Word for Word
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Season 1 • Season 2 Episode #1: A Letter to the Hebrews – The Lives of the Saints Looking for directions on how to live a life of holiness? Check out the letter to the Hebrews for encouragement, advice, and fearless examples. But don’t stop there - you can also find evidence of the “great cloud of witnesses” in modern-day literature. In this episode of Word for Word, Gillian Kantor interviews Fr. James Martin, author of My Life with the Saints, to find out how we can each reach for sanctity in our own lives. Featured Books in this episode:
Episode #2: The Book of Job – A Mourner’s Kaddish Why do bad thing happen to good people? It’s a question that has been asked again and again and again. But looking for the meaning of suffering is not strictly a modern day quest, and in this episode of Word for Word, we look at its roots in the Book of Job. James Clarke, judge of the Superior Court of Ontario and author of A Mourner’s Kaddish, offers insight into the promise of hope. Featured Books in this episode: A Mourner’s Kaddish The Man Who was Thursday Holy Anger: Jacob, Job, Jesus Tear Soup Suite Française Episode #3: Martha and Mary – The Role of Women Are you a Martha? Or are you a Mary? And who should you be? Women in the church tend to play favourites – siding with Martha and accepting an endless list of projects at home or work or in the church, or looking to Mary and spending time in quiet contemplation. But today’s books propose embracing both roles, and an interview with Anne Giardini, author of The Sad Truth About Happiness, stresses the importance of women working together and supporting each other. Featured Books in this episode: The Sad Truth About Happiness Anne GiardiniHarper Perennial 2005 www.harpercollins.ca A Catholic Woman’s Book of Days Amy Welborn Loyola Press 2005 1 (800) 621-1008 When Women Pray Lyn Holley Doucet and Robin Hebert The Crossroad Publishing Company 2004 1 (800) 707-0670 The Friendship of Women Joan Chittister Novalis 2006 1 (877) 702-7775 Unless Carol Shields Vintage Canada 2003 www.randomhouse.ca Dorothy Day: Selected Writings Edited by Robert Ellsberg Orbis Books 2005 1 (800) 258-5838 TOP Episode #4: Song of Songs – God’s Love Story Popular romance novels found in your local library or bookstore – you know, the ones with the shirtless men adorning the cover and the damsel in distress in their arms – may tell a passionate story but is it realistic? Probably not. So for a true love story, pick up the Bible, turn to The Song of Songs, and prepare for a romance that is much more passionate, much more real, and much more pure. And, proving that such a genuine love story can still be found in popular literature, we speak to France Itani, author of the best-selling novel, Deafening. Episode #5: Doubting Thomas – Conversion Many of us are like Thomas, the disciple who needed to place his finger in the mark of the nails in Jesus’ hands and place his hand in his side – we need to touch and see in order to believe. But, like Thomas, many of us also have powerful conversion stories. The books featured on this episode of Word for Word, including the thriller, The Defilers, by first-time novelist, Deborah Gyapong, examine elements of doubt and bring us powerful stories conversion. Episode #6: The Parables - Storytelling Parables are timeless stories. Told to the disciples and followers of Jesus thousands of years ago, parables continue to relate to our lives and lead us to examine and try to understand the complexities of our faith. But how can stories, told deliberately and carefully, about a mustard seed, a sower, or a good Samaritan, apply to lives lived now amid rapid technologies and up-to-the-minute changes? Well, because of the questions they cause us to ask ourselves. And today we look at a different kind of story that can also raise questions and point us toward a better understanding of our faith. Join us for an interview with Margaret George, author of Mary Called Magdalene, a fictional novel which seeks to answer the question, “Who was Mary Magdalene?” Episode #7: Tobit - Journey Planning a trip means having a purpose. Even if the destination is not a physical, geographical landmark, then perhaps it is a goal – a change of heart, a new lesson learned, a dream made real. The bible is filled with these journeys – with both geographical and spiritual destinations – and today we look at the book of Tobit, in the Old Testament. But stories of journey are not limited to the bible. And in today’s author interview, we meet Mark Sebanc and James Anderson, who have combined their work to write under the pen name Mark James. Together, they have created the ancient world of Ahn Norvys in the novel The Stoneholding. The journey begins. Episode #8: Fishers of Men – Jesus at Work Walking into the office doesn’t mean walking away from your personality, beliefs, or ideals. In fact, in the Gospel of Luke there is some evidence that Jesus feels the workplace – in this case, the fishing industry - is a platform to spread the good news. John Dalla Costa, author of Magnificence at Work, shares his theories and principles on faith in business and invites you to consider bringing Jesus to work.
The Church is a place of comfort, not only because of the community and moments of prayer experienced within the walls, but because of the walls themselves. Architecture, stained glass, and statues can influence our worship and understanding of church, and this episode’s guests, Fr. Michael Prieur and Margaret Visser, help us to find Jesus in the temple. Episode #10: Finding in the Temple – Love Thy Neighbour Jesus’ command to “love thy neighbour” may be an easy thing to say, but a more difficult task to fulfill. How can we love those we may not even know, or whose characteristics we may not even like? In this episode, Fr. Bill Clarke, engages us in the true story of one man who many of us would be inclined not to like, an opinion based solely on appearance and first impressions, but whose heart is entirely worth loving. Episode #11: Finding in the Temple – Anxiety Turned to Prayer Anxiety can take a strong hold, choking our dreams and stalling every day life - but imagine turning this anxiety into unconstrained joy and peace. We are encouraged to turn our worry to prayer in St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians and, in this episode of Word for Word, we speak with author Fr. Ron Rolheiser, who challenges us to leave our fears and worries behind – as the title of his book suggests – Forgotten Among the Lilies. Episode #12: Healing Jacob’s Wound From the book of Genesis, we know Jacob’s wound to be the dislocated hip after he wrestled with an unidentified adversary, often thought to be God or an angel. But Trevor Herriot, author of Jacob’s Wound, suggests the injury is the distance we have put between ourselves and nature. Now society needs to consider the steps toward healing. Episode #13: Let the Children Come to Me One of the most active moments at church comes with the call to children’s liturgy, when the parade of children march to the front of the church. They’re so eager to get up there, to talk to the priest and to excitedly raise their hands when they know the answer to his questions. Every Sunday, their eagerness is a solid response to the Gospel of Mark. Dr. Nancy Reeves and Linnea Good, authors of Adventures of the God Detectives, discuss the importance of letting the little children come into the presence of Jesus. |
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