Time to read

Among the many things that we parish priests long for but have to work hard at making happen is to just sit and read. Most of the time, when I try that, my mind is racing about the meeting I just came from, or have to go to, the email I just answered or the voice mail message I need to return, or the fact that I had better get myself in gear and be more disciplined about regular exercise and more consistent in my prayer life. Some of the above is part of my Lenten sacrifice.

So, I do cherish when I can spend part of my day off sitting down with a good book. (I refuse to go the "Kindle" route - a book is a book). Right now, I'm coming to the end of a work that I think will provide good fodder for the coming Easter season. While Lent is still young and it's not yet time to break into songs of rejoicing and sing the "A" word, a great book by Dinesh D'Souza entitled: Life After Death: The evidence, has provided me some great thought. D'Souza's earlier work, What's so great about Christianity, has a similar theme. Essentially, if you're a committed evolutionary atheist such as the likes of Dawkins or Hitchens, and find yourself in the company of Mr. D'Souza, you would indeed find a formidable opponent.

In Life After Death, D'Souza, as scientist, philosopher, theologian, and historian, debunks quite well the arguments of atheists that a life beyond this world is ridiculous. D'Souza, through calm, rational explanations, and brilliant insights, proves that the existence of a life outside this life is not only possible, it is probable.

Well, to us Christians, that should be a kind of "duh" moment. But, his reasoning and deeply convincing effort to think outside the box as it were, is striking. Then, the last chapter, entitled, Life Everlasting,takes on the resurrection of Jesus as a fact.

The book is not spiritual reading but filled with reason, logic, and convincing truth. Yet, I personally have found it inspiring and thought provoking. If you're looking for a work that will affirm with reason, logic and sound argument the truth of what we profess, that Christ is indeed risen and that we are indeed a people of truth, then take a look at either of D'Souza's works.

But - shhhh, it's not time for the "A" word yet!