An On-Line Book Review

Why God Matters: How to Recognize Him in Daily Life, by Karina Lumbert Fabian and Deacon Steven Lambert (Tribute Books)
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I was selected from a large group of Catholic bloggers to review this book, written by a Catholic “re-vert” and her convert father. I agreed to do this because it seemed such a simple thing; I regularly read so many books --- what’s one more. It turned out, however, to be anything but simple.

As anyone who has read my blather in this space knows, I desire and encourage spiritual growth, in part because, as the Catholic Church states, a key purpose of our life is to grow in holiness. So I had some initial misgivings at a first reading of this short book when, instead of promoting spiritual growth, it seemed to be saying: “Look, see how much we’ve grown! Let’s celebrate where we’re at!” This seemed almost childish to me, and the book seemed to tell stories of minor importance --- until I remembered that I was once a child myself, and even some of the smallest things once seemed very big to me.

The book’s cover indicated Why God Matters was written by and for “average” Catholics, and it was written without “religiosity.” “Why God matters,” written in a non-religious way? I, a reader of philosophers, theologians, popes, and doctrinal exegesis, was confused by this simple book before I even read the first page! While I enjoy both the depth of Cantalamessa and the simplicity of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, I didn’t know how to make sense of what I was reading in this book.

For a while, as I read through the 14 simple stories in Why God Matters, my mind was looking for God in the words, in His great complexity and eternal beauty – but many of the stories never even mentioned the word “God”. I was looking for deepness, but I had forgotten Him as I first saw Him, much earlier in my life, as in the simple picking of a flower, or in the comfort of my mother’s hug. I had forgotten the simple joy a child feels (and which we, even as adults, can re-live) when he yells: “Mommy! Mommy! Look, a bug!” The child smiles at his new-found wonder, and so do we. As I began to recall these things, I began to see the beauty so many “average” Catholics have said they see in this book. It is a celebration of God in our lives, in the simple things.

I’ve read many “Catholic” books, from those which challenge me to meditate and grow in love of God, to those which celebrate being Catholic --- except for all those things, you know, that the Church does wrong (and which, they note, is just about everything). This book really is between those extremes; it’s aimed at the Catholic who accepts and loves his faith, even if perhaps he is not as “on fire” as some others. This book takes small snapshots of our life, and enables you to see HIM in the picture. The book shows how much our Catholic faith influences how we think and live, like in its chapters about how we love our neighbor by sharing food with them, or worrying that we’re too much of a burden on them as they wait to pick us up at the airport. It shows that God loves us, through simple reminders to be virtuous or to grow in our faith, or through great acts of our guardian angels to protect us from harm. It is our Catholic faith; it is a way to live our lives --- with God. He is there, He matters, even if we so often forget to notice Him. This book serves to remind us.

On the sidebar of this blog you can see the Prayer to the Apostle Paul, which I pray before mass: “Give us a deep faith, a steadfast hope, a burning love for Our Lord.” Recall how important the adjectives are in our life. Without them life is a dull event. I pray that readers of this book use it to begin to see that deepness, that steadfastness, and that burning in their own lives. It is: why He matters.

The authors of Why God Matters don’t write with many adjectives such as these. Oh, I’m sure they could write the beautiful words of Augustine, late have I loved You, but from reading this book I wouldn’t expect them to write his words: I pant after You. I have tasted You and I hunger and thirst after You. Such emotions are not contained in their words. They don’t write of their tears upon receiving the Eucharist, but try to explain why they don’t want a relationship with Him. Even as they are confident they see Him in their lives, it appears there is so much more they have to learn to know Him; it will take a lifetime of learning. But, hey, they’re young, and they’ve learned the journey can be a joy.

Take a walk with them on their journey in this book; see their joy. See yours. Look!