My bucket list of books

These are the Books that I would like to read before I move into Eternal Life…

Catholicism Explained/Theology

1. Catechism of the Catholic Church
2. The Spirit of Catholicism by Karl Adams
3. Spirit and Forms of Protestantism by Louis Bouyer
4. Christianity for Modern Pagans by Peter Kreeft
5. The Lord by Romano Guardini
6. Essay on Development of Christian Doctrine by Cardinal Newman
7. Parochial and Plain Sermons by Cardinal Newman
8. End of the Modern World by Romano Guardini
9. Rome Sweet Home by Scott & Kimberly Hahn
10. Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma by Ludwig Ott
11. The Four Cardinal Virtues by Josef Pieper

History and Culture

1. The Great Heresies by Hilaire Belloc
2. How The Reformation Happened by Hilaire Belloc
3. Survivals and New Arrivals by Hilaire Belloc
4. Christendom I: Founding of Christendom by Warren Carroll
5. Christendom II: The Building of Christendom by Warren Carroll
6. Christendom III: The Glory of Christendom by Warren Carroll
7. Christendom IV: The Cleaving of Christendom by Warren Carroll
8. Triumph : The Power and the Glory of the Catholic Church by H. W. Crocker III
9. Enthusiasm by Ronald Arbuthnott Knox
10. Love of Learning and the Desire for God by Jean Leclercq
11. Christianity and European Culture by Christopher Dawson
12. Our Lady of Fatima by William T. Walsh

Holy Men and Women

1. Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge
2. Apologia Pro Vita Sua by John Henry Newman
3. Journal of a Soul by Pope John XXIII
4. The Long Loneliness by Dorothy Day
5. St. Thomas Aquinas: The Dumb Ox by G. K. Chesterton
6. St. Francis of Assisi by G. K. Chesterton
7. Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton
8. Mary of Nazareth by Federico Suarez
9. Cure of Ars by F. Trochu
10. Thomas More: A Portrait of Courage by Gerard B. Wegemer
11. Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II by George Weigel

Literary Classics

1. Lord of the World by Robert Hugh Benson
2. The Diary of a Country Priest by George Bernanos
3. Hopkins: Poetry and Prose by George Manley Hopkins
4. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
5. The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
6. Christianity and Culture by T. S. Eliot
7. The Idea of a University by John Newman
8. Silence by Shusaku Endo
9. Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz
10. Lost in the Cosmos : The Last Self-Help Book by Walker Percy
11. Love in the Ruins by Walker Percy
12. Kristin Lavransdatter I: The Bridal Wreath by Sigrid Undset
13. Kristin Lavransdatter II : The Wife by Sigrid Undset
14. Kristin Lavransdatter III: The Cross by Sigrid Undset
15. Flannery O’Connor: Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor
16. The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
17. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

Spiritual Classics

1. Confessions of St. Augustine by St. Augustine
2. Little Talks with God (modernized version of “The Dialogues”) by St. Catherine
3. City of God by St. Augustine
4. The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis
5. Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross
6. Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis
7. The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis
8. The Everlasting Man by G. K. Chesterton
9. Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton
10. The Greatest Story Ever Told by Fulton Oursler
11. Meditations from a Simple Path by Mother Teresa
12. Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila
13. The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila
14. Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux
15. My Way of Life/Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas

Spiritual Reading

1. The Great Means of Salvation and Perfection by Alphonso Liguori
2. Uniformity with God’s Will by Alphonso Liguori
3. Spiritual Theology by Jordan Aumann
4. Frequent Confession by Benedict Baur
5. In Silence with God by Benedict Baur
6. Difficulties in Mental Prayer by Eugene Boylan
7. The Tremendous Lover by Eugene Boylan
8. Covenanted Happiness by Cormac Burke
9. The Soul of the Apostolate by Jean-Baptiste Chautard
10. Friends of God by Jose Maria Escriva
11. Christ is Passing By by Jose Maria Escriva
12. The Way, Furrow, The Forge by Jose Maria Escriva
13. Way of the Cross by Jose Maria Escriva
14. All for Jesus by Frederick W. Faber
15. Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre De Caussade
16. Introduction to Devout Life by Francis deSales
17. Treatise on the Love of God by Francis deSales
18. Three Ages of Interior Life Volume I by Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange
19. Three Ages of Interior Life Volume II by Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange
20. Sinner’s Guide by Venerable Louis of Grenada
21. The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A. Kempis
22. True Devotion to the Holy Spirit by Luis M. Martinez
23. True Devotions by Louis-Marie Grignion De Montfort
24. The Hidden Power of Kindness by Lawrence G. Lovasik
25. The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni
26. The Sadness of Christ by Thomas More
27. Conversation with Christ by Peter T. Rohrbach
28. Spiritual Combat by Lorenzo Scupoli
29. Theology and Sanity by Francis J. Sheed
30. Theology for Beginners by Francis J. Sheed
31. To Know Christ Jesus by Francis J. Sheed
32. Life of Christ by Fulton J. Sheen
33. Three to Get Married by Fulton J. Sheen
34. The Spiritual Life by Adolphe Tanqueray
35. Abba Father by Bonaventure Perquin
36. Transformation in Christ by Dietrich von Hildebrand

Miscellaneous

1. Crossing the Threshold of Hope by Pope John Paul II
2. Companion Guide to Rome by Georgina Masson
3. The King’s Good Servant but God’s First by James Monti
4. 50 Questions on the Natural Law by Charles E. Rice
5. The Intellectual Life by A. G. Sertillanges
6. Essays on Woman by Edith Stein

Christmas Time

Picture taken from http://gospelgifs.com

Writing up after a long time. But had to give vent to what i was thinking. So here it goes…

Today opened my system and thought it would be a good Idea if I get some wonderful picture on my desktop to inspire me during this Christmas time. Did what the majority of the people all over the world would do. Hoped on to the images section of Google and wrote ‘Christmas time’ and then ‘Christmas’. Now before you read on, I invite you to increase Google’s ratings on Alexa.com (not that they need it…) and search the site for these words
Please note the following:

• What do majority of the images signify…
• Which row do we have a picture which adequately signifes Christmas come on…

Since these are my thoughts, I will take the liberty to answer the second one. i am yet to find that row… 😦

… which led me to write this and invite you all to read…

The question that formed in mind as I was searching was…
Why is the meaning of Christmas so different that what it was originally meant to be.

• A celebration of Incarnation,
• A celebration of God’s humility,
• A celebration of the Creator becoming the Created,
• A celebration of ‘The Infinite’ being bound by the Finite so that he could show the Way to walk this journey called life the RIGHT WAY.

Why I said Celebration, coz this was the event that set into motion the final act of the Great plan of God – Our Salvation I would like you all to refer to the Gospel of St John Chapter 3 verse 16-17 as a source for my conculsion – those who know it by heart… cool. For the rest here it goes:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

At the beginning of my rambling I had said I am writing to give vent to my feelings… what feelings…
Crass commercialisation has made the world sit up and notice the brands that have made Christmas what it is today and this reflects in a very big manner in the search results…

• you have Santa and you have Santa’s clothes.
• you have Christmas Tree and you have its decorations.
• you have parties and you have the fun that follows.
• you have the World and the inns..

You see where I am getting to…

Have heard that History repeats itself. Today I realised that it has habit of repeating itself every year… around the 25th of December.

Today around Christmas time if we have Joseph and Mother Mary travel around seeking a place where Jesus can be born, then both of them would be talking about a sense of deja vu. And the reporters (those who would really care…actually some would also say there is a novelty factor to this report na) would be reporting “they found no place”

Let our hearts this year be that manger which welcomes the unknown Father and the immaculate Mother, both of them who said Yes to God’s will and become part of History this year – in giving birth to the Immanuel in our Hearts. Since the wisdom of hindsight gives us the opportunity to prepare our mangers (read hearts) to welcome the King, lets welcome His birth by making our hearts worthy of Him whom the Universe cannot contain…

And when we wish our friends “Merry Christmas” on Christmas eve/ day, may it be with the joy of having witnessed a MIRACLE unfold in our hearts.

Have a blessed time preparing…

We should have more such people in the World.

Check out this Link.

http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=35301

 

 

Those who have been inspired check out his story on youtube.

 

 

Beautiful! We ned more inspirations like this. Ladies if your going through a difficult pregnancy or deciding on Abortion, pray like the parents of Tim.

Lets say a small prayer for all those going through a tough pregnancy. Ask our Mother to pray for all children of God who are undergoing this trial

 

Hail Mary full of Grace, The Lord is with you, Blessed are you amongst women and blessed is teh fruit of thy Womb JESUS.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners (especially all those who are in a difficult pregnancy or deciding on Abortion) now and at the hour of our death. Amen

Posted via email from Ashish’s Thoughtlets