Saturday 26 January 2019

Catholic Discipline - T.J. Burdick - 8 Daily Habits Towards Living a Holier Life

Catholic Discipline:
8 Daily Habits Towards Living a Holier Life
T.J. Burdick



This title booklet is available for free from the author’s website. It is a fantastic little read. I would live to see Burdick expand this into a much larger book. But the short concise format works well as an introduction to the topics covered. The book looks at 8 traits through the examples of 8 saints. In the introduction Burdick states:

“We are wired to become better than we currently are in every aspect of our lives. Innately, we know that our current state is not where we need to be and so we take the necessary steps to develop the skills to rise to a higher level. Athletes train with passion and deny themselves unhealthy diets to win the crown of victory. Chefs seek out the best ingredients and analyze every recipe until their pallets are satiated. Writers spend countless hours writing, editing, and revising their words until they have articulated their message with perfect clarity.

There is nothing worthwhile in life that comes without discipline.

As Catholics, there is nothing more worthwhile than attaining the ultimate degree of spiritual perfection. And doing so is no different than the athlete, the chef, the writer, etc. To rise to the highest of spiritual clarity, we must become intentional in our approach and disciplined in our pursuit of God.”

This book can easily be read over a coffee break. And is a book we can return to often as a quick refresher.

8 Traits:
Marian Devotion
Detachment
Study
Prayer
The Sacraments
Virtue
Community and Mission
Be Different

7 Saints:
St. Maximilian Kolbe
St. Francis of Assisi
St. Thomas Aquinas
St. Therese of Lisieux
St. Pope John Paul II
St. Catherine of Siena
St. Teresa of Calcutta

Community and mission is the only trait without a specific saint. But in reality, each of the saints profiled for the other 7 traits are examples of this. These 8 traits serve as pillars to growing as disciples of Jesus Christ. The list is by no means extensive and Burdick acknowledges that in the conclusion.

My conclusion is that this is an excellent little resource and you cannot beat the price.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2019 Catholic Reading Plan!

Books by T.J. Burdick:
Detached: Put Your Phone in Its Pace
30 Minutes: Less Cell Phone. More Beauty
The Rosary in Kid Speak
99 Ways to Teach Like the Master
The Children’s Little Advent Book
One Body, Many Blogs: A Guide for Christian Bloggers
33: A Spiritfesto for All Writers
God's Wifi: How to Live a Happier, Holier Life in the Digital Age
Digital Missionary: How to Evangelize in the Digital World

Catholic Discipline: 8 Daily Habits Towards Living a Holier Life

Edited by T.J. Burdick:
Summa 365 (Annotated): Read the Summa in One Year


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