What I'm Reading...

In case you were wondering, here's what I am currently reading:

1. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh

Fiction. This is a big deal for me. I have a lot of trouble with fiction. Granted, I'm still in the first chapter (after the Prologue, I'm not that slow), but this book is amazing. I saw the 2008 film a couple years ago, loved the beautiful images, was fascinated with the plot (or what remained of it), and cried like baby (what's new?). This summer at NST, I watched the British television serial with my sweet friends Katie, Laura, and (occasionally) Teddy. In case you were wondering, I also cried, although, this time with tears that were much more real. The serial is apparently much more accurate to the book, which I can believe, considering the serial is made up of 11 hour(+)-long episodes. The language in the serial was particularly beautiful, so I decided to read the book. So far, the only text I've underlined is at the end of the Prologue-- "I had been there before; I knew all about it." Note: normally, I am a pretty heavy underliner, but I am really trying to be picky about this one. I don't want to end up with the whole book underlined! Much more to come on Brideshead; I'm really just beginning.

2. The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur, Elisabeth Leseur

This book is one of my most anticipated reads. I ordered it online in the beginning of February and, about four months later, it finally shipped to Nashville. Needless to say, I was in Champaign, Illinois, so my sweet roommates shipped it to me! God bless 'em. I first read the writings of Elisabeth Leseur in the Magnificat and thought she had some great things to say. To seal the deal, I listened to a talk by Archbishop Fulton Sheen where he tells Elisabeth's story. This is what he says,

At the turn of the century there was married in Paris just an ordinarily good Catholic girl and an unbelieving medical doctor by the name of Leseur. He promised to respect the faith of his marriage but immediately after marriage tried to break it down. In addition to practicing medicine, he became the editor of an anticlerical atheistic newspaper in Paris. His wife reacted and decided that she would study her faith. So, she built a library of apologetics, and he built up an atheistic library in the same house. In May 1905, as she was dying, she said to her husband, “Felix, when I am dead, you will be come a Catholic and a Dominican priest.” He said, “Elisabeth, you know my sentiments. I have sworn hatred of the Church and sworn hatred of God, and I shall live in that hatred and I shall die in it.” She repeated her words and passed away.

Fumbling amidst her papers he discovered her will, and the will stated that in 1905, she asked Almighty God to send her sufficient sufferings to purchase his soul, and she added, “On the day that I die, I shall have paid the price. You will have been bought and paid for. Greater love than this no woman hath that she should lay down her life for her husband.” He dismissed this as the fancies of a pious woman, though he loved his wife. In order to forget his grief he took a trip in the Southern part of France. He stopped in front of a Church into which his wife, during their honeymoon, had gone for a visit. She seemed to be speaking to him, saying, “Go to Lourdes. “ He went to Lourdes, but he went there as a rank unbeliever. He had written a book against Lourdes proving that miracles were a fraud and a superstition, but as he was standing before the grotto of Our Lady, he received the gift of Faith, so complete, so total ... He saw all that he had believed in its utter error and stupidity.

In 1924, I made my retreat in a Dominican monastery in Belgium and there, four times a day and 45 minutes each day, I made my retreat under and received the spiritual direction of Father Leseur. Dominican, Catholic, and priest, who told me this story. I tell you, it is not often that you can make a retreat under a priest who every now and then will say, “As my dear wife Elisabeth said.” (Sheen, "Marriage Problems").

All that to say, I am loving her Diary. It is ridiculously underlined. I had a lot of trouble selecting a bit to share with you, but here is one thing I read today that really expressed well the prayer of my heart for the past couple of weeks. She writes, "I want to love Thee and Thee alone, O my Savior-- not the great joys Thy child sometimes receives from Thee" (p. 86). Overall, it's a phenomenal read, and I'm only about halfway through. I highly recommend it, especially to women (or to men who want to understand the heart of a holy woman).

3. Theology and Sanity, Frank Sheed

I love Frank Sheed. He is one of my favorite Catholic theologians, though definitely not my favorite, because this man tops my list. I've read a collection of Sheed's essays in Theologians Today: F. J. Sheed (on Mary, the Mass and Eucharist, and the liturgy) and A Map of Life, and he has a passion for making theology accessible to the layperson. Theology and Sanity has a great introduction to the concept of Catholic worldview and is where Sheed famously says, "Most of us have Catholic wills, but not many of us have Catholic intellects. When we look at the Universe, we see pretty well what other people see, plus certain extra features taught us by our religion ... we have not so much Catholic minds as worldly minds with Catholic patches. Intellectually, we wear our Catholicism like a badge on the lapel of the same kind of suit that everyone else is wearing" (p. 22). Praise the Lord for men like Sheed, and programs like this one, that help Catholics to develop Catholic intellects!

4. The Weight of Glory, C. S. Lewis

Okay, okay, you knew there had to be at least one of Clive's works on my list. I think this is my third time going through TWoG, but I get something new each time I read one of Lewis' books. The Weight of Glory is a compilation of essays with topics like war, education, forgiveness, and glory. It's incredible. The first essay, surprisingly titled, "The Weight of Glory," contains some of my favorite Lewis quotations. The last paragraph is an absolute knock-out, but is simply too long to include here and too great to cut down. Instead, here is a simple truth that Lewis uses to begin his discussion on glory. He writes, "It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased" (26). Lucky for you, you can read "The Weight of Glory" here. Enjoy!

Now, a few questions for you:

Have you read any of these books? What did you think?

What are you reading now? Do you have any recommendations for me?