In Conversation With God Volume #2: Lent and Eastertide
By: Francis Fernandez Carvajal
ISBN 0906138213
Scepter Press
7 Volume Set
ISBN 0906138191
Sometimes when I start to read a book, I know it will be so good I do not mark in it the first time I read it through. This series falls into that category. However, this being my second time through these books for the second year in a row, I am now underlining, making notes in the margins and reading much deeper than my first time through last year. These books are an awesome devotional series of books and deserve the time and attention of a 6 or 7 page devotion each day. They will help you grow closer to Christ, and through that, to the other people in your life.
This volume spans the time from Ash Wednesday to Pentecost Sunday. Therefore this book will lead you through Lent, Easter and the 5 weeks of Easter leading up to Pentecost. If you cannot afford the whole set, start with this volume and the Advent and Christmastide volume, then add the others over time. It is usually cheaper to buy the boxed set but sometimes that amount of money is not available up front.
My review of the whole series highlights some of the aspects of the series as a whole. Here I will just give you some sample quotes:
"Each of us must draw up a specific plan of mortification to offer to God every day during this Lent."
p.5
"The person who abandons mortification is inevitably ensnared by his senses and becomes incapable of any supernatural thought."
p.8
"Let us make up our minds to keep close to Our Lord during these days by contemplating his most Sacred Humanity in the vivid and memorable scenes of The Way of the Cross. Let us see how, for our sakes, he wakes along the Path of Sorrows."
p.18
"It is not only the person who never falls who sanctifies himself, but the person who always rises again. Having defects is not what is bad - all of us have defects - but making a pact with them and ceasing to fight. Christ then, the Physician, cures us and then helps us to struggle."
p.22
"The devil exists and acts in people and society. His activity is mysterious, but real and effective."
p.31
"We are all children of God, and being children, then heirs. The inheritance is the sum of incalculable good things God has prepared, and of the limitless happiness He has willed for us."
p.106
"This is how we must travel along the way of self-giving: the Cross on our shoulders, a smile on our lips and light in our hearts."
p.160
Hopefully those few samples will draw you in and inspire you to work your way through these books.
Scepter Press in North America has just reprinted them again last fall.
About the Complete Series:
The complete series is worth the money, time and effort. This is an amazing Catholic meditation and daily reflection series. The seven volumes have daily readings for each day of the church year, as well as volumes 6 & 7 being special Feast Days. The readings draw heavily upon the writings of Josemaria Escriva the founder of Opus Dei, Pope John Paul II, and the daily readings from the common liturgy for that day. The Sundays have three sets of readings, depending on whether we are in year A, B, or C in the church readings. These devotions are all about 6 pages long and divided into 3 sections. They can all be read as a complete section, or part in the morning, midday and evening as they each have three sections. I find that with every day there is so much meat in these devotions that I am already planning on reading them again next year.
This series was originally published in Spanish and was completed in January 1991; the English translation was completed in 1993. It has been immensely popular since they first started coming out in1988. They are published around the world, and have helped thousands of readers in enriching their spiritual lives.
There is a complete subject, and biblical reference index in volume 7; unfortunately the earlier volumes' indexes only go as far as that volume #. The indexes are subject and reference quoted by church Fathers, Popes and Saints. These books will draw anyone deeper into a faith and a life of action based upon that faith.
Books edited by Francis Fernandez Carvajal:
Year of Faith Treasury: The Sacrament of Confession
Year of Faith Treasury: The Virtue of Faith
Year of Faith Treasury: The Virtue of Fortitude
In Conversation with God:
Volume 1 Part 1 Advent
Volume 1 Part 2 Christmas and Epiphany
Volume 2 Part 1 Lent and Holy Week
Volume 2 Part 2 Eastertide
Volume 3 Part 1 Ordinary Time Weeks 1-6
Volume 3 Part 2 Ordinary Time Weeks 7-12
Volume 4 Part 1 Ordinary Time Weeks 13-18
Volume 4 Part 2 Ordinary Time Weeks 19-23
Volume 5 Part 1 Ordinary Time Weeks 24-28
Volume 5 Part 2 Ordinary Time Weeks 29-34
Volume 6 Part 1 Special Feasts January-March
Volume 6 Part 2 Special Feasts April-June
Volume 7 Part 1 Special Feats July -September
Volume 7 Part 2 Special Feats October -December
Books by Francis Fernandez Carvajal:
2 comments:
I managed to purchase a second hand copy of the complete set of these books for well over half the price that they retail for brand new. I cannot recommend them often enough, I love to read each day's reflection and allow it encourage, motivate and challenge me. It sits on top of my Bible, Mother Love and my Father Lasance Prayer Book as I like to read it during the day and again before I go to sleep.
I switched to the electronic versions a few years ago. Still pricey but very convenient.
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