There won’t be a typical daily Lenten post interpreting a passage from the Daily Mass Readings or Liturgy of the Hours due to health issues. I spent a large part of the day doing a clearing out/rearranging of junk in a garage and for tht I am physically tired (which impacts brain activity.) On top of that, I got stung by some kind of nasty bug. I didn’t see it as it was black against an old black TV in a darkened part of the garage. Finger swelled up quite nicely and after taking an antihistamine, slept for a bunch of hours. Sting appears to be non-poisonous as I’m still alive.

So instead, here’s book recommendation. I urge you to purchase for your  personal edification and spiritual growth the classic work by St. Augustine (Pope Leo XIV’s fave saint!) ‘The City of God.” It is well worth the money (I think I paid $14 on Amazon for the Penguin Classics edition, which is an affordable Catholic-friendly translation.)

From The City of God article on Wikipedia (bold face is my emphasis):

On the City of God Against the Pagans (Latin: De civitate Dei contra paganos), often called The City of God, is a book of Christian philosophy written in Latin by Augustine of Hippo in the early 5th century AD. Augustine wrote the book to refute allegations that Christianity initiated the decline of Rome and is considered one of his seminal works, standing alongside the Confessions, the Enchiridion, On Christian Doctrine, and On the Trinity. As a work of one of the most influential Church Fathers, The City of God is a cornerstone of Western thought, expounding on many questions of theology, such as the suffering of the righteous, the existence of evil, the conflict between free will and divine omniscience, and the doctrine of original sin.

You can see from the parts I emboldened that it is a good book to read during Lent. Actually, it is a good book to read at any time of the year. It answers the basic questions that always come up in debates on Reddit when atheists, theophobes and other such types try to ask “Gotcha!” questions. (Yeah, some people think they’re the first ones to come up with an objection to something in the 2,000 years of Christianity.) 

It was written in the early 5th Century after Rome had gotten sacked by pagan invaders. It is odd reading something that refers to the Roman Empire in a contemporary sense (like, it’s still in existence. So, if you’re one of those who think about the Roman Empire every day, get it! It’ll be trippy.  Personally, I think about the Holy Roman Empire every day. ) 

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)