Some quick thoughts on this month’s books.

The Little Catechism is written by the author of the wonderful Divine Intimacy. It is a short read but it proved to be challenging and a little divisive among my local readers. It is a Carmelite methodology and the focus is how to cultivate a deep contemplative interior prayer life, focused on the love of God.

The book introduces the concept of colloquy with Our Lord. Not quite an intellectual exercise though there is thinking. Not an academic exercise, though reading is often involved. Not always vocal though some vocal prayer can be foundational. However: “If we were the only ones to speak, ours would not be a colloquy. whereas St Teresa has taught that God does speak when we pray from our heart.” So it is vital that we quiet ourselves and not monopolize the conversation.

The Promise was a Well Read Mom title. It was a very different sort of novel for me, introducing a culture I was unfamiliar with and stirred up all sorts of thoughts about different types of parents and parenting, education, and a slice of history that I have not explored. The pacing was (deliberately?) slow.

I had questions at the end and when I realized there was a sequel I grabbed that too. It meets our main characters a few years down the road as the boys are in grad school and establishing themselves in their careers and relationships. There is a whole – also long and slow going – secondary plot about psychology and methodology. As with the first book I have a lot of feelings about the material explored. I don’t regret either read.

In between there was Emma. Naturally.