Friday, March 24, 2017

The Rookie Catholic Loves a Book

Small but Mighty!
If the goal is sainthood, how do we get there??

I stumbled on Surrender! by Father Larry Richards.  Someone must have given it to me at some point.  Perhaps my mom who came into the fullness of the Catholic church after us?  She has a penchant for making Catholic purchases.

Perhaps it was a baptism/first communion/confirmation gift one of the lads received.  Who knows?  All I know was that I was hoarding it and finally picked it up over spring break.

What an absolute gem. This book is going to be my new confirmation gift, my new share-with-a-friend-book, my new book for my own kids to read.  It's funny, practical, and smart.  Fr. Larry talks about why we need to surrender to God - and the deep joy it brings.  AND he tells you how to actually surrender: real life practical steps!  Hurray!

Further - get this one - Fr. Larry teaches how to pray for people we don't like (and why we need to do this).  At first I was pleased my list was the size it was (I really only have a size-to-be-guessed roomful of people who really rub me the wrong way), but then I got to thinking having the list at all is actually a reflection on me...  No matter, Fr. Larry has a plan for a rookie like me!  What a great thing to do - and it's great to know the why part!  As challenging as this sounds, Fr. Larry covers the topic with great aplomb.

Fr. Larry, of course, talks about confession - but even more importantly he talks about doing a daily examination of conscience.  Didn't really get that this was a daily practice (rookie) Catholics are encouraged to do.  Not saying I haven't heard of this before - it just hasn't stuck in my mind up until now...  Why do it?  Father Larry reveals it all.  It's a gold section of the book.

Fr. Larry gives further practical pillars for our faith.  Actually, God planned and gave us pillars for our faith.  Fr. Larry just goes over them with humour, wisdom, and a little needed firmness: the bible, the mass, daily offering, and eucharistic adoration.  Some of these can be seen as another thing to just get done.  Fr. Larry frames why they are the gifts we get to do.

Finally, Fr. Larry helps us sort out what God's will is for our lives.  I love this section.  As a mom of three, the greatest gift I can give my children is the knowledge that God loves them, made them, and has had a plan for them from before they were born.  If they truly seek God with their whole hearts and couple that love with working to the best of their ability, nothing else will matter.  Not marks, not what school they go to, not how much money they make, it simply takes the stress out of their lives.  Their heavenly Father will be the standard bearer - going before them, standing beside them, dwelling in them, making their life the absolutely most beautiful life.  Brilliant.  How peaceful and restorative in young lives that can really feel the pressure.

If you want a deep, rich, life-long connection with God, this is the book for you and those you love.

Here is are links to various sites for purchase - none of which I am connected to :))

http://www.ewtnreligiouscatalogue.com/Home+Page/BOOKS/Spiritual+Reading/SURRENDER.axd

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/surrender_larry-richards/294286/#isbn=1592767591

https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_2_14?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=larry+richards&sprefix=larry+richards%2Caps%2C205&crid=2CEBTE3982EDK


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