Delicious Dilemma

Sometimes, when I finish a book, I am faced with the delicious dilemma of what to read next. Shall it be a book written for children? Teens? Adults?
Do I want to read, for perhaps the dozenth-or more time, a familiar favorite,
or do I want to read something new, at least, new to me?
Do I want to read the next book in a series I'm following, start on yet another
series, or read a stand-alone book?
Do I want to read Christian fiction? Judaica? A secular story? Perhaps a biography or an autobiography?
Am I in the mood for a mystery? (I actually re-read mysteries, if the surrounding details are interesting and entertaining.
Perhaps something historical? Maybe a humorous book? A family story?
I could go on listing genres, and sometimes the genres can overlap.
Many historical novels are also family stories; Carol Ryrie Brink's "Caddie
Woodlawn" and Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" books come to mind.
Ray Bradbury's "Dandelion Wine" is science fiction, but it is also a family
story, as are Madeleine L'Engle's books about the Murrys.
Then again, I might decide to read a play. Shakespeare, perhaps? Something
more contemporary? Comedy? Tragedy?
And in which format shall I read the book? Physical book? E-Book?
Decisions, decisions.
Of course, there is one day each year when I know what I do not have to decide what to read. On December 24th, I always read "A Christmas Carol", by Charles Dickens.

"Larger-Than-Life LARA"

I've just read Dandi Daley Mackall's "Larger-Than-Life LARA",
and this time, I will actually say something about the book, as well as giving my reaction.
Briefly: The story is told in the first person by fourth-grader Laney Grafton. As she
narrates the events, she also talks about what her teacher has taught the class about writing.
Dandi Daley Mackall has not only written a work of fiction; she has also shared a few rules for writing a story... AND shown us that there are times when those rules won't work.
(The following is from the inside of the dust jacket)
"But Lara doesn't act the way a fat kid should. She's confident. She's happy. And nothing, it seems, can change her positive attitude. Until one day, when Laney's classmates do the unthinkable."
Laney's classmates. Not Laney, herself. She didn't know about the trick until it was over.
"I wanted it to be over. I wanted it not to have happened."
This book is from a mainstream, rather than a Christian, publisher, and is not overtly religious, although praying is VERY briefly mentioned.
Not overtly religious. But what Lara does for her classmates after that cruel prank
can best be described as Christ-like. And they, too, now wish that the trick hadn't happened.
And perhaps it is a good thing, in a way, that this is NOT an overtly religious book. More people are likely to read a book from a mainstream publisher than from a religious one.
Yes, what Lara does can definitely be called Christ-like. Or, to put it in Jewish terms,
she behaves like a real mensch. But then, to be Christ-like is to be a real
mensch.
My reaction? I was open-mouthed and gasping when I finished this book, and I needed to wipe my eyes.

For The Souls In Purgatory

I pray the Liturgy of the Hours every day.
I have decided to pray The Office of the Dead for the Souls in Purgatory once a week,
if there is a day that doesn't already have a set Office.

Secular Amusements on Sunday

The other day, I posted about my Sunday reading. Now, I'm going to talk about secular amusements.
I don't think that innocent amusements are wrong on Sunday, in fact, they can help to enhance the observance, as long as they don't take precedence. How many times have we heard, "What's allowed on Monday is allowed on Sunday?"
I love to play games on the computer, and on my TV, but mostly on the computer. However, on Sundays I like to play different games than I do during the week.
On weekdays, I play a variety of games, both online and offline, but on Sundays, I play only
Beach Solitaire (on my TV) and a few games on MahJong Suite, which is a collection of solitaire MahJong games.
The reason I play different games on Sunday from those I play during the week is that I like a change on Sunday.

Fr. Anthony Mary's All Saints Day Homily

Fr. Anthony gives us the background of the Solemnity, and shares with us a name the friars jokingly suggest to their postulants.
I have to admit, I cracked up!

Four Year Anniversary

Many people have discovered EWTN by "accident" (more likely, through Providence) while channel-surfing. I found EWTN on the Solemnity of All Saints, 2007, because I was looking for a televised Mass. I wanted to at least see and hear Mass, since I was unable to go.
I checked the Guide on my television. There were several Masses about to be broadcast. What was it that made me choose the Mass on EWTN?
1: The letter "L", indicating that it was a live Mass.
2: The fact that it was broadcast from Our Lady of the Angels Monastery.
(I have a deep devotion to Our Lady, and to the Angels; the name of my parish
Church is "Guardian Angel.)
The next day, I once again watched the live morning Mass on EWTN; I have watched every day since November 1st, 2007. And on those all-too-rare days
when I am able to actually get to Mass, I watch the later broadcast.
EWTN has been a great blessing in my life.

Welcoming The New Mass For Human Life

This is from Fr. Frank Pavone's
blog.