Elizabeth Scalia

In an age where the dying are increasingly seen as a burden on society--where euthanasia is being touted by some as the "moral," as well as convenient choice--this guide will provide fortitude for your journey. The rich tradition of the Catholic Church and the wisdom of others who have been through this experience before you will provide comfort and encouragement.

Use this practical guide to help you:

See that your fears, worries, and even the odd moments of humor are perfectly normal and all are part of this process of letting go
Understand what resources are available through the Church
Find the right words to answer honest and practical questions

Discover the beauty, grace, and even the joy, that can come from departing this earth on God's time.… (mehr)

Everything in our lives has the potential to become an idol, usually unintentionally. "The most painful truth is that the first and most difficult idol to dislodge is the idol of oneself." The idol of the idea, or the god of "we've always done it this way." The idol of prosperity. The idol of technology including the internet. "The internet might well be the greatest temper to ego gratification since the hissing serpent of Eden. ...the internet is a most cunning inducement to idolatry." The idol of coolness and sex. The idol of plans. Super idols such as ideologies. An idol can make us think we see God in our hatred. Idols of social virtues such as tolerance and compassion and justice and mercy. "An idol is all about distortion and untruth." "When we have cleared away the idols we have placed before God, we open up a direct line to the God who is all in all. He is all love, all mercy, all light, all power, all compassion, all goodness, and all wealth." "Everything in life had the potential to become an idol: anger, past injuries, praise, pride, possessions, politics, patriotism, porn, poetry, ...human love, family relationships, hate, the fetus, the baby, abortion rights, gay rights, constitutions, careers, ...even religion and its trappings. ...We will never live an idol-free life ... but we can at least be aware of our common tendency to create idols unintentionally. We can recognize the havoc everyday idolatry can play in our personal lives and our spiritual lives if we do not constantly try to knock the idols aside, before they stand too completely in the way of God's constant and consoling love."
She is a strong Catholic and quotes quite a bit from popes, whom I can respect as fine theologians. There is much we can agree on. A very fine, thought-provoking book.… (mehr)

Strange Gods: Unmasking the Idols of Everyday Life. Elizabeth Scalia. 2013. This is a “keeper,” a book to re-read and to underline. Scalia’s idols are not golden statures but anything that takes us away from putting God first in our lives. God should be in the middle of our thoughts and actions, at the center of our being. Anything including ideas, feelings such as love or fear and people or things that is put before God is an idol. She discusses the ways in which the ego, prosperity, technology, sex, plans and people become idols and draw us from God; and, she shows how we can leave these idols behind and draw closer to God.… (mehr)