Review of “Heaven’s Song: Sexual Love as it was Meant to Be”

Prepare yourself to be profoundly moved. It’s nearly impossible to read Christopher West’s new book, ”Heaven’s Song” without a radical regeneration of your view of marriage, and it’s relationship with the Church. It’s no accident that George Weigel called Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body a “ticking theological time bomb that, when it goes off, will ignite the New Springtime of Evangelization”. This is the book with the secret to renewing the Church by revealing the secrets of the most beautiful love poem in the world, the “Song of Songs” which tell us what Our Lord intended for marriage to be; a foretaste of ‘heaven’s song’.

“Heaven’s Song” is based upon recently discovered writings on the Theology of the Body, the lectures given by the late Pope John Paul II in his Wednesday audiences. These lectures were considered ‘too sensitive’ for delivery in such a public forum, out of respect for young ears. This book is for those of us who want to understand why Christ used marital imagery in describing His relationship to the Church, and why His first public miracle was the turning of water into wine at the Wedding of Cana. Marriage is a central theme of Catholic theology, and once this is properly understood by theologians and laymen alike, a new wave of evangelization will be initiated. This most timely explanation of the “Good News” has the irresistible attraction of the tender invitation of Jesus to the Samaritan woman at the well, to leave her life of sexual sin and drink of living water. This is the language which will be able to reach the sin-saturated, disillusioned youth who have been searching for love and are about to give up on finding it.

West asserts that society is obsessed with sex, not because they are on the wrong track but precisely because they are unto something; the marital embrace can be a taste of unearthly bliss. But they are going about it all wrong, and they need the timeless wisdom of the Catholic Church, which, now, more powerfully than ever, through the Theology of the Body can set a twisted society straight. According to West, society’s sexual obsession with sex is like a man who has the key to a door wherein lies a treasure, however he remains fascinated with the key, and never uses it to turn the lock to discover the treasure. This treasure is available in it’s richest form to Catholics as they unite their marriages through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, with the cross of Christ. This gift of the fullness of marriage is Christ’s gift to His Bride the Church, and this new explanation of this concept may well be the greatest legacy of Pope John Paul II.

The beautiful imagery from the “Song of Songs” long used as meditations by mystics like St Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross and St. Louis de Monfort, were interpreted by Pope John Paul, and West unites these insights in comprehensible and often poetic language. Some passages of “Heaven’s Song” just beg to be read aloud, and prayerfully shared between spouses as a meditation. You can almost hear the heavenly music playing within the poetic language. I read parts of the book in front of the Blessed Sacrament, while preparing for Holy Mass and it re-awakened my appreciation for Christ’s self-donation in the Blessed Sacrament, as well as the gift of my marriage.
Nearly all marriages fall far short of the Lord’s plan for marriage to be the mutual sincere gift of spouses to one another, a reflection of Christ’s complete gift of Himself on the cross. The emotions I felt as I read “Heaven’s Song” were partly remorse at how far we fall short of this ideal, and partly joy at the splendor which a married couple can achieve, through the grace of the sacrament, to bring marital love closer to perfect, self-sacrificing love of Our Lord. “Heaven’s Song” brought my own nuptial Mass to mind where we read the prayer of the wedding night of Tobit and Sarah, a central piece of this book. The importance of seeing the sacrifice necessary to obtain the joys of marital bliss, offered to God in prayer, united with the Holy Sacrifice, is explained in a powerfully convincing fashion.

Christopher West has been presenting Theology of the Body in seminars and on TV for some time now, and has “heard it all”. Each chapter begins and ends with a story of a couple whose marriage is in trouble, and he uses TOB to diagnose where they went wrong. The origins of many marital problems can be resolved by a careful reading and discussion of this book. This makes this book a natural for marriage preparation courses, and marriage renewal retreats. I hope it is also taught in universities and seminaries so that future leaders in the Church can reach the next generation of Catholics with the revolutionary message of this book. “I remember thinking, as I read it (Theology of the Body) for the first time, that somehow I had chanced upon the long-lost treasure that every person longed for, the path to the banquet of love that truly satisfies the hungers of the human heart.”
This review was written as part of The Catholic Company product reviewer program. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Heaven's Song.

Mirrors - R

Kiefer Sutherland is an ex-cop with a drinking problem, but he's been sober for 3 months. They make reference to a shooting he was involved with, so that, and the drinking, are why he retired from the force. He has a wife and 2 kids, but he and his wife are separated. He is staying with his sister.

He gets a job as a security guard at a burnt-out department store (there was a fire there years ago, but it hasn't been demolished because the insurance hasn't been settled). This is where the problems begin. He begins to see and hear things because of some demonic force that dwells in mirrors. He finds the wallet of the security guard he replaced (that guy kills himself early in the movie). He (Kiefer) discovers that these "forces"are looking for someone named Anna Esseker. She was a patient in the hospital that the department store had been built over. He tracks her down, and she is now a cloistered nun. He gets her to come to the store with him, which you think would appease the spirits, right? NO.

I'm not going to ruin the ending, but it is NOT the happy ending they lead you to expect. I did not like the ending. It made me feel like I sat through the 2nd half of the movie for nothing.

Content Warnings: A few very graphic scenes; In the beginning when the guard kils himself, and when his sister dies while taking a bath. Also brief partial nudity. The F word is used a couple of times.

cross-posted on A Catholic View

http://www.mirrorsmovie.com/

Book Review: A Pocket Guide to the Bible

Written by Scott Hahn, this Guide is part of a series of Pocket Guides published by Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division. And this Guide truly is pocket-sized.

First is a short explanation of what the Bible is: the Word of God in human words. Mr. Hahn then discusses the organization of the Bible into the Old and the New Testaments, who wrote the Bible (meaning the human authors--he notes right off that God is the Author), how the different books were chosen to be included--and why the Jewish Old Testament and the Protestant Bibles are different from the Catholic Bible--finishing the first section with the relationship between the Bible and the Church.

Mr. Hahn next discusses how to understand the Bible. The Bible is literature and can be read that way, but it contains many different types of genres. There are the stories, the history, the laws, the census count, the poems, the advice column, the letters, and the prophecies. I especially liked Mr. Hahn's explanation that the Bible is the history of our salvation and can be seen as a series of covenants between God and humanity, beginning with Adam and ending with the New Covenant through Jesus Christ. I had never thought of the Bible that way before, but it makes great sense.

There is a section about reading programs, specifically mentioning three: reading straight through, following the Lectionary, or reading your favorite stories. It really doesn't matter which one(s) you choose. The important thing is to read the Bible.

The longest chapter covers all the different books of the Bible with a brief synopsis of what each book covers. The last chapter is titled "Where to Find..." and then has several sections with the corresponding book, chapter, and verse. Mr. Hahn includes the Mysteries of the Rosary and the Liturgy of the Mass in this section, which is handy for apologetics. I also find this type of listing useful because Catholics don't place as much emphasis on quoting chapter-and-verse as some of our Protestant brethren do. Often I know there's a section dealing with the subject under discussion in the Bible; I just don't quite remember where. "Where to Find..." will help.

(BTW, I think it's more important to read the Bible and understand it as a whole than to memorize bits and pieces. The difference in emphasis might be why many Protestants think that Catholics "don't read the Bible." --Ed.)

Mr. Hahn manages to cram an awful lot of information into 79 pages the size of a quarter-sheet of paper. The language is simply, the size is not intimidating--this Guide would be excellent for Middle School and High School faith formation classes, such as Confirmation. In fact, DD#2 (a sophomore in high school) will be starting her second year of Confirmation preparation soon and I'm going to "test" this Guide out with her as well as share it with our parish Youth Minister. But I'm going to buy another copy--I'm keeping this one next to my Bible!

On the March Hare scale: 5 out 5 Golden Bookmarks

This review was written as part of The Catholic Company product reviewer program. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on A Pocket Guide to the Bible.

(cross-posted at The Mad Tea Party)

Jeffrey Overstreet's Insight into Woody Allen's Newest Movie

As he broadens his geographical interests beyond Manhattan, Allen's understanding of love seems to be narrowing. His work should be taking him deeper into complex and revealing stories about the heart. Instead, he's becoming more and more preoccupied with the lurid and the lewd. In the end, like Cristina, he comes away knowing only what he doesn't want, never managing even a glimpse of what he, his characters, or his audience, really need."

Jeffrey Overstreet reviews Vicky Cristina Barcelona at Christianity Today. He does a great job, as always, in a comprehensive review.

However, the excerpt above really struck me as this is something I have been noticing as well. It is sad, really, as one would have hoped that Allen's horizons would have broadened over the years. Of course, Allen has always been bewitched by sex, oftentimes to the exclusion of broader visions. And there is that old saying ... there's no fool like an old fool.

Batman The Dark Knight - Should We Fear Imitation of the Joker?

A very good review of "The Dark Knight" by John-Henry Westen

I finally saw the movie which has grossed $400 million in its first 18 days - well on its way to overtaking Titanic as box-office champ. The movie was visually and viscerally stunning but deeply disturbing, even diabolic.

My concerns were confirmed when LifeSiteNews.com co-founder Steve Jalsevac told me he had also just seen the film and shared my unease.

Some have pointed to the extreme violence in the film, but my concerns go well beyond that. In a Canwest News Service review Jay Stone refers to Joker as a "psychotic butcher"; Jenny McCarthy in her August 2 review in the London Telegraph wrote, "The greatest surprise of all - even for me, after eight years spent working as a film critic - has been the sustained level of intensely sadistic brutality throughout the film." One reviewer even called the film "torture porn."

cross-posted on A Catholic View

full review here

Decent films about the disabled

In the heat of the blogosphere battle over the treatment of the mentally disabled in the new film "Tropic Thunder" the most common accusation hurled at those of those us who object is "this other film depicts such individuals, why didn't you complain about that?"
Here is a post in which I describe my favorite films which feature individuals with disabilities. What's the difference between them and "Tropic Thunder"? In each of these, disabled individuals are treated with dignity and their gifts, often in their personality and character, are allowed to shine. No one is stereotyped, or dismissed because of their appearance or score on an IQ test. And yes, some of them, particularly "The Ringer" are really funny. You see, DreamWorks, we understand a joke. We also know an excuse when we see one. As commenter Elisabeth's Mom said... Who are they fooling, right? I can't believe they think we're gonna fall for the "satire of industry standard."
Haven't we had enough marginalizing the mentally disabled in this country? To learn more about the sad history of how disabled individuals were treated in US history, read my article at Catholic Exchange.

Kids can earn a free book at Barnes and Noble.

For the third consecutive year, Barnes and Noble has been giving away select titles to students in grades 1-6. Kids, simply fill out the form with the titles, authors, and favorite parts of eight books you have read this summer, bring it in to your nearest B&N by September 2nd, and pick up the coupon for your free book. This year's giveaway books include Ramona Quimby, age 8, by Beverly Cleary, Half Magic, by Edward Eager, and The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamillo. Enjoy!

'Render Unto Caesar' answers crucial questions about intersection of faith and politics

Fr. Imbelli reviews Archbishop Chaput's new book for Catholic voters.

cross-posted from A Catholic View

On August 12, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver will release his latest book, which focuses on a question of undeniable importance for Catholics in the U.S. but also around the world: What is the role of faith in the public square? Fr. Robert Imbelli S.J., a Boston College assistant professor of Theology, gives readers an insightful and well-written review of the archbishop’s book, which will be published in L’Osservatore Romano.

By Fr. Robert Imbelli S.J.

This new book by the Archbishop of Denver, Colorado, though addressed primarily to his fellow Catholics, will also serve to foster a much-needed conversation both within and outside the Church. Moreover, it appears at a particularly significant time: the eve of one of the most important presidential elections in recent American history.

story here

cross-posted from A Catholic View

I guess the V-chip isn't programmed to defend marriage, or the family.

A study of broadcast network television prime time shows reports that depictions of or references to marital sex are either non-existent or negative, while depictions of or references to non-marital sex and deviant sex acts are shown or alluded to with “alarming frequency.” The study also finds that the V-chip ratings parents use to block unacceptable programs are significantly inaccurate and inconsistently applied.

According to a Parents Television Council (PTC) study called “Happily Never After: How Hollywood Favors Adultery and Promiscuity Over Marital Intimacy on Prime Time Broadcast Television,” verbal references to non-marital sex outnumbered references to sex in the context of marriage by a ratio of nearly 3 to 1. Scenes depicting or implying sexual relations between non-married couples outnumbered such scenes between married couples by nearly 4 to 1, LifeSiteNews reports.

story here

The "R" word in "Tropic Thunder"

The leadership of The Arc, a group of communities for those with intellectual disabilities will be pre-screening the upcoming Dreamworks Comedy "Tropic Thunder". In the film about spoiled actors filming a "Rambo" like film on location, Ben Stiller plays an actor who is rehearsing a role as a retarded man in a film, "Simple Jack" whose tag line is, "Once upon a time. . there was a retard".
Ben Stiller should know better. Stiller who wrote the screenplay and directed the film, should know better than to base a film gag on mocking the disabled. I am deeply disappointed that Hollywood, who bends over backward to be politically correct, could callously offend so many. Ben, if you are so hard up for comedy, leave the screenwriting to those who can do funny without hurting anyone.
Read Patricia Bauer's entire column here.

UPDATE: The viral website of Tropic Thunder has been temporarily shut down pending a meeting between film officials and advocates for the mentally disabled. I will keep you posted about whether the film is changed to be less offensive.
UPDATE #2
BAD NEWS From The Arc
A small number of disability advocates was able to screen the film on Friday, August 8. Their assessment of the film was that it was far worse than anything they could have anticipated. According to David Tolleson, the Executive Director of the National Down Syndrome Congress who attended the screening, "it provides real ammunition for cruelty" especially for the film's target audience of adolescent males. "Not only is the Simple Jack character highly central to the film's plot, it is portrayed in the most demeaning way," according to Tolleson. Watch the controversial scenes here (viewer discretion nudity, profanity, tasteless humor, blood and gore, racial religious and ethnic slurs. . did I miss anything?) Stiller sure didn't!
In perhaps the single most offensive scene in the film, Matthew McConaughey, who plays a Hollywood agent, speaks to the film's main character who wants to adopt a child. "Well, at least you still have a choice. I'm stuck with mine," states McConaughey while pointing to a photograph of his teenage son who appears to have an intellectual disability.
There has been mounting outrage from the disability community as the film's content is gradually becoming known.For excellent coverage of the issue, see Patricia Bauer's Column and related posts. Hundreds of comments have been posted on the blog expressing outrage about the movie. Representatives of a number of national disability organizations, including The Arc's Executive Director Peter V. Berns, met with DreamWorks and Paramount studio executives in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday, August 6. The purpose of the meeting was to express concerns, request a viewing of the film, and discuss possible solutions.
Take Action
Depending on negotiations with the studio executives over the weekend, The Arc and its coalition partners may be calling on its membership to take appropriate action. Such action includes a protest at the premier in Los Angeles on August 11 and/or national boycott when the film is released on August 13.
Stay tuned......
To prove that I don't want an absolute ban the portrayal of the mentally disabled in film, I enjoyed the irreverent comedy, "The Ringer", after an enthusiastic endorsement from the National Down Syndrome Society. Patricia Bauer comments on in "The Ringer" this New York Times article.
The difference between this film and "Tropic Thunder" is that the characters in "The Ringer" are seen as dignified human beings not pathetic stereotypes, they poke fun at themselves and the foolish stereotypes about the disabled, so you find yourself laughing with them, not at them.

Gail Williamson head of the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles, talked the producers of "The Ringer" into casting actors such as the hysterical Ed Barbarell who has Down syndrome in the film which was about the Special Olympics. The producers were actually going to fake DS with masks, because they thought there were no actors with DS up to the parts. They must have forgotten the hit TV series of the 1990's "Life Goes On" which was written around Chris Burke, an actor with Down sydndrome.
Chris Burke, and Ed Barbarell are excellent role models for individuals with intellectual challenges, and they both have a great sense of humor.
UPDATE: The protests held at today's opening of the film garned a lot of media attention. Here is my post at Causa Nostrae Laetitiae on who's paying attention, and how to join the protest.