our everyday lives, one moment at a time. It isn’t complicated. It is disarmingly simple.”

“A new kind of holiness is needed. One that confounds expectations. A new breed of saints. Brave men and women who wholeheartedly embrace the life and teachings of Jesus and live them out creatively.”

“Death comes to us all, sooner or later. We don’t know when, but we know for certain that it will come. And when it comes it will care nothing for your fame, wealth, education, achievements, possessions, connections, or power. When death approaches, the person you have become meets the person you could have been. This is a humbling encounter. Don’t wait for death to deliver this encounter. Go out to meet it each day. Spend time each day in the classroom of silence, in communion with God. Meet with the person you are capable of becoming for a few minutes each day in the depths of prayer.”

“Come to think of it, isn’t that a good litmus test for the people we should listen to? Who would you watch on television if you only tuned in to people who are striving to “live justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with God”? Which podcasts would you listen to? Which books would you read? And what movies and television shows would you watch?”

To be honest that is all the sections I highlighted my first time through this book. I tried cutting some out but felt they all should be in the review. I pray and hope those quotes give you a feel for this volume. That you pick it up and give it a read. I guarantee it will be life changing. 

This is one of those volumes that could be read over and over again and with each reading you will get something more out of it. It could easily become a Catholic Classic. The material is presented in clear, crisp language. It is easy to engage with. A high school student could read it and benefit from the reading and someone who is retired could read it and make improvements for the fourth quarter of their life.

This is an excellent read. Any Catholic would benefit from reading it. I challenge you to read it and see!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan!


Books by Matthew Kelly:
I Know Jesus
The Long View
Decision Point: The Workbook
Decision Point: The Leader Guide
The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic
The One Thing
Off Balance: Getting Beyond the Work-Life Balance Myth to Personal and Professional Satisfaction
Why Am I Here?
Perfectly Yourself: 9 Lessons for Enduring Happiness
Perfectly Yourself Discovering God's Dream For You
Building Better Families: A Practical Guide to Raising Amazing Children
The Dream Manager
The Seven Levels of Intimacy: The Art of Loving and the Joy of Being Loved
The Rhythm of Life: Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose
Building Better Families - 5 Practical Ways to Build Family Spirituality
The Book of Courage
The Shepherd: A Modern Parable about Our Search for Happiness
Mustard Is Persecution, Matthew Kelly Foundation
A Call to Joy - Living in the Presence of God
The Rhythm of Life: An Antidote For Our Busy Age
Words from God
Resisting Happiness
The Narrow Path
Our Father
The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity
Why I Love Being Catholic
Good Night, Jesus
In a world where you can be anything ...

Beautiful ... Series:
...

Rediscover Books by Matthew Kelly:
Rediscover Catholicism: A Spiritual Guide to Living with Passion & Purpose
Rediscover Advent
Rediscover Lent
Rediscover Jesus: An Invitation
Rediscover the Rosary: The Modern Power of an Ancient Prayer
Rediscover the Saints
...

Audio by Matthew Kelly from Lighthouse Media:
Becoming The Best Version Of Yourself
The Best Way To Live
Don't Just Try, Train
Faith At Work & The Holy Moment
The Four Signs Of A Dynamic Catholic - Excerpt
The Jesus Question
My Spiritual Journey
Our Lives Change When Our Habits Change
Raising Amazing Children
The Seven Levels Of Intimacy
The Seven Pillars Of Catholic Spirituality
...

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory - Matthew Kelly







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