Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, and at the noon Mass Pat Vasta stuck a massive glob of ashes on my forehead. (A long time ago, I taught one of her nine children. Math and science in the sixth and seventh grade. Despite that, Joe managed to graduate from the Air Force Academy.) It was still there as I headed to bed.
One of the things I really make an effort on during Lent is serious reading. Coincidentally, yesterday I finished a book by a Capuchin priest I know, Fr. Dave Couterier (Capuchins are a branch of the Franciscans Capuchin Franciscan Province of St Mary ). It’s written primarily, but I’m sure not exclusively, for other Capuchins and was a difficult, but rewarding read. I would never have known about it if I didn’t know Fr. Dave and I really enjoy reading the books of people I’m acquainted with. I’ll post about The Fraternal Economy in a few days.
So here’s the perhaps too-optimistic reading list for the forty days of Lent:
- A re-read of Joan Andrews (Bell) collection of letters and correspondence You Reject Them, You Reject Me.
- A collection of Dan Berrigan’s writings poems, homilies, etc, titled Testimony: The Word Made Flesh.
- The Forgotten Man, a recent well-received book on the great depression, which was lent to me by Jim Tuman (I lent him The Elusive Quest for Growth on third world economic development).
- And one or both of two books by my favorite Catholic theologian, Hans Urs Von Balthasar. The books are Heart of the World and Mysterium Paschale.
Pretty ambitious; I doubt if I’ll be able to get both of Von Balthasar’s books done.
Besides avoiding candy and coffee, I’m using the Magnificat daily prayerbook, which arrives monthly and which Brigid and I don’t use often enough. It’s kind of "the daily office for dummies".
And lastly I’m going to pray fervently that Joe and Tim will both step it up a notch in school!
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