"Jesus Of Nazareth" - An Unfinished Book Review

I love being reminded of why I am Catholic. I sometimes go through phases of disillusionment with the Church. The abuse scandals, stories of errant priests and even church politics...it can all make me put on my sulky, judgemental hat and silently wish I were a Quaker (no hierarchy, no disputes over doctrine, in fact, not much talking at all!)

Ah, but then He steps in and sends me a little reminder of all that is best about Catholicism.

Last week, that reminder came to me in my local library. I had only gone there to return some books and I had little time to spare with a fussy, teething baby strapped to me. But just by chance, I caught sight of the book "Jesus of Nazareth". I grabbed the only copy, rushed through the check out and hurried home. I am very glad I did.

This is the first book written by our Pope Benedict and it is gloriously simple in it's aim. It is his "personal search for the face of the Lord".

I wish I were smart enough to do justice to this book and describe how profound it is. But I can't. It is at times bewilderingly complex and I find myself re-reading passages and sentences many times over trying to get to the root of what the author is saying.

In basic form, it is a review of the Jesus of the Gospels and it outlines the key stories and ideas about Him, starting first with His baptism. It is, in part, an attempt to rescue Christ from the many modern interpretations of the New Testament which portray Him as something which He is simply not (whether that be just a wise teacher, a revolutionary military leader, a lover to Mary Magdalene or even more startling, a lover to St. John).

Reading it, I'm astonished by how much I don't know about Him and the world in which He was first revealed. Particularly striking for me was a simple 2 page discussion of the role of Barabbas. I had always thought of Barabbas as a crazed figure, a murderous mad-man whose public image Pilate was depending on to keep him from having to pass judgement on Christ. Our author reveals that actually, Barabbas was more likely a revolutionary leader, a sort of "messianic figure" who had led a recent uprising in the area. I learnt that his name, Bar-abbas, means "son of the father"...and that the choice Plate offers the people between these two messianic figures is no accident. My jaw dropped...and this was just a taster.

Passages and stories from New Testament are dissected and analysed in such intricate detail. Seemingly innocuous sentences and phrases are given new depth and meaning. And more times than I can count, the writings in the NT are linked to Old Testament prophecies and passages, demonstrating just how rich and layered the Judaeo-Christian faith is.

I can't wait to finish this book and though it will probably take me some time (I was using my dictionary before I had finished the first chapter!) it is going to be infinitely worth it.


'The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple'.
Psalm 19:7

Pretty In Pink

I blogged a few weeks ago about my very talented sister and her propensity for making beautiful things from yarn.

Well, we were lucky enough to have her visit us last weekend and lo! She came bearing yet more beautiful gifts for Baby Martha. These gorgeous socks and booties are a perfect fit...and such a sweet colour.

In fact, they are so lovely I'm almost tempted to squeeze my feet into them!


'She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight'.
Proverbs 31:13

Swimming Against The Tide

It's a tough job being a woman in this day and age. Even more so being a young woman. Mine is the generation that has never known a world without feminism and 'women's rights' and in many ways we have reaped much benefit from the changes that have occured in the past 30 years or so. We can climb the career ladder and own property (when Margaret Thatcher first became Prime Minister she, like every woman in the UK, was legally unable to buy a house for herself; needing the signature of a male guarantor. And she was the PM!). We can buy our own cars and clothes and holidays and we do not need to rely on a man to provide for us.

We are the 'Sex and the City' generation. We've grown up listening to Beyonce preaching to us about being an "Independent Woman" and we've watched Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda sleep their way through New York, decked out in designer gear whilst simultaneously holding down fabulous, glamorous high pressure jobs. Yes, truly, we can do anything that a man can and we can do it in heels.

And I don't begrudge anyone the right to live how they want but for those of us (there are many...I know there are) who decide not to buy into the system, life can be tricky.

This has become all the more obvious to me since leaving my work and 'coming home'. I wasn't a real high-flyer, but I did work in a high pressure, male dominated industry where competition was fierce. At times, it was a really depressing place to be. Women were seldom taken seriously and there was an expectation that we would work a lot harder than the men just to be noticed.
The effect this had on the women was quite profound. Few were married, fewer still had children. And the further up the ladder you climbed, the less and less likely you were to find women living in traditional families. "Man-bashing" was a common every day occurrence, the prospect of babies and children was frequently scoffed at and Lord help you if you dare to suggest that it's not such a bad thing to be dependent on a man.

So I was not at all surprised to read the results of an American health study a few months ago that rather sensationally revealed that "career women" have higher levels of infertility, more incidents of hormone in-balances and are more prone to heart attacks, stroke and similar health problems resulting from their stressful work environments.

Women have clearly suffered as a result of the massive back-lash against traditional gender roles. Wasn't the concept of female emancipation supposed to be about choice? I find it hard to believe that scores of women across the western world are shackling themselves to jobs that leave them exhausted and childless because they want to.

Maybe this is happening because women so often feel that they simply don't have a choice. The messages we hear throughout school, university, from friends and teachers are relentless. You either work full-time, or you're "just a mother". You either support the availability of abortion, or you are anti-woman. You either earn as much money as you can or you risk handing over all control to the man in your life. You either wait to have babies until you're in you're late 30's or you're wasting your youth.

This isn't choice. This is battery by social expectation.

But despite years and years of heavy propaganda, the tide of our culture cannot wash away the basic biological and psychological instincts of women. A lot of us still do want to have children, some of us really long for it. We still do wish to be married rather than just live with someone. We still enjoy pottering about at home on a sunny day, baking a cake, knitting a scarf or potting some plants. We may be aware that these things don't constitute 'meaningful' work in the eyes of society but a lot of us still do it all anyway.

I'm one of the lucky ones though.

I have felt completely liberated since leaving the work-place and my experiences made me seriously re-assess most of what I was taught by my hardcore feminist lecturers at university. And I was incredibly lucky to meet a man who really valued the role of a traditional wife and mother, a man who is not afraid to carry the financial burden of our family without support from his wife.

I would love to be able to say that I have a magic solution, an antidote to the huge pressure heaped on young women to abandon their natural instincts and hurl themselves into stressful careers which force them to behave and act like men. But there is no antidote. My daughter will no doubt experience the same pressure when she comes of age.

But what we can do is eliminate ourselves from the competition. We can remove ourselves from the rat-race and decide alone how to best spend our time and energy. I believe for some women, this does mean forging a career, even when children come along. But for great numbers of women, the traditional role of wife and mother is a valid choice, made through conscious and deliberate consideration of all the available options.

We need to reclaim our right to choose. We will have to swim against the tide and begin a new, fresh 'women's movement'. We don't need to take to the streets though, wave banners or hold meetings. We can start this movement by simply by refusing to 'justify' our choices to virtual strangers. We can start by holding ourselves answerable only to God and our conscience.

We need to reclaim our right to choose.

Trying Times

Martha is going through a difficult phase at the moment. I'm almost certain she's teething...and it's making her really grouchy!

Screaming fits in the evening, fussiness during the day, a desperate urge to have something in her mouth constantly, a reluctance to be put down...ever and frequent night-wakings. It's been a very trying few days. And it is so easy when things are like this to let the frustration overcome me and really lose my temper. So it helps me to remember....

It's all worth it. That big gummy grin she gives me every morning when we've just woken up. That high pitched squeal of a laugh she emits when I tickle her tummy. The way she looks at her Daddy when he comes home every day. She is my greatest blessing and God's greatest gift.

I love being her mother.

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate".

Psalm 127: 3-5

A Loaf for Lent!

This is a great recipe for Lent as it is fairly plain as well as inexpensive to make. It's also a perfect alternative to the average fat-laden breakfast muffin.

It has no chocolate, no icing, no butter and no cream...I admit I'm not making it sound terribly nice. But trust me, it is!

Bran Loaf Recipe:

Serve with butter, low-fat spread or jam. Or just eat it plain.

75g Kelloggs All-Bran cereal
165g self raising flour
175g dried mixed fruit
120g light brown soft sugar
300ml milk
A few teaspoons of nutmeg and cinnamon.

1. Place the cereal, mixed fruit, sugar and milk in a large mixing bowl and leave for about 90 minutes.
2. Once the mixture has gone really soggy, pre-heat the oven to 150oC and grease a 1 lb loaf tin with plenty of butter (I find it best NOT to line the tin with greaseproof paper as it can stick very hard to the loaf.)
3. Next, sieve the flour into the mixture and mix thoroughly.
4. Add the nutmeg & cinnamon and mix.
5. Spoon the mixture into the tin and bake in the oven for about 90 minutes.

And you're done!

The Lenten Bookshelf

Life can get horribly complicated at times and I for one, find it all too easy to get completely wrapped up in the most insignificant of events.

But the season of Lent is the perfect antidote to this kind of 'internal noisiness'. Lent is the time to take a mental step back from the world, look deep into oneself and reflect.

And I find it helps enormously to have some sound religious and spiritual reading material on hand to assist me in this.

These are the items currently sitting on my 'Lenten bookshelf':



1. The Bible - A perpetual source of knowledge, wisdom, inspiration and comfort. Essential reading at all times of the year, but especially leading up to Easter.

2. "St. Therese of Lisieux" by Kathryn Harrison - This is a re-read. Well, actually, it's more like a re-re-re-re-re-read! But I absolutely adore this book. I don't know why or even how I came to read it in the first place but the story and the life of St. Therese has fascinated me ever since. I have come to think of her almost as my own patron saint. She embodied everything that is best about the faith. She had one goal in mind, to love Christ. And she succeeded in committing every action, every word and almost every thought to Him. And yet she was precocious, unusual, even childish and silly at times. She stands for me as the ultimate example that we do not need to be perfect to love God. By His grace all of us are capable of being saints.
This book doesn't shy away from the difficult aspects of her life and her struggle through what is called the "Dark Night of The Soul" is depicted very sharply. Kathryn Harris succeeds in making her subject seem above all, human. A beautiful book.

3. "Created To Be His Help Meet" by Debi Pearl - This is a book aimed at Christian women who are, or are preparing to be, wives and mothers and whilst it's focus is distinctly not Catholic, there seems to be some really useful challenging stuff in it. It looks to be a very interesting read!

4. The Catechism of The Catholic Church - Found on the Vatican website (www.vatican.va). This I have undertaken to read this Lent to get a better understanding of the faith from a practical view. A sort of ABC of Catholicism!

I hope, after these 6 weeks, to be better grounded in the faith and to have a fresh, motivated outlook on life.

To all those observing the season, may you have a peaceful and productive Lent!

My Funny Valentine

Yesterday was Valentine's Day. Typically it's a day for big romantic gestures, spending a little too much money and eating out at fancy restaurants. But we keep things pretty low key in our family. We don't buy extravagant gifts or make wild, grand gestures. We are far more content just to be home together, enjoying each other's company.

So instead, we ate a lovely home-cooked meal, took a walk together and exchanged some little gifts.

And in the afternoon, Hubby set about doing a few little D.I.Y jobs he has been wanting to do.

So this post is dedicated to him.

I love you my sunny, funny Valentine!

Sweets For My Sweetie

It's nearly St. Valentine's Day! A day for red roses, big pink heart balloons, cuddly toys and over-sized cards.

And in this house, it is definitely a day for chocolate. (Especially as Lent is coming up so soon...this is the last chance for 6 weeks!)

So in the spirit of all things sweet and romantic, here is a recipe given to me by my lovely little sister.

Happy Valentine's Day!


Rocky Road Recipe

1.4 kg milk chocolate
8 chocolate bars (any kind will do!), roughly chopped
180g Maltesers
100g dried apricots, chopped
100g raisins
100g marshmallows
100g cornflakes
100g chocolate sprinkles

1. Melt the milk chocolate and the chocolate bars (but not the Maltesers) in a large bowl over hot water.
2. Weigh all the dry ingredients, except the chocolate sprinkles.
3. When the chocolate is melted, stir in the dry ingredients until they are fully coated.
4. Line a lasagne-style dish with cling film and then pour in mixture.
5. Smooth over with a tablespoon and put chocolate sprinkles on top.
6. When the mixture has completely cooled, place in the refrigerator and leave overnight. Do not place the mixture in the fridge whilst still warm.

The Power of A Psalm

The power of prayer, in my view, cannot be over-estimated. And although God already knows our hearts, minds and all our 'whys and wherefores', being able to place all our worries in His hands is truly a liberating and wonderful experience.

But I sometimes struggle to construct prayers that I think are truly meaningful. Prayers that truly convey how I feel and what I need help with.

And so I often turn to the best source of inspiration, The Bible and in particular, the book of Psalms. This book has been used for centuries as an aid to monastic and prayer life and the celebration of Mass always includes the recitation of a psalm, in response to the First Reading, which helps to remind Catholics of these beautiful writings.

And with the revival of the Liturgy of The Hours, the psalter has made something of a come back!

For me, the Psalms are amongst the most poetic and emotive words ever committed to paper. And I often find myself turning to them for help, inspiration and comfort. In this book are contained prayers and verses for just about any occasion, feeling or experience.

The below are a few snippets of my favourite psalms.

Psalm 15 Vs. 1 - 3

Preserve me God, I take refuge in you
I say to the Lord "You are my God
My happiness lies in you alone".

Psalm 101 Vs. 1 - 3

O Lord, listen to my prayer
and let my cry for help reach you.
Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress.
Turn your ear towards me
and answer me quickly when I call.

Psalm 102 Vs. 1 -6

My soul, give thanks to the Lord
all my being, bless His holy name.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord
and never forget all his blessings.

It is He who forgives all your guilt,
who heals every one of your ills,
who redeems your life from the grave,
who crowns you with love and compassion,
who fills your life with good things,
renewing your youth like an eagle's.


Taken from The Grail Translation, the translation used in the Catholic Liturgy.

Other translations, such as that found in the Jerusalem Bible (pictured above), amalgamate Psalms 9 and 10 and therefore Psalm 15 in the Grail Translation may be found under Psalm 14 in other versions.

Don't Try This At Home!

Each evening, while we're having our daily catch up, I ask Hubby a question.

"What do you want for dinner tomorrow"?

Invariably he will say he wants a curry, or a chilli, or perhaps something with potato.

But occasionally, just once in a while, he'll throw me a curve ball and ask for something a bit...ahem...unusual.

Yesterday was one of those days. For his dinner, he said, he would like a tuna risotto...with onion... and garlic... and Worcester sauce.

Hmmm...

Hesitations put aside, what Hubby wants Hubby gets when it comes to his dinner. So I set about trying to make an edible meal from this random assortment of requested ingredients. And this was the result.

So here is my recipe for a very bizarre risotto. And d'you know what? It didn't taste half bad!

'Hubby's Crazy Risotto' : Serves 2

1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
200g risotto/ arborio rice
1 can of tuna, well drained
1/2 can of sweetcorn, well drained
A few splashes of worcester sauce (add as much or as little as you like).
1/2 tspb paprika
black pepper to taste
cheese, to grate (any kind you like!)

1. Heat a little olive oil in a large pan.
2. Saute onion and garlic on a low heat until soft.
3. Add the rice and fry for a further minute until all the rice is coated in the oil.
4. Add a few ladel-fuls of boiling water (using a stock cube is optional...I prefer to do without the salt) and stir thoroughly.
5. Add the tuna, sweetcorn and paprika and worcester sauce and stir thoroughly, simmering gently on a low heat.
6. Continue to add more water as required until the rice is thoroughly cooked.
7. Once served, grate the cheese on top.

And you're done! Now you can enjoy (or not enjoy) your crazy concoction!

DISCLAIMER - www.marthassecretvineyard.blogspot.com cannot be held liable for any wasted ingredients or emotional distress caused as a result of serving this meal.

Lenten Challenge

It's nearly that time of year again. Lent. In a week's time there will come 40 days and 40 nights in which to reflect, pray, repent and deny to self.

I'll admit I don't enjoy Lent. I know for some people the challenge of self-control and the extra focus on prayer is inspiring and positive, but I don't find it so. I always do participate in the Lenten challenges though. I observe the no meat on Fridays rule, I confess and I give up something I love for the duration but often-times, the spirit of the season is really lacking in me. Giving up chocolate is not so hard to do, but vowing not to moan about it is a real challenge!

But this year I sense that things will have to change. I will have to up my game and really throw myself into Lent with the right attitude. Since becoming a mother and realising the enormous responsibilities that this brings, I see that in future I will be the example that my daughter follows, in so many areas of life. If I am to expect her to observe this season, and to benefit spiritually from it, I will have to show her how to do it. And this year is an excellent year to begin for I have been challenged by Hubby to attend Mass every day during Lent as well as observing all the other usual practices. And what better reminder could there be of the meaning of Lent than celebrating Mass every day?

So this year, I've decided that instead of spending another 6 weeks moaning about the fact that I'm not eating chocolate, or watching TV, or buying magazines, or whatever other challenge I've taken upon myself; I am going to spend 6 weeks giving up the things I love, attending Mass daily and not complaining about it.

It should make for an interesting, challenging 6 weeks. But I have a good feeling I'll come out the other side feeling refreshed, motivated and humbled.

Bring On The Lenten Challenge!

*Photo from http://recoveringperfectionist.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/angelsey-llanddwyn-cross-1.jpg

Yellow and Orange and Blue...I Can See A Rainbow

At last! After a very grey few weeks, the sun came out today. Already there are some daffodils to be seen and the scent of spring is not too far away.


All this sun has enticed many out of winter hibernation.


Including this fellow...my lovely orange-furred cat 'Ginger'.



He took advantage of the pleasant temperature and climbed the nearest tree in the hope of 'wooing' a lovely bird. No such luck for my four-legged friend though...as the object of his desire didn't quite reciprocate his affections!

Better luck next time Ginge!

A Contribution

At the inception of this blog, I said that I would dedicate my daily writings to all the things that I love; family, faith, home...and cake. Nothing that I have written about could be considered particularly weighty and certainly none of it is intellectual. And yet a big part of my family life involves debate and discussion of heavier issues. Each night after our daughter has fallen asleep, my husband and I talk. And it's not unusual for us to glance at the clock after what seems like a few minutes only to discover that we have been talking for hours. Politics, religion, society, economics...nothing is off topic. I have learnt so much from him and I continue to daily seek his opinion on so many issues that crop up, not only in our lives, but in the wider world.

Long before I started this online 'diary', I had been somewhat pestering my husband (very gently!) to put electronic pen to paper and contribute some of his thoughts and ideas to the world wide web. Needless to say, he has neither enough time nor enough inclination to start his own blog just yet, but I have managed to persuade him to contribute a post to mine regarding a documentary film he saw last week which piqued his interest.

The following represents this other side of my home-life. A cake recipe it is not! But it is just as much a part of my every day life as anything I have written. Over to you Hubby...


'Shostakovich Against Stalin - The War Symphonies' : A Review

Larry Weinstein, by his own admission and definition 'a middle-class Canadian' seems an unlikely candidate to undertake the making of this film - a journey through one of Russia's most famous composer's idealogical battles with one of world's most dictatorial madmen.

There is much to recommend this documentary film, made in 1997 before the trend of 'docudrama' and its attempts to recreate history rather than tell the story straight, but there is a sense of detachment from the subject material that sit a little uneasily. The film combines elements of a history lesson with orchestral performance and it can be unclear at times wether we are meant to be listening to the music or getting the message about Stalin's purges. Yes, the music was the means employed by Shostakovich to convey his dislike of Stalin's regime and so both are closely related but the conductor Valery Gergiev's monologues about the symphonies add nothing to the story of the purges or the Nazi seige of Leningrad in which Shostakovich was trapped. The detachment continues in the interviews with the friends and family of Shostakovich himself. These lack the warmth of a film maker really trying to tell what is, after all, the story of their opression.

There are however several moments which do genuinely bring home the terror of what ordinary Russians experienced during the 1930's and 40's. The siege of Leningrad lasted 872 days and killed over 1 million people, Nazi Germany had the city surrounded and cut off almost all supplies of food, water, and energy. Many were starving and many died as a result. That an orchestra was able to motivate itself through this horror to put on a performance of Symphony No. 7 is truly amazing, even though many members of the orchestra had died and the remaining members would clearly have been both terrorised and in mourning.

The way in which Shostakovich was targetted by the Stalin's security apparatus, presumably for the purposes of being 'purged', was also highly enlightening. In many ways similar to Josef K's treatment in Kafka's 'The Trial', Shostakovich was summoned, interviewed, released, summoned again and so forth - we understand without being told on what grounds he was being subjected to this 'judicial' process. In a bizarre twist of fate, we are told that Shostakovich only escaped imprisonment (or worse) because the man investigating him was himself being investigated and is arrested the day before he intends to make Shostakovich disappear. Shostakovich had even said goodbye to his family. It amply demonstrates the way in which the secret police seem to have behaved in many of the 'communist' experiments in history.

The archive footage of Stalin himself is equally chilling, like something out of a dystopian film, except that we know this was no fiction. Things are relieved somewhat by the inclusion of extracts from Mikhail Chiaureli's "Fall Of Berlin" for which Shostakovich provided the score. In this film, under Stalin's ultimate direction, the story of World War II is retold in the manner in which Stalin would have wanted it. If the truth wasn't so truly awful it would be funny, the way in which Stalin has himself portrayed in iconic fashion as the saviour of Russia and the Russian people. The actor playing Stalin is so wooden, I wondered if he was simply too scared to act?

It seems by providing film scores, at which he was considered rather good, Shostakovich had made himself useful to the Soviet authorities and he ultimately did not suffer any physical harm. Most of the persecution appears to have been pyschological, denounced as "against the people" on two occasions by the Soviet Central Committee and forced to write more 'pleasing' film scores.

This leads to the other problematic area of the film, namely that to show how terrible the purges were for Shostakovich and to focus only on that ignores how much worse things would have been for ordinary Russians. Shostakovich was not an ordinary Russian. His family were educated, professional, privileged in some ways. Identified as a prodigy at eight years of age, Shostakovich's path was not one of triumph over adversity. In many ways, Shostakovich's public presence and his popularity would have made it more difficult for Stalin to persecute him; at least compared with a Joe Nobody who could be executed for simply saying a few words against the party. Shostakovich was certainly brave to create 'unpleasing' music, but that bravery and his misfortune should be viewed in context.

This is an interesting film, not perfect by any means and it perhaps doesn't live up to its full potential, but if you like music and 20th century history it is definitely worth a look.

Sunshine on a Rainy Day

Some days are just not conducive to feeling optimistic and cheerful. Today is one of those days here. We've come back home after a wonderful week with family. And although I love being home, the weather is cold, the sky is grey and it's back to reality. Hardly the most welcome return.

But no matter! As I have a happy reminder of all that we enjoyed.

I made this tea-towel with some (...ok...alot) of help from my Mum, whilst staying at my parents farm.

I bought the material on a whim as it is just so pretty and colourful. I couldn't resist!

It's definitely brightened up this dull day.

'Finding Happiness' - A Book Review

Are you happy?

You, reading these words right now. Are you happy? Do you even know? Are you sure?

If you are happy (and I hope you are!) I wonder if you're able to explain why it is that you are happy?

I'm happy today. And I can quite easily explain why. I'm with my family. We're on a sort of mini holiday, staying with relatives. There is nice company, nice food, lots of rest and no work to be done. What's not to be happy about?

But supposing we take all these factors away. Suppose instead that I am at home, exhausted from yet another broken night's sleep with the baby, a mountain of laundry to be done and dishes in the sink. I'm on my own until my husband gets home and it's pouring with rain so I can't get out for a walk.

Am I still happy? Would anyone reasonably expect me to still be happy?

And what if my circumstances were even less favourable? What if I had no family? What if I lived alone? What if, instead of caring for a baby at night, I was tired because of ill health? And what if I was incapable of doing the mountain of laundry or the pile of dirty dishes not because I am busy with something else, but because I am so unwell, so tired, that I'm unable to find the strength to do the most basic tasks, like taking a shower or getting dressed?

How many people would be able to face such circumstances and still keep a smile on their face and a positive outlook on life?

Well, in his book 'Finding Happiness', Abbot Christopher Jamison might well argue that happiness could indeed be found in a life such as the one I describe.

Using Benedictine monastic tradition as his guideline, Abbot Jamison outlines not a 'system' of happiness, but more a way of living, that he argues, can and will lead to real happiness. The guidelines are based upon pursuit of several key virtues, aswell as ackowledgment and denial of several 'demons' that act as obstacles to inner peace and happiness.

So far, so Catholic. And yet, this book is so much more than just an overblown advertisement for organised religion. You don't need to be a Catholic to follow Abbot Jamison's fantastic advice. In fact, you don't need to be religious at all.

For all people, religious or otherwise, a life lived in pursuit only of personal pleasure is incapable of bringing deep and lasting happiness. Pleasure can only be defined in vague terms. At most, it can be basically summed up in the rather wishy washy expression "feeling good". Happiness in this context is distinct from pleasure. It can be best defined as "purity of heart". It has nothing to do with personal circumstances, who you are, what you own, your job, your family, your achievements or lack of them. Happiness can never be bought, or sold, nor it is something that is given to you by someone else. It exists solely in the internal workings of a person; in their mind, their heart and their soul.

Achievement of purity of heart requires that we embrace humility, magnanimity and self-control through chastity and our relationship with food. It also requires that we reject the demons that enslave us, of which says the author, pride and vanity are the most destructive. They are the sins of the soul, destined to rot our relationship with ourselves, those around us and for those of a religious persuasion, they are sure to rot entirely our relationship with God.

In it's most basic form, this book beautifully and eloquently unveils that most paradoxical element of Christianity. For us to be exalted, we must humble ourselves. But whoever would exalt himself will find himself humbled. This does not mean that each of us must leave our homes and families and exercise a mass exodus to the nearest monastery or convent (although St. Benedict did make the radical assertion that private ownership was "an evil practise". Gulp).

But what it does mean is that each of us needs to embrace a level of personal responsibility for the communal happiness of those whose lives we affect. Happiness does not exist in a bubble. By rejecting greed, anger, vanity and pride, we will place ourselves in a position to more effectively help others. This will bring us, and others, true and lasting happiness and peace.

It is this basic message that acts as a guide for the way of life that the author advocates.

The book serves as a powerful rebuttal to the old adage that people should be able to do as they please, provided they hurt no one. It is also a wholesale rejection of the excesses of the consumer culture we live in.

In short, it's radical, it is accusing and it has the power to change lives. I think it has changed mine.

T.L.M - To Learn More?

As anyone reading my little blog might have guessed, I am Catholic. I come from a strongly Catholic family. We did, and do, celebrate Mass every Sunday along with every holy day of obligation.

But in recent years, with the arrival of a new parish priest, we as a family have been introduced to the celebration of our faith in Latin!

Known in short as TLM; Traditional Latin Mass, the Tridentine Mass, The Extraordinary Form of the Mass...whatever it is called, it sounds slightly old-fashioned with maybe just a hint of grandeur. And in truth, it is.

This is Mass 'old-school'...the priest has his back to the congregation at all times except the homily and the entire service is conducted in, yep, you guessed it folks, Latin.

And in truth, this poses a few problems for me in some respects. I find it hard to engage with the service fully as I mentally scrabble with the translation whilst straining my ears to try to hear what Father is saying.

And yet, through the most unlikely of people, I have seen the Mass through fresh eyes. Last night, as I attended our monthly Sung Latin Mass, I was, as usual, grappling to keep up with the rapid pace and the foreign language when I caught a glimpse of my daughter's face as she sat happily in my husband's lap. Smiling brightly, and cooing, she looked blissfully happy and entertained. The lights, the incense, the organ and the singing. It is a beautiful experience. And by her face, I was instantly reminded that Mass need not be an intellectual experience. I was forgetting it's true purpose, getting lost in my worldly thoughts and frustrations. No real comprehension is absolutely required. Even a 5 month old baby is capable of participating in and enjoying the experience.

Mass, even the Latin Mass, is truly for all. The Catholic Church is the Universal Church and every Mass is the opportunity to be close to Christ, to remind ourselves of the sacrifice He made and to ask Him to help us. Most crucially, it is THE time to ask Him to forgive us.

Everything else...the music, the lights, the candles, the rhythmic sound of the Latin prayers...they're all just the icing on the cake.

Last night, sat in that smoky church, it dawned on me that for me, T.L.M might just mean 'To Learn More'.