All of March was during the Lenten season. Most years, I try to only read religious books during Lent. I did so this year, too. I read some saint biographies, books to encourage faith and some Christian fiction. Here’s what I read in March:
Saint Teresa of Avila: Passionate Mystic by Mirabai Starr
This version of Saint Teresa’s writings is a translation by a non-Catholic, but someone who is open to faith and is almost a mystic herself. She is upfront about the small changes she made to make it more readable. I enjoyed reading Saint Teresa of Avila and learning more about her life and spiritual journey.
Happy are You Poor by Thomas Dubay
I heard about Happy are You Poor on a podcast and added it to my Lenten reading pile. It is very convicting, especially in American culture, about how much excess we have. It has me thinking more about what I can donate from my house and to really think before purchasing new things. Can I make do with what I have?
Unshakeable by Fr. Mike Schmitz
Unshakeable is about living out the virtues in daily life. If the spiritual foundation of your life is set, then what happens around you won’t phase you. Building a life about pursuing the virtues helps keep your life solid. Unshakeable is a very easy read and also very convicting.
Too Small a World by Theodore Maynard
Mother Cabrini lived a remarkable life. After getting to stop by her shrine on my lates visit to NYC, I wanted to read her story. I had seen the movie put out by Angel Studios, but the book gives so much more details about her life and her faith. “Amazing,” has to sum it up. I highly recommend everyone read her story in Too Small a World!
Helena by Evenly Waugh
A mostly fictional story, Helena tells the story of Emperor Constantine’s mother and her journey of faith. She is the one who brought many relics from the Holy Land to Rome. We saw part of the collection when we were in Rome a few months ago. Very little is truly known about her and her story except the few details surrounding the relics. Helena gives one possible version of her life.
Lord of the World by Robert Hugh Benson
I read Lord of the World for a second time, but much more slowly so I could savor it. It is one of my favorite books. It’s a Catholic dystopian novel about the end of the world. All of it is plausible and it leaves you thinking where you would stand if world leadership called for the death of all Christians. I highly recommend Lord of the World!
What interesting books have you read lately? Share in the comments below!