The Proverbs Explained (EWTN Publishing)

Proverbs is one of my favorite books of the Old Testament. For starters, it is 31 chapters long, so it's the perfect length for reading a chapter a day seven months out of the year. Secondly, it contains simple and straightforward wisdom for people of all walks of life. Recently EWTN Publishing released a book by Fr. Mitch Pacwa called The Proverbs Explained: A Blueprint for Christian Living, and I knew I had to have it because Fr. Pacwa writes great books. Let me tell you a little bit about it.

The book begins with an introduction, which gives the background on the book of Proverbs, explains the different types of proverbs found in this Biblical book, and lastly provides a logical division of the Biblical book based on style and form. Fr. Pacwa then divides his book into three parts - Family, Justice, and Virtue. For example, in the first part, Fr. Pacwa doesn't only provide explanations on the proverbs specifically for husbands, wives, parents, and children, but he also discusses chastity and love. In the part on justice, Fr. Pacwa focuses on the proverbs that relate to government, business, and social justice like wealth and poverty. Lastly, in the part of Virtue, he expounds on proverbs that discuss anger, pride, and humility to name a few.

When I first received this book, I thought it was going to be a verse-by-verse walkthrough of the entire book of Proverbs. That was not the case, which disappointed me at first, but I quickly got over it. This book arrived at just the right time for me, because it had so many parts that spoke to me. Yes, I gained a lot from the section on husbands and parents, but the chapter on silence and speech hit me over the head. I knew in the Epistle of James that he talked about how dangerous the tongue was, but I didn't realize it was discussed in Proverbs as well. We could all do well, myself most of all, to guard our tongues more closely and avoid not only idle talk, but hurtful talk as well. I highly recommend you pick up this book.

This book was provided to me for free by Sophia Institute Press in exchange for an honest review.

The Holy Spirit: A Bible Study Guide for Catholics (Our Sunday Visitor)

The Holy Spirit is the latest in a series of Bible study books from Fr. Mitch Pacwa with other topics being St. Paul, Mary, and the Eucharist. The book is divided into seven sessions:

1. The Holy Spirit in Creation
2. Authority and Power Come by the Holy Spirit
3. Prophets and the Spirit of God
4. Giver of Wisdom, Guidance, and Truth
5. Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Trinity
6. Empowerment in the New Testament
7. The Spirit and the Spiritual Life

Within each chapter, there are multiple sections of Study, Consider, and Investigate. These sections not only give you Scripture passages to read, but also provide summaries and historical context on what you are reading. You are also encouraged to take notes in the book on certain biblical passages. At the end of each session are discussion questions and advice on how to put what you learned this session into practice. Though all the sessions are important and well written, the session which stood out to me most was the first one on Creation. In addition to focusing on Genesis 1 and John 1, we see references to creation in Psalm, Ezekiel, Judith, and Wisdom. Fr. Pacwa also provided an interesting contrast between the Creation story we know and the Babylonian creation myth. Other interesting points from the different sessions are how the Holy Spirit spoke through the Prophets, his empowering presence in New Testament figures, and the role he currently plays in our lives.

I've said it before, but it bears repeating. The Holy Spirit is the overlooked and often forgotten member of the Holy Trinity. This book will open your eyes to the important role that the Holy Spirit has played throughout salvation history, but the continued role He plays in our everyday lives. As always, Fr. Pacwa does a masterful job of taking a core part of the Catholic faith and explaining it in a way that anyone can understand, without dumbing it down.

This book was provided to me for free by Our Sunday Visitor in exchange for an honest review.

Praying the Gospels (The Word Among Us Press)

In recent years, I have used Fr. Mitch Pacwa's Bible Study books available from Our Sunday Visitor, and I have always been pleased with the books. When I found out that The Word Among Us Press had a new Bible Study series by Fr. Pacwa, I knew that I had to give this a try. The series is called Praying the Gospels and the first two books are Jesus Launches His Ministry and Jesus' Miracles in Galilee. Each book is designed to help you reflect better on specific events in Jesus' life and ministry. Let me tell you about the books.

Jesus Launches His Ministry is an approximately 175 page book that is divided into the following eight chapters:

1. The Baptism of Jesus
2. Temptations in the Wilderness
3. Between Baptism and Capernaum
4. The Wedding Feast at Cana
5. Jesus Inaugurates His Public Ministry
6. The First Exorcism and Manifestation of Jesus' Authority
7. The Transition from Capernaum to the Galilean Ministry
8. Put Out into the Deep


Jesus' Miracles in Galilee is also an approximately 175 page book that picks up where the first book left off. It is divided into the following thirteen chapters:

1. Jesus Begins His Preaching Mission throughout Galilee
2. The Cleansing of the Leper
3. The Healing of a Paralytic
4. The Healing of a Man with a Withered Hand
5. The Centurion's Request for a Healing
6. The Raising of the Widow of Nain's Son
7. Storms at Sea
8. The Healing of the Hemorrhaging Woman and Jairus' Daughter
9. The Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish
10. Walking on the Storms of Life
11. A Syrophoenician Woman
12. Jesus Heals a Deaf Man
13. Sailing to Bethsaida

Within each chapter, there are several meditations, which break apart subsections of the Gospel passage. For example, in "The Baptism of Jesus." we see six meditations, which cover topics such as John the Baptist, Jesus' journey to the Jordan River, and the manifestation of the Trinity. Within these meditations, Fr. Pacwa instructs us with other Scripture passages, both Old and New Testament. He then probes the reader with reflection questions to answer and provides several lines at the end of each meditation to give you ample room to answer the questions and write your thoughts.

The books are nice in that they chronologically and thematically walk us through the Gospels. No one Gospel is the focus of these books, but instead Fr. Pacwa draws from all four of them to give us a complete picture. I also like the fact that each meditation is only a few pages long and only focuses on a tiny bit of the Gospel. Too often, when we read Gospel, we try and read a whole chapter at a time. These chapters contain a lot of parables, miracles, and other events that make it hard to grasp all at once. Fr. Pacwa eliminates this with his bite-size approach. I wish there had been a book before these two that focused on Mary, Joseph, and the infancy passages of Jesus, but the focus of this series seems to be the three years of Jesus' ministry and not the thirty years prior. That wish aside, I would highly recommend these books, for someone looking to take a slow, deliberate, and meditative walk through the Gospels. I look forward to seeing how many more books there will be in this series and am sure to recommend them as much as I recommend these two.

These books were provided to me for free by The Word Among Us Press in exchange for an honest review. If you found these reviews helpful, please click here and/or here and hit Yes!

A Scriptural Study of Angels (CSS International)

Catholic Scripture Study International was founded in 2003 and has published approximately 30 Bible and faith-related study programs from great Catholic minds like Steve Ray, Fr. Larry Richards, Dr. Scott Hahn, and Mike Aquilina to name a few. The studies comprise both Old and New Testament books, as well as topics like the Mass, the Rapture, and the Second Vatican Council. Today, I will be reviewing A Scriptural Study of Angels, which is actually two programs in one. It comprises Entertaining Angels and Angels Throughout the Ages. The programs are written by Mike Aquilina and Dr. Richard Bulzacchelli, respectively, and both are presented by Fr. Mitch Pacwa.

Entertaining Angels is comprised of the following ten lessons:
1. An Introduction to Angels
2. The Angels' Creation and Fall
3. The Angels and Prophecy
4. Guardian Angels
5. Angels and Worship
6. The Holy Angels and the History of Salvation
7. The Orders of Angels
8. A Confusion of Spirits
9. Spiritual Combat
10. True Devotion to Angels

Angels Throughout the Ages is comprised of the following fifteen lessons:
1. Who are the Angels?
2. Satan in the Book of Job
3. The Dragon in Revelation, Chapter 12
4. The Accuser
5. The Serpent in the Garden
6. Leviathan
7. Beyond the Bible: Quetzalcoatl and Our Lady of Guadalupe
8. Beelzebub
9. What About Lucifer?
10. Moloch, Hamashhit, the "Destroyer" and Angel of Death
11. The Demon, Asmodai
12. Holy Raphael, the Archangel
13. Holy Gabriel, the Archangel
14. Holy Michael, the Archangel
15. What We Have Learned, and a Few More Angels

You can start with either study, but Entertaining Angels seems to be more introductory to me, so that is the one I would recommend. Each lesson is presented wonderfully by Fr. Mitch Pacwa, but he does take some getting used to if you have never watched him on EWTN. He has a bit of a dry, sarcastic humor that you'll appreciate the more you watch him. Depending on how much you know about angels will dictate how much you learn from each lesson. In addition to a video for each lesson, there's study material which includes Scripture readings, Points to Ponder, Study/Reflection Questions, Catechism References, and a "Rome to Home" section which includes a quote, generally from a past Pope. The leader's manual also contains suggested responses to help facilitate discussion.

When it comes to reviewing Bible studies, you don't pick favorite lessons.You pick the ones that taught you something new or spoke to you. In Entertaining Angels, Lesson Two dealt with the Creation and Fall. The angels were the Light created, and the Light being separated from the Darkness were the angels and fallen angels being separated. I have an icon that reflects this teaching, but it was an enlightening nonetheless. Angels Throughout the Ages Lesson Fifteen discusses angels not found in the Bible, but in apocryphal texts and traditions not generally known in Western Christianity. We learn about Uriel, Jehudiel, Selatiel, and Barachiel. In addition to telling what the angels' names mean, we learn what their responsibility is. For example, Barachiel is in charge of all the guardian angels on earth.

These two studies combined to make the most impressive and comprehensive studies on angels, I have ever encountered. It was in-depth and drew on many different sources to educate the study participant. Whether you are a new small group leader or a veteran, you will find plenty of help to facilitate this study effectively. This was my first experience with Catholic Scripture Study International, and I have nothing but positive recommendations for this program and their company in general. I can't wait to check out other studies from them, especially their new one on Isaiah. If you are in the need of a study, be sure to give this company a shot!

Mary: Virgin, Mother, and Queen and Growing in Faith (Our Sunday Visitor)

Every year; sometimes twice a year Our Sunday Visitor publishes a Bible study book by Fr. Mitch Pacwa. Today, I will be reviewing two of those books. They are entitled Mary: Virgin, Queen, and Mother and Growing in Faith. I won't hem around since this is a two review day, and we'll just get straight to the reviews.

Mary: Virgin, Queen, and Mother is one of Fr. Pacwa's thicker Bible study books, sitting at 160 pages. Most of his other studies are approximately 100 pages. Topics touched on in this book include early events in the Gospels like The Annunciation and The Visitation; and later events like Mary during Christ's public ministry and after His public ministry. I realize this is a Bible study, and Fr. Pacwa is sticking to the Canon of Scripture, but I wish he would have touched on Tradition a bit more and talked about Mary's early life.

The most interesting chapter or session to me was Session One: Old Testament Background. Fr. Pacwa limits his Old Testament prophecies to those that tie Mary and Jesus together, i.e., Mary as the New Eve, Mary as the Burning Bush, and Mary as the Ark of Covenant. As someone who has read a lot on Mary before, this Old Testament allusions to Mary are not new to me. However, if you don't know a lot of Old Testament, this is a great chapter that will teach you a lot.

No surprise, but this was an excellent study by Fr. Pacwa. Whether you are looking for an individual study book or one that you can do in a small group setting, this book will not disappoint. It is at a basic enough level that anyone can understand it, and the tools you need for this study (the book and a Bible) are minimal so there is no high start up cost to lead a study if you wanted to.  If you are looking for a good starting point to understanding Mary this serves as a good beginner. You could even loan it to a Protestant friend or family member, so they might finally understand Mary better. Five stars.

When I first received, Growing in Faith, I noted that it looked a lot like The Year of Faith. The cover color was different, but it had the same images otherwise. Therefore, I thought this was a sequel or follow-up Bible Study. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Growing in Faith is almost identical to The Year of Faith. The biggest difference is that anywhere Pope Benedict XVI's words were, Pope Francis' words now have replaced them. Where Porta Fidei excerpts once were, we now see excerpts from Evangelii Gaudium. I won't be overly reviewing this book as I already have here, but I will say that it is a good study. If you are a Pope Benedict fan, get The Year of Faith. If a fan of Pope Francis, then get Growing in Faith. I would have preferred this more if it was a follow-up, and not just a revision, but since it is a revision, I think it would have been better served to include both Pope Benedict's and Pope Francis' words in the revision. For that reason, I am giving this 4 out of 5 stars.

These books were provided to me for free by Our Sunday Visitor in exchange for an honest review. If you found these reviews helpful, click here and/or here and hit Yes!

The Holy Land: An Armchair Pilgrimage (Servant Books)

The idea of traveling to the Holy Land has always been something of an interest of mine. To walk where Jesus walked, pray where He prayed, and see the sites of the Crucifixion and Resurrection are my biggest motivators. Unfortunately, I have not made it over there yet. Hopefully one day I will, but until then I have Fr. Mitch Pacwa's The Holy Land: An Armchair Pilgrimage.

The Holy Land: An Armchair Pilgrimage is a gorgeous coffee table book, which highlights significant Biblical places (e.g., Gethsemane and Cana) and churches of importance (e.g., Ascension Chapel). The book is divided into the following eight geographical sections:

1. Bethlehem and Ein Karem
2. Jerusalem Old City
3. Mount of Olives
4. East of Jerusalem
5. Mount Zion
6. North of Jerusalem
7. Western Galilee
8. The Sea of Galilee

When I first opened this book, I went through it and only looked at the pictures. I must confess that if this book included nothing but those pictures, it would be worth the price for the pictures alone. After my surface investigation of this book, I decided to get serious and take the time to actually read the accompanying text. His descriptions and attention to detail make you feel like you are on an actual pilgrimage with Fr. Pacwa. It also makes you wish for even more pictures in the book or perhaps for an accompanying DVD tour. Each chapter then ends with a prayer, which can be used for guided meditation. So far I have only had time to quietly reflect on a couple of these places. I plan to re-visit the book many times in the future though, especially when the places tie in with major feast days in the Church.

My favorite place to read about was a toss-up between The Holy Sepulcher Church and the Church of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Holy Sepulcher Church is venerated as the site where Jesus was both crucified and buried. Underneath the altar is an actual rock from Calvary. How awesome this place must be in which to worship. There is a yearly miracle that occurs here, which Fr. Pacwa failed to mention, and that is the Miracle of Holy Fire. I chose the Church of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary as my second favorite chapter for Fr. Pacwa's inclusion of an excerpt from "The Book of the Passing of the Most Holy Virgin, the Mother of God." This was incredibly fascinating to read, and it sheds light on questions of "Did Mary die?" or "Why was Mary assumed into Heaven?"

If going to the Holy Land sounds awesome but you currently lack the funds or opportunity, then I would recommend this book instead. While it's not the same as an actual pilgrimage (Really, what is?) it will at least provide you an introduction, a sampling of what is in the Holy Land. When you finish the book, do not casually put it on your bookshelf only to forget about it. Instead, place it on your coffee table or another place where you will see it everyday. It is a book you can visit multiple times throughout the Church Year to meditate with, especially seasons like Advent or Lent, and grow closer to God.

This book was provided to me for free by Franciscan Media in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click the link and hit Yes!