“found the passage where it was written”
In the gospel reading, Jesus reads from the scriptures. This was the custom for all the people to hear the Word of God. We carry that tradition on at every Mass when we read from the scriptures of the Holy Bible. This however, should never be the extent of us reading or hearing the Word of God. One of the main foundations of our Church rests on Sacred Scripture. We should continue our spiritual growth by reading more spiritual works.
What is spiritual reading? “As the Lectio Divina prescribed in monasticism from the earliest times, it is all reading that is conductive to prayer and closer union with God. The Sacred Scriptures have always held the primacy of honor in such reading, along with writings of the Church’s teachers; notably, the popes and bishops, the writings and lives of the saints, and all other forms of composition whose avowed purpose as writing is to enlighten the mind and inspire the will and affections to the worship and service of God.”[i]
Why should we read Sacred Scripture or other spiritual reading? St. Jerome says, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” “God’s greatest enemy in the world is ignorance, ‘the cause, and as it were, the root of all the evils that poison entire nations and perturb many souls.’”[ii] How are we suppose to know our Lord if we do not listen to Him? St. Augustine writes, “We should hear the Gospel as if Our Lord were present and speaking to us.”[iii] The more we read the word of God or words about God, the more we understand God.
Along with ignorance, Saint John Chrysostom said often, “Ignorance is often the daughter of laziness.”[iv] When we are lazy we try to find a shortcut or easy way. Sometimes, this can lead us down an incorrect path. There are many heresies and errors that have come up, and many people have left Catholicism due to these grave sins. We must not lack in our doctrinal formation. “What a pity if we, because we lack the necessary doctrine, cannot show Christ to them and give them the light they need in order to understand his teaching!”[v]
What should we read for spiritual reading? Everyone is at different stages in their spirituality. Wherever a person is will determine what spiritual reading should be read. There are many great books out there to read, and at the same time many books that are in error and should not be read. The principle things we can suggest would be first and foremost the Bible; More specifically, a Bible that has been approved by the Catholic Church. There are four translations approved by the Catholic Church (New American, New American Revised Edition, New Jerusalem, Douay-Rheims). Also, the Catechism of the Catholic is great for spiritual formation. It is strongly recommended to speak to a priest, or a personal spiritual director for guidance in choosing the right books or readings based on that person’s educational background, spirituality, and theological formation.
Why should we read those books? Besides knowing God better, we will be able to answer the tough questions that are brought up. We will be able to bring the Church to all we meet in a positive, clear, and understanding way. “A Christian needs to have the answers which enable him to counter the attacks of the enemies of the Faith, and to know how to present them in an attractive way, (nothing being gained by over-reaction, heated argument or bad humour), with clarity (without water down important issues) and with precision (without sounding hesitantly uncertain.)”[vi].
What should we do if we have learned everything? This is impossible. No one can learn everythingabout God. Using simple logic; if one claims to know everything about God then they are either God or that God is not infinite. It takes our entire life to learn, read, and study our faith. Sadly, many in our society see religion like school; we try to learn facts, equations, dates, etc. all to pass a test, receive a certificate and graduate. In our faith we never “graduate”. The capacity of our minds and souls are stretched, becoming larger and we continue to dive deeper. Let us take a loose analogy like the iPhone or iPad. Everyone knows Apple will come out with a new one usually every 12-18 months. Millions of people wait for it, purchase it, and then cannot wait for the next one. They never grow tired of it. We should never grow tired of our faith. We should always remain hungry for the next discovery we make in our faith that God wants to reveal to us.
When asking a married couple who have been together for thirty, forty, fifty or more years many couples say they have fallen even more in love with each other. How can this be? There are many reasons, but mostly it surrounds the fact that the two have become one flesh and they have continued to reveal and find out more and more about this person. God continues to bloom in our hearts if we continue to love Him more and more. We can continue to unite ourselves with God becoming one with Him as He continues to reveal more of His beauty to us.
MUSIC – “I Thought I Loved You Then” by Brad Paisley
The song speaks of a love for a woman. We must understand once we see our faith as the most important thing in our lives we can truly love God more deeply, and those whom He places in our lives like our husbands, wives, and children.
What is the impact of spiritual reading? There can be great fruit that bears from spiritual reading. Many of the great Saints had their conversion through spiritual reading. Saint Augustine converted by reading the Bible. Saint Ignatius of Loyola converted by reading the Life of the Saints. In 1938, Thomas Merton walked down fifth Avenue and bout a book he saw in the window called The Spirit of Medieval Philosophy by Etienne Gilson. He was taking classes at Columbia, and thought it would help with his studies. When read the book was approved by the Catholic Church he almost threw it away. He was at that time resistant to the Church. “However, ‘by a special grace,’ he kept the book and actually read it. It revolutionized his life.”[vii] He later converted to Catholicism, became a priest, a monk, and one of the greatest scholars and philosophers of the twentieth century. Many have been brought to the truth of Christ and His Church through the reason and common sense of modern writers such as C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton. C.S. Lewis, who was an atheist was inspired to embrace Christianity by one of G.K. Chesterton’s books The Everlasting Man. Spiritual Reading not only brings about conversion, but those that are converted write about their conversion which then become the spiritual reading for others and thus perpetuates conversion of souls. What writings (Biblical or Non-Biblical) have brought about a conversion to you? What scripture verses have really stuck with you?
[i] Hardon, Modern Catholic Dictionary pg. 517
[ii] Fernandez, In conversation with God, 3, 18.1
[iii] St. Augustine, Commentary on St. John’s Gospel, 30
[iv] St. John Chrsostom, Catena Aurea, III, pg. 78
[v] Fernandez, In conversation with God, 3, 18.1
[vi] Fernandez, In conversation with God, 3, 18.2
[vii] Baron, Catholicism pg. 228