Lenten Retreat on a DVD ....

If you're like me, Lent kind of sneaks up on you.  I'm never as prepared as I should be ... with offerings/sacrifices, spiritual reading, and/or Lenten retreats scheduled.  Or, if I am prepared, I realize that Lent is longer than I thought, and I need something more to read, listen to, or sacrifice (and, yes, I know that Lent is always 40 days ... but some years it just seems longer!).

If you are like me, have I got a great suggestion for you:  Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Lively Virtues is a retreat in a box, all ready for you to watch and listen and meditate upon.  Fr. Robert Barron (whose Conversion cd/study guide set I reviewed recently) takes the seven capital sins of pride, envy, anger, sloth, avarice, gluttony and lust and explains why they are present in our lives and how to eradicate them.  He gives great practical advice on how to turn these sins into the seven virtues of humility, admiration, forgiveness, zeal, generosity, asceticism and chastity.  A recurring theme is that sin is caused by our own fear (thus, pride is the root of all sin) that can only be conquered by true love, the love that God shows us all round (see the meaning of faith) and that Christ showed us when he died on the Cross.

This DVD is great!  In just under two hours, the viewer understands how Dante's Purgatorio is peopled with sinners and why he assigns them the punishments he assigns (for instance, those who are in purgatory because they were gluttons in life are shown as repeating ad infinitum Psalm 51:17: Lord, open my lips and I will sing your praises).  Barron does a wonderful job of giving practical advice on how to begin to counteract these sins in our own lives.  It's interesting to hear him mention such folks as Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. when giving examples of how to be a better person!

I recommend Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Lively Virtues to all Catholics, particularly middle-school and above.    In the video, Fr. Barron is speaking to adults, but there is no reason why tweens and teens shouldn't hear Barron's advice, especially if you need some Lenten retreat material!

---

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Lively Virtues CD Bundle . They are also a great source for serenity prayer and baptism gifts.

 

Review: Conversion: Following the Call of Christ

Fr.Robert Barron's latest cd-talk, Conversion: Following the Call of Christ, is a wonderful tool for increasing your spirituality during this Lent.  The review set I received from Catholic Company contained a two-CD set of six talks (plus an introductory overview of conversion to the Truth) given by Fr. Robert Barron, a professor at Mundelein Seminary (Illinois) as well as a popular speaker.  Also included in the set was a study guide and workbook written by the talented Amy Welborn.

The talks by Fr. Barron are twenty minute sermons based on various Biblical conversion stories: 

1. Bartimaeus (the man born blind whom Jesus cures) from Mark 10:32-52
2. The Rich Young Man (who is not too sure about selling everything and following Christ) from Mark 10:17-31
3. The Calling of Matthew (the tax collector known sometimes as Levi who choses to give up his life as a tax collector and follow Jesus) from Matthew 9:1-13
4. Jonah (the only OT story of conversion where Jonah at first heads the other way when God asks him to go to Ninevah) from the Book of Jonah (which Fr. Barron describes as "a hoot to read").
5. The Woman at the Well (who, as Fr. Barron explains, is definitely from the proverbial wrong side of the tracks) from John 4:1-42
6. The Journey of the Magi (a tale of the calling of the Gentiles) from Luke 2.

Fr. Barron's talks -- each about 20 minutes -- cover many interesting and provocative descriptions and explanations of each of these conversions to the Truth ... conversions to God.  The talks assume knowledge (or pre-reading) of the particular scriptural story.  The short talks are just long enough to listen to on a run to the store or just before starting evening prayers.  Fr. Barron has a pleasant speaking voice and his message is deep, profound, but lovingly delivered. 

The study guide/workbook by Welborn is a nice addition, with leading questions for each talk to help the listeners really meditate and understand what Fr. Barron is saying.  The questions are split into "questions for understanding" (with definite answers) and "questions for reflection" which should lead to some pretty lively discussions.  This workbook is quite useful for small groups (or, for us, in the homeschool!) when listening to the talks. 

In addition, Word On Fire (the publisher of the cd's and workbook) has password-protected, free supporting materials for this set of talks.  The materials include a facilitator's guide (for small groups); promotional materials for stirring interest in the small group meetings, and an answer key for the workbook questions. 

This set -- especially with the additional materials on the website -- really makes for a practical small Lenten retreat to do at home or in small groups.  And, because it is so self-contained, it's not too late to order for this Lenten season!  I highly recommend this set, Conversion: Following the Call of Christ -- VERY nice.

---

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Conversion CD Bundle (CD/Study Guide Bundle) . They are also a great source for serenity prayer and baptism gifts.