Q. What about spiritual readings?

A. Have you read any good books lately? One way to feed our soul is to do some spiritual reading. There are two broad categories of spiritual reading: (1) reading that is aimed at deepening our prayer life and intensifying the way we live the Gospel life; and (2) reading to learn information about religious or spiritual topics. Reading the Bible can fit into either category, depending on our intentions when we do such reading This week I will talk about the first category of spiritual reading.

We are each different. Every one of us is on our own unique spiritual journey. In the entire history of the Church, no one has had our exact combination of talents and temptations, our gifts, problems and life situation. We can all, however, learn from the wisdom and the experiences of others. In its 2,000 years, the Church has been blessed with spiritual masters who can lead us toward a deeper spirituality, i.e. a deeper experience of unity with the Divine.

The writings of the spiritual masters are freely available. Some are easy to read; some are more difficult. Not a single one of them will appeal to everyone, but that is not a problem. Catholicism is a 'big tent,' which includes many styles of personal prayer and approaches to piety. This variety may sometimes seem daunting, but it is evidence of the breadth of treasures within the Church's patrimony. There is literally something for everybody.

So how do you find a good spiritual book (leaving aside the Bible, which is the spiritual book par excellence)? Let me offer a few guidelines. (1) Consider books by and about the saints. These men and women of heroic virtue have been 'certified' by the Church to be among the friends of God. There are, of course, numerous biographies of saints. But also consider the writings of the saints. Many saints are associated with particular styles or approaches to prayer, or emphasize different aspects of the Gospel message. (2) Consider books that have withstood the test of time. Many modern books are excellent, but the classics of our tradition have provided insight and assistance to generations. (3) Ask yourself what appeals to you. This sounds obvious, but if you read something that appeals to you, you are likely to get more out of it. On the other hand, if you pick up a book because it is 'good for you' but doesn't speak to your heart in some way, you are unlikely to get beyond the first couple of pages. (4) Consider books on tape. They make commuting and long drives more interesting. (5) Browse. Browse the Christianity section of major bookstores, or at a religious bookstore. Philadelphia is blessed with Catholic stores, some of which have very good selections. Or search the stores on the net: 'waste' some time doing topical searches at Amazon.com; Barnesandnoble.com or other net stores.

So what do I recommend specifically? No book or style of book suits all people. But there are some classics that many people have found worthwhile. I am running out of space, so I will list just a few: The Way of the Pilgrim (anonymous); The Cloud of Unknowing (anonymous); Story of a Soul (St. Therese of Lisieux); Abandonment to Divine Providence (Jean Pierre de Caussade); Introduction to the Devout Life (St. Francis de Sales); The Practice of the Presence of God (Blessed Lawrence of the Resurrection); The Imitation of Christ (Thomas a Kempis); The Little Flowers of St. Francis (anonymous); and the various writings of the 'Fathers of the Church,' i.e. the saints of the first six centuries after Christ. All these come in multiple editions, and some translations are better than other. There are also anthologies of Catholic wisdom, or groupings of Catholic spiritual writers (e.g. the A Retreat with .. series or the Praying with ... series.