Sunday Snippets: #07

SUNDAY SNIPPETS: A Catholic Carnival. 

Week starting Sunday 18th Week in ORDINARY TIME

We are a group of Catholic bloggers who gather weekly to share our best posts with each other. 

This is my second consecutive week of ongoing posts to my blog - awesome! My biggest goal in life at the moment is to work on my spiritual life, growing closer in love of God and His Church - so whilst I haven't put heaps into my blog this week, I am getting back into it, slowly yet surely.

• Some surprising findings from people who have died, but were able to return to tell what happened.
• Spiritual Shopping: Some new books I bought this week.
• The Revelation: A Graphic Novel: Very cheap, brilliant comic-book/graphic novel I bought from the "iBook Store."

Enjoy reading! All comments are greatly appreciated and welcomed!

THE REVELATION: A Graphic Novel

Last week I stumbled upon Biblical stories put into comic-book/graphic novel form, reading about Jonah with a free ebook download. Since then, I've been looking into a heap of different Biblical "comics" on the iTunes/iBooks Store. Each book is roughly 40pages long, telling a story of the Bible in amazing, colourful artwork. The cost of each comic is fairly cheap - I bought "The Revelation" this morning for only a few dollars.

You can download a "sample" in the iTunes Store!

I love the Bible in its many translations, though some books I've read very little, if any at all, because of the complexity of it. Prime example for myself and many other readers: "The Book of Revelation" also known as "The Book of Apocalypse". It is a book that many will shy away from because of its name and contents: "666, the mark of the beast"... Dragons... beast riding whores... a book of revelation indeed, and the end of time itself.

Though I have read parts of the original, Biblical book, I haven't been able to read the entire thing. I've known a fair bit of what it entails, but it is always going to be the most misunderstood book in the Bible.

Now I own the graphic novel version of it, which makes for much easier, relaxed reading. As soon as the download was complete, I started reading, flipping page after page of marvellous art, learning about the final book in the Bible. Probably the best few dollars I've spent in a long time!

The contents of the book would scare a vast number of people, and rightly so. I just kick back and relax with the story, somewhat looking forward to this point in history. Though a sinner, I try to lead a good life, looking forward to death. For death isn't the end, as many believe, but it is the beginning of the eternity which I will spend with my God - the One, True, Triune God in the persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Spiritual Shopping

It has been a while since I've bought something just for myself, so Thursday morning (my payday) I decided to get some exercise and walk down-town to have a browse in "Veritas Central", Albury's Catholic gift store. Last time I went in there was the end of last year, or the very start of this year - some eight months ago now.

As I am trying more than ever to rekindle my faith and love of God, a progress of abandoning certain traits and bad habits is in order. Instead of spending money on things that are used once, never again (for example, cigarettes, alcohol, drugs etc) this week I decided to spend money on what I NEED rather than what I WANT. I did spend on material items, yes; but not worthless material belongings in God's eyes.

When one is trying to change their way of living, deciding to either abstain from a certain poison, or drastically reducing the amount they ingest, a good way to reward ones-self is to buy something special that they wouldn't have bought if still consumed by the downward spiral of that drug.

Whilst I was looking through Veritas, I found two books that I have recently added to my list of "must read" - "True Devotion to Mary" by St. Louis de Montfort, and "The Rule of St. Benedict". What better way to grow in love of God and His Church, than to read about devoting one-self to the Blessed Virgin Mary, then following through with that devotion in an act of consecration? "To Jesus, through Mary".

As for "The Rule" I've thought what better book to read, growing spiritually, following the Father of Western Monasticism! Though I'm not a monk, I'm sure by reading this book I will find spiritual nourishment and texts I can apply to my current state of life.

There were plenty of other things in the store I wanted to buy, but the two books were enough for now. Though I will be going back there more often for spiritual nourishment when I've finished reading these three books, "The Way" which I recently purchased included in that list.

Sunday Snippets: #06

SUNDAY SNIPPETS: A Catholic Carnival. 

Week starting Sunday 17th Week in ORDINARY TIME

We are a group of Catholic bloggers who gather weekly to share our best posts with each other. 

I've now been living in Albury again for one year. Have my own long-term accommodation and have ADSL2+ unlimited internet so I will be able to "live" online like I used to a few years ago! Time to keep working on my issues and occupy my time well. Having said that, I'm only just getting back into blogging so there's not a lot I've posted in the last week. What little I have is linked-to below. Enjoy reading, and all comments welcomed!

• I've finally bought "The Way" and couldn't help myself - I had to write about it right away!
• My issues and concern for the "Christian Holocaust" in Iraq/Syria.
• My two-cents on the Catholic belief of Marian Devotion.
• I've been slowly getting into Biblical comics: eBook style.
• Created by a sixteen-year-old, an iPhone App with Mass readings, prayers, Rosary and more.

Enjoy reading! All comments are greatly appreciated and welcomed!

Comics/Graphic Novels, Christian-style.

During the week in my many random internet searches, I found several websites full of Biblical comics of different length: some short others longer, more like a graphic novel. Cartoons are simply a different way of telling a story, though I read them because of the artwork, for some that aren't the best readers it can be a way of getting into reading without simply reading text after text.

I'm a good reader, but sometimes you want something easier to read - cuts to the chase and lets you get into a story without spending weeks or months flipping page of text after text. This week I found a free download of a comic on the Prophet Jonah. I downloaded it straight away and started to look at samples of many other comics by the same publishing company.

I've never really read about Jonah. While I knew he was eaten by a large fish (whale or shark) I didn't know anything else about him, apart from knowing he is a Jewish Prophet of the Old Testament. After reading the whole comic on my iPad, I read a little bit more of factual text in the last few pages.

I'm always amazed when I learn something new from the Bible, and this time was no different. Several years ago I learned, with the help of some Jehovah's Witnesses, about scientific facts found in the Bible, such as the earth being round which wasn't proved until more recent times. Reading on truths of the world - scientific truths - does a great thing for my faith. It confirms it.

I always thought it's a pretty far-fetched story to be eaten by a whale, and live to tell the truth about it. Until this week. I found that it is very possible to have that happen, and two people in more recent times have lived to tell about it. You can be stuck in the whale until it swims closer to the shore and spits you out. Obviously something inside the whale changes your appearance in some way, which is why the people in Nineveh would have seen Jonah as a man from God with a pale complexion and whitish hair.

Considering I've been raised and educated a Catholic, I haven't read too much of the Bible (a fair chunk of it though!) so there are many Prophets writings and teachings I am yet to learn. Though reading comics and graphic novels cannot replace reading the actual Holy Scriptures, it is a fast-tracked way I can learn about them, referring to my Bible as I read.

The publisher of this Jonah comic have a pretty big range of Biblical stories - they even have one on the Book of Revelation! Their prices are fairly cheap too, so come pay day I think I'll buy an iTunes card and buy a few eBooks from the iBook Store!

Here's a link to that particular Jonah comic.

May the Holy Spirit bless and work in me as I continue to grow in faith!

In defence of Our Lady, the Mother of God: The Blessed Virgin Mary

There are many thongs that separate different Christian denominations - it's what makes us a follower of that particular faith. One of the main differences between the Catholic faith and Protestantism is our devotion to and love of Mary. It's one of the main differences (belief wise) that distinguishes our Church. Many followers of other Christian sects will grab hold of this and try to show that we worship Mary, and all the other Saints, which is wrong and should be for reserved for God alone.

Sometimes this person is so blind to Biblical teachings, they will call Our Lady a harlot (or something similar) in their quest to prove that we are wrong. Even if we ARE in fact wrong, that shouldn't mean you can call the Mother of Jesus Christ - God Himself - and be considered a true Christian. Jesus would not be impressed with such a statement, much like you or anyone else would be disgusted if someone referred to your own flesh mother in a similar way!

Almost ten years ago when I found my faith in God after a serious, horrific accident (killing my girlfriend as a result) I started to look into the faith of my upbringing as well as other Christian denominations. Being a cradle-Catholic, it wasn't until that time I realised that only we Catholic's revere Mary. I once thought that the Pope was the head of ALL Christendom: not just the head of Catholicism! After visiting different churches, finding A LOT missing from the way I remembered, I returned fully to my Catholic faith. One of the main reasons was to do with beliefs - one of the main ones being Marian Devotion: I couldn't be a Christian without having Mary in my belief system.

Last year when I was in hospital for an extended period of time (about 2-months) I was getting more involved in my faith after a period of very little spiritual practice. I would wear my Green Scapular everyday, only taking it off when I was stripped to nothing for heart surgery. I was praying every day, going to the hospital chapel for Catholic Mass once or twice a week and the day of my operation was the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima.

Many times, particularly at the moment, I feel like I am letting God down... I then realise I'm thus letting myself down. I need to be more disciplined in my actions, which is my main goal this August whilst I have the house to myself - just me and my four-year-old cat, Nunji.

Last week I wrote how I'm currently reading "The Way" (which is still going on) but I'm also going to start reading, bit-by-bit, pieces from the "Marian Movement of Priests" (MMP) handbook, also known as the Blue Book. I opened it a couple of months ago, and it is a little to early yet for me to write much about it, yet; but it is another book that I will be constantly flipping through for guidance. Just like "The Way", it is numbered throughout which makes looking things a breeze.

When I get more in the swing of life - spiritually - I plan to make consecrate myself to Our Lady. I feel the Holy Spirit working inside me more and more each day as I slowly yet surely change my life in many ways for the better.

Here is a link to a good article I read on "Catholic Exchange" titled "5 Facts to Ignore Before Accusing Catholics of 'Mary Worship'".

"The Way" by St. Josemaría Escrivá

Reading is something I am quite fond of, something I do every day. Whether it's to read FaceBook statuses, news articles and religious essays, I do it all the time without actually recognising what I'm doing - to me, reading comes natural.

Books on the other hand, whilst I enjoy them when I actually get into the story, I go through phases of constantly reading for a period of time, then suddenly stop and not get back into it for a longer period of time.

"The Way" by St. Josemaría Escrivá is one book I have had on my "to-read list" for at least six years now; ever since I first heard of it whilst I was in Sydney for a week-long, fun and faith-filled time as a pilgrim during World Youth Day 2008. Without going off topic, that was the best week of my life and will be pretty hard to top it! Being in such a large city, constantly surrounded by young people who share the same Catholic faith - language being no barrier - we were all one very large family united in Jesus Christ.

I finally ordered a copy of "The Way" two weeks ago and have been guiding my way through it, quite slowly but only ever with a prayerful spirit. So far I have finished a few "chapters" but when I looked this morning, I'm only on page forty (or thereabouts!) but already come to the conclusion that it wasn't $20 wasted; this is a book I had to own and will be flipping through it for the rest of my life.

Those who don't know, "The Way" was written by the founder of "Opus Dei", the first personal prelature in the Roman Catholic Church. Many will call it the handbook of Opus Dei, but it is much more than that, applicable to everyone in life - whether you're Catholic or not. It's not a story, but a book divided into sections with short sayings/quotes that relate to the title of that chapter. Many chapters that you would expect, such as "Prayer" and "Love" as well as more obscure sounding ones, such as "Mortification" (it talks more about spiritual mortification, not physical mortification as many anti-Opus Dei readers would assume).

Basically, the book is about life and finding God in it, no matter how upbeat or mellow ones current situation is. It is written in a very gentle style, one can relate to the author as a brother but at the same time a father or an uncle. It is formed with 999 short quotations applicable to the certain chapter one is reading and very easy to navigate and understand. Some may think it would be a hard book to read as it has no story as such; it is meant to make the reader think about their life, where they're going and the way they go about doing it.

First published in 1939, "The Way" has sold more than 4.5million copies in over 40 languages, and sits alongside other great religious works such as "The Imitation of Christ". It is a book you will always keep, going back through the pages for the rest of your life. It is a book of life, for life!