Recently Read: "State of Wonder" & "Believing in Jesus: A Popular Overview of the Catholic Faith"

I finished reading "State of Wonder on March 16, 2012. I finished reading "Believing in Jesus" on April 10, 2012. Due to personal distractions and obligations, I have not had a chance to publish the reviews on my blog until now. My review on "State of Wonder" is rather short, as I didn't have much to say about it. Sorry.

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a well written, interesting novel. It had me till the last two chapters, then it lost me. The ending left me unsatisfied and disappointed. The surprise twist did not resonate with me. I would have rather seen Marina run off with Milton than the way Patchett chose to close the story. I would have given it four stars if it weren't for the ending.



Believing in Jesus: A Popular Overview of the Catholic Faith by Leonard Foley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"The Tenth Commandment probes our mind and heart, where all sin begins, and forbids injustice in willful desire and intention. It forbids coveting what belongs to another, and rules out greed and avarice arising from an excessive desire for wealth and power (see Catechism, #2536)." Page 269

"We are to regard our lawful possessions not merely as our own, but also as common property in the sense that they can be of benefit also to others. All the children of God are obliged to come to the relief of the poor (see Catechism, #2443) Page 266

"What I may not do - in fact, cannot do - is judge the internal morality of anyone's actions but my own." Page 253

These are just a few examples of how aligned my personal values and beliefs are with the teachings of the Catholic Church. I do not see how a person can truly internalize these teachings of Jesus and still vote for individuals who wish to continue us down this horrible path and want things to go back the way they were before. After reading this book and being finally confirmed in the Catholic faith, I am more convinced than ever that Jesus was, indeed, a liberal.

I also would like to address the successful way that this book dealt with touchy subjects regarding Catholicism, especially how the faith is viewed and depicted by Protestants and other people outside the faith. Other faiths were not demonized at all, but the errors in perception were gently corrected. Especially beautiful is the chapter on Mary and how the Catholic community holds her in reverence (Chapter 26).

I am very glad my RCIA class assigned this book, as I probably would not have read it otherwise.


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