God Is Not Nice - An Invitation to Study More

I know that this does not sound like a good title, but it is an excellent title.  Richard Niebuhr stated eighty years ago about a religion which Americans have seemed to embrace: "A God without wrath brought men without sin into a Kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a Cross."  Speaking about the author, Ulrich Lehner, Scott Hahn states: "Ulrich Lehner is not the first to observe that the preaching of this nice gospel corresponds rather exactly to the collapse of Christianity in the global North and West.  We may instinctively like a nice God -- and even go so far as to "like" him on social media.  But will we make sacrifices for him and to him?  Will we be willing to die for him?  Will we make the effort to get out of bed early to praise his name?"
    Both Lehner and Hahn are accurate and describe well what has happened to the practice of our faith both in the church building as well as on Main Street.
    I would like to invite parishioners to read this book and give it some serious thought.  The book is worthy of discussion among the interested.  So, I will offer discussion sessions on the book on the following dates:
     February 5, 12, 19, 26
     March 12, 26
     April 2
All sessions will begin at 6:30 pm.  All sessions will be in Msgr. Sechi Hall.  Participants will have to purchase their own copy of the book.  Currently the price is $12.34 on Amazon.  Even though I have read it on my Kindle, you may want to consider a printed version because it is the type of book that you will want to underline and write comments in the columns.  Don't forget to go through the parish website to purchase the book.  We will divine up the book into sections for our weekly discussions
     If you were annoyed by the opening comments in this notice, then you are a good candidate to participate in this group.