Jesus Christus: A Classic Meditation on Christ, by Romano Guardini. Christian Classics. 2012.

   The hope of Guardini is that this book will inspire Christians to contemplate Jesus Christ as manifested in the world. He hopes it will lead readers to a greater knowledge of and union with the Lord. This book contains 13 mediations concerning God's mystery, that is Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
   This book unites a biblical view of the Lord Jesus and a contemporary account of being a person. It gives a portrait of Jesus as seen especially in the Gospel of John. Guardini shows Christ in his human nature, born of Mary, revealed during a public life of love for all people, and saving humankind by paying the price for sins by dying a horrible death on the cross.  He presents Jesus as a divine person in whom human beings receive the strength and guidance of the Holy Spirit to become the persons whom God envisions for each one.
   The goal of these meditations is to lead each reader to a greater knowledge and union with the Lord. It also is aimed at leading readers to maturation into the person God envisions.  And even though the presentation is lop-sided and not inclusive of the synoptic Gospels, it does afford valuable insights into the mystery of Jesus as the Christ.
   Guardini believes that to know a tree, one must begin by studying the roots, so also in coming to a knowledge of the Christ, one must first look at the earth from which the personage of Our Lord arises, namely Mary, His Mother. Hence, his first chapter is called "His Mother" and deals with the blind surrender and generosity of Mary, the mother. Further chapters deal with Christ as healer, as  one doing the will of the Father, the great Lover, the one with authority, the love of Jesus, the risen Christ, and finally a chapter called "Heaven", the intimacy of the Father and the Son.

(Thanks to Sr. Irene Hartman OP for this review.)

St. Didacus (1400-1463): November 7

   Didacus is living proof that God "chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong" (1 Corinthians 1:27).
   As a young man in Spain, Didacus joined the Secular Franciscan Order and lived for some time as a hermit. After Didacus became a Franciscan brother, he developed a reputation for great insight into God's ways. His penances were heroic. He was so generous with the poor that the friars sometimes grew uneasy about his charity.
   Didacus volunteered for the missions in the Canary Islands and labored there energetically and profitably. He was also the superior of a friary there.
   In 1450 he was sent to Rome to attend the canonization of St. Bernardine of Siena. When many friars gathered for that celebration fell sick, Didacus stayed in Rome for three months to nurse them. After he returned to Spain, he pursued a life of contemplation full-time. He showed the friars the wisdom of God's ways.
   As he was dying, Didacus looked at a crucifix and said: "O faithful wood, O precious nails! You have borne an exceedingly sweet burden, for you have been judged worthy to bear the Lord and King of heaven" (Marion A. Habig, O.F.M., The Franciscan Book of Saints, p. 834).
   San Diego, California, is named for this Franciscan, who was canonized in 1588.