E. Hopper, People in the sun (1960), oil on canvas.
Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington)
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The purpose of our lives as Catholics is to become saints. By
God's grace, we can collaborate with Him on that lifelong task. You know many
of the ways already, and an indispensable one is spiritual reading, which is
accessible to all who are literate. As St. Josemaria Escriva put it: "May
your behavior and your conversation be such that each person who sees or hears
you may say, 'This man reads the life of Jesus Christ.'" Let's look at the
present situation of the majority of Catholics of in our country.
I think it I am accurate, unfortunately, in saying that the great majority only exposure to the Bible is for
approximately 10 minutes at Sunday Mass. In addition, most of them have a
rudimentary Catholic catechetical education that usually finished at an early
age. Therefore, they don't know Sacred Scripture, and they barely remember at
best the Catechism. In addition, a paltry few are familiar with any of the
great Catholic spiritual classics. On the other hand, their sight and hearing are assaulted by a
daily barrage of stimulation that appears to be designed by the devil. Most
people read only books and magazines that are consistently and increasingly
trashy. So, what is a remedy for this soul-stultifying if not soul-destroying
assault by the culture of death? One answer is Catholic spiritual reading,
which is available for all who have eyes to see or ears to hear (Let's not
forget books on tape!) and money to buy books or libraries to borrow from. So, it’s almost summer and is time for some R & R — reading and
relaxation for the mind, body and spirit. To help you dive into some spiritual
reading here are few selections for you to consider. Of course there are thousands of good Catholic books, these are the first that have come to mind this morning. I sincerely hope it helps!
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The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise, by Cardinal
Robert Sarah. This book explores the need for each of us to listen to the will
of God in our lives in moments of silence
The Way of a Pilgrim These are the notes of an anonymous 19th-century Russian peasant
who sets out on a journey seeking how to fulfill St. Paul’s instruction to
“Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Through his encounters with
different monks, he learns to make of the continuous chant of the Jesus Prayer
(“Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me”) not only the means to reach intimacy
with the Lord, but also his own way of life. A prayer and spirituality classic
that has touched the faith and affected the prayer habits of many, Orthodox and
Catholic alike.
The Screwtape Letters
In Silence with God, by Benedict Baur. This is perhaps the best known work of this author. It is a return to the basic points of faith and explained from the point of view of a religious. A wonderful read!
Difficulties in Mental Prayer, by Eugene Boylan. The author discusses the nature and ways of prayer, the
difficulties that we are to face if we don't pray, the purpose of
meditation, and more. He examines all this not from a theoretical standpoint,
but from the perspective of the individual Catholic who's trying to pray
better.
This Tremendous Lover by Dom Eugene Boylan.
The Lord, by Romano Guardini. This is a collection of many meditations from the
different parts of the life of Jesus.
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