Friday, 5 August 2016

Hope For Hard Times - Scott Hahn


Hope for Hard Times 
30-Minute Read:
Scott Hahn
Our Sunday Visitor
ISBN 9781612782317
eISBN 9781306067782

This is the second book I have read in the 30-Minute Read series from Our Sunday Visitor, and the 7th book I have read by Dr. Scott Hahn. And I must say I am loving this series of quick reads. The two I have read so far are excellent and can be read a few times over in a short period to really help the information sink in.  This little volume by Dr. Hahn is an excellent resource. Dr. Hahn reminds us that all people will have trials and struggles in life, but if we persevere in faith, and trust in God we will get through it.

Scott Hahn begins with a quote from St. Teresa of Avila, found on a book mark in her breviary: "Let nothing disturb you; Let nothing frighten you. All things are passing. God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Nothing is wanting to him who possesses God. God alone suffices." And what a reminder it is at the beginning of a book on hard times. 

 The chapters in this booklet are:
1. Is This How You Treat Your Friends?
2. What Are We Waiting For?
3. How Our Father Loves
4. Testing Our Faith
5. Complaining to God
6. Power Made Perfect
7. The Escape Route
8. The Touch of the Cross
An Act of Hope

Each chapter has a main teaching section and a brief one or 2 line take away. And those take away's can really pack a lot of punch. Of the Take Away's my favorite three at this point are:

"Saints and Scriptures teach us that hardship need not make us unhappy."

"All love requires sacrifice."

"The sacraments provide our way of escape through troubles."

There are many things to love about this little book. First Scott Hahn writes in such an accessible fashion, even with his theological background. Second ever chapter he proves his points from scripture, quotes from saints or quotes from popes. And finally being fewer than 65 pages the book can be reread when trials and hard times come. It can serve as a reminder time and again on our journey here on earth, on our journey home to Heaven. 

This book ends with a prayer, an act of hope: 

"O my God, relying on your almighty power and infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of your grace and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen."
And this book helps remind us where that hope comes from, who that hope is in and on what we trust and believe. 

An excellent read, thank you Dr. Hahn and Our Sunday Visitor.

Books by Scott Hahn:
A Father Who Keeps His Promises
A Pocket Guide to Saint Paul
A Pocket Guide to the Bible
Angels and Saints: A Biblical Friendship with God's Holy Ones
Answering the New Atheism: Dismantling Dawkins's Case Against God
Catholic for a Reason
Consuming the Word: The New Testament and The Eucharist in the Early Church
Covenant and Communion
Evangelizing Catholics: A Mission Manual for the New Evangelization
First Comes Love: Finding Your Family in the Church and the Trinity
Hail, Holy Queen: The Mother of God in the Word of God
Holy Is His Name
Hope for Hard Times
Joy to the World: How Christ's Coming Changed Everything and Still Does
Kinship by Covenant: A Canonical Approach to the Fulfillment of God's Saving Promises
Letter and Spirit : From Written Text to Living Word in the Liturgy
Living the Mysteries - A Guide for Unfinished Christians
Lord Have Mercy: The Healing Power of Confession
Many Are Called: Rediscovering the Glory of the Priesthood
Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace
Politicizing the Bible: The Roots of Historical Criticism and the Secularization of Scripture 1300-1700
Reasons to Believe: How to Understand, Explain, and Defend the Catholic Faith
Rome Sweet Home
Scripture Matters
Signs of Life: 40 Catholic Customs and Their Biblical Roots
Swear to God : The Promise and Power of the Sacraments
The Creed: Professing the Faith Through the Ages
The Fourth Cup
The First Society

The Kingdom of God As Liturgical Empire
The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth
Understanding "Our Father"


Our Sunday Visitor 30 Minute Reads:
Simplify Your Life - Woodeene Keonig-Bricker
Why me? When Bad Things Happen - Mike Aquilina
Hope for Hard Times - Scott Hahn
Stress-Proof Your Marriage - Cory Busse and Heidi Busse


(Note: this books is part of a series: A Year of Reading Intention - Catholic Reading!)






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