In the seminary, one of the priests on the formation faculty encouraged seminarians to do spiritual reading for at least 20 minutes every day. At the time, I had an irregular pattern of reading. So, I decided to follow through on his suggestion. Spiritual reading can be anything from a biography on the life of a saint to theological themes like the Incarnation of Christ or Sacred Scripture or books on prayer. There are also great classics by authors like St. Augustine, St. John Henry Newman, St. Catherine of Siena, G. K. Chesterton, Flannery O’Connor, Bishop Fulton Sheen, Walker Percy, Jacques Maritain, Peter Kreeft, Romano Guardini and more, whose fiction and scholarly works inspire and encourage the reader in the Christian life.
There is such a variety of things to read. I usually keep my reading to spiritual things as my time to read is limited, though on occasion I might read something from the New York Times best seller list. I also stick with 4 or 5 main Catholic publishing companies. While there are a wide variety of Catholic publishing labels, some of the material they publish call into question some of the Church’s teaching and even contradict it.
Beyond the spiritual realm, it’s good for the mind, heart, and soul to read historical novels, books on science or other areas of life that might not otherwise be a natural attraction for us. This would be akin to visiting a museum with a particular theme for an adventurous discovery that leaves us pondering new and fascinating things. I don’t think any of the 25 books I hope to read this year will be on the history of the automotive industry, but it would certainly educate me in a field about which I know virtually nothing.
Whether or not you make a list of proposed books to read, I would recommend reading no more than two or at most three books at a time. In that way, one book may serve as a kind of “change of scenery” from the other and yet both get finished in due time. I also believe in reading at least one chapter a day to stay on task. At that rate, most books of an average length can be read in 7-10 days. Longer novels can take a couple weeks, or they can be so interesting or enthralling that we devour them in short order. It is surprising how much we can read by keeping a firm commitment to the 20–30-minute rule, or a chapter each day.
Reading regularly gives us much to ‘chew on’, that is, to consider, react to, to relate to and to share in conversation with others. Reading is a kind of encounter with the subject or protagonist of the book we’re reading. It can be a welcome and healthy break from our work and the other responsibilities of our state in life. Unlike many of the recreational activities in our culture, reading can truly “re-create” us for a more well-rounded and balanced life. Reading is good, basic, ongoing human development with many pros and virtually no cons.
A number of books with a spiritual focus in recent years have included reflection questions after each chapter, either for personal reflection or for study groups. Faith formation groups, book clubs or just a few friends can together enjoy shared dialogue going chapter-by-chapter through the same book. Some people prefer to read all they can on the same theme throughout the course of a year. Whether the theme might be something spiritual like prayer or the virtue of hope, or some other non-religious theme like gardening or the wading birds of North America, or the history of the Civil War, themed reading over a period of time can be highly educational and personally enriching.
But of all the reading we do in life, let us not overlook ‘the good book,’ the Bible. Twice I have read the Bible, cover to cover. Starting on January 1st and reading just 5 chapters a day, one could finish reading the entire bible by the end of September. Doing this, however, should be more than simply an “I did it” thing to cross off some list of accomplishments. Our daily reading of the Bible should be done prayerfully, with the desire to truly encounter our Lord in his Sacred Word. From this encounter we are ever more deeply united with the Blessed Trinity, from which flows into our lives grace upon grace for our salvation.
So, my hope is that you will keep reading all throughout your life and allow the Lord to fill your mind and heart and soul with a lifetime of inspiration. Also, pay attention to what stays with you on any given day after you have finished a period of reading. Undoubtedly you will recall the content of the material that you just read but notice its effect on you. Then compare it to what you notice after you prayerfully spend time reading and reflection on some verse of the Bible. God is ever at work in our lives. Keep reading all kinds of books, but especially Sacred Scripture, and let the Holy Spirit inspire you!
