Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts

Friday, July 28, 2006

New Books

I have just ordered a couple of books for my holiday: The Philokalia by St. Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain & St. Markarios of Corinth. And Way of a Pilgrim by Walter J. Ciszek (Foreword), Helen Bacovcin (Translator).

I am hoping that through these books I can gain a greater understanding of the orthodox church. This is my prayer for the purchasing of the books.
Oh Lord! Please give me the patience and humility to approach theses books,
Please give me the wisdom to understand them more fully,
And Lord - thank you for all that you reveal to every one of us every day - Amen

God bless you all - N

Saturday, June 10, 2006

A wonderful book

I have just dicovered a wonderful little book called The Earnest Communicant - A Course of preparation for the Lord's Supper. The book was written by the Right Reverend Aston Oxenden, once Bishop of Montreal. My small leather-bound copy was published in 1896 but the book was originally published in 1866 ( i.e. 140 years ago) The Right Rev gives advice on how to spiritually prepare for Holy Communion. He gives daily examples of prayers and meditations. Here is the an example.
O MY GOD I desire now to approach thee: do Thou grant me Thy presence and blessing. Strengthen my faith. Thou knowest how miserably weak it is. Oh, take away the evil heart of disbelief, and give me a believing, loving heart.

There is a lot more but I can't type it all. Needless to say, I am very pleased to have found this book. It is small so I can carry it with me and read it at odd moments. Bye for now.

God Bless - N

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

C S Lewis

It has been a while since I last posted on my blog.  I have been on a bit of a spiritual journey since then.  Part of this has involved reacquainting myself with the works of C S Lewis.  His work goes in and out of fashion, but the truth of it never diminishes. I believe that The Screwtape Letters was the first book I ever read of his. It was given to me by my late mother (God rest her soul) when I was a teenager.  My mother, by the way, was not a Christian.  Yet she tried, for reasons I don’t clearly understand to make sure that I got some sort of Christian teaching.  She sent me to a Methodist Sunday school, and she occasionally gave me the odd ‘Christian classic’ to read.

My real love for Lewis’s Christian writing was kindled by a book of Lewis quotations that I borrowed from our local library.  It was full of marvellous quotes and insights, and very soon I wanted to read the works that were quoted there.  The first that I chose was Mere Christianity.  The phrase “that book changed my life” is perhaps overused.  But this is true, in my case, of Mere Christianity.  There is something in the tone of Lewis’s writing that makes one feel that he is talking perfect sense.  His 1950s style of discourse has a quality that transcends its era and makes it ‘timeless’.  I would strongly recommend that you read this book if you have not already done so.

At the moment, I am halfway through reading his science fiction trilogy; Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength.  I shall post again when I have finished these to give you an update.

N