|
SPIRITUAL READING WHEN
you pray, you speak to God; when you read spiritual books, God,
speaks to you, and we can scarcely say which of the two requires of
you more respect. The fruit of your spiritual readings depends
principally upon your performing them with the intention of hearing
God speak to you in them and of hearing Him alone. When you read
with this purity of intention, you will always derive from the
exercise something both profitable and edifying; it matters not
whether the book be in elegant, old, or indifferent style. To throw
a book aside, or to peruse it carelessly, because you meet with
difficulties, or now and then with simplicities, is a nicety
altogether prejudicial. A portrait does not cease to be good because
the personage is dressed in an ancient costume; a tree sometimes
produces excellent fruit, although it be old and deformed, and its
bark coarse and rugged. It is to be desired, perhaps, that some of
our old books should be revised and somewhat remodeled, but to wait
until this happens would be, indeed, a considerable loss. And even
if they were revised and corrected, there is hardly a doubt that
they would lose much of their primitive unction and noble
simplicity. You must, then, rather correct your taste. One of the
best marks by which one can judge of the progress a Religious makes
or desires to make, is to find her indifferent to all books
given her; because this is a proof that she considers only the word
of God contained in them.
We can conclude from this holy indifference to every kind of book
handed a Religious, that during the whole of her life she will apply
herself, not to what is more pleasing to the fancy, but to what will
conduce to her spiritual advancement. If you threw aside your
Rodriguez to peruse some curious tale in another book, there would
be just reason to fear that you will, in the same manner, apply
yourself more than is requisite to the study of English poetry, or
even the perusal of novels or romances.
Lastly, as it is only by the grace of God that you can reap the
desired fruit from your Spiritual Readings, you should interrupt
them by short, fervent elevation of your soul to the Father of
Lights, as, for instance, this of young Samuel: Speak, Lord, for Thy
servant heareth! or that of a Kempis, Thou art the Guide and
Illuminator of hearts!
Among the lives of the Saints, those are to be preferred which
are closest to your own manner of life. The practice of Christian
virtues must differ in the various Religious Orders. Now, the manner
in which God wishes Sisters of Charity to practice these virtues
will be nowhere more surely pointed out than in the lives of those
who have sanctified themselves in the same or a similar calling.
The Spiritual Reading should be made with the same attention with
which books of study are read; for the matter at stake is to study
and retain accurately what will aid you to govern yourself well, and
to help others properly in the way of salvation; and this during
your whole life.
Such authors as write in a concise and sententious style should
be read with more attention. What you must principally endeavor to
impress on your memory from the historical books, are heroic acts of
virtue; expressions containing in a few words a deep meaning;
precepts which possess, as in a single principle, a number of
practical conclusions.
Do not be eager to read a great deal at a time. You read enough
when you impress on your mind what you read, so that you will never
forget it. It would be helpful even to read over several times those
passages by which you have felt most impressed and edified. However,
it is not permitted to take notes in writing during the time of
reading; this should be done in a free time. You may, however, note
down the page or chapter, to help the memory.
You should mortify a certain kind of curiosity, which prompts one
to read some parts of a book before others. Wait until such matters
come in their proper time. If you meet with any passage by which the
imagination might be sullied, pass over it, or if, by surprise, you
have already read it, do not do so a second time.
It is a dangerous fault to read any book, whatever it may be,
without permission, whether the book be picked up accidentally, or
received from anyone else, living in or out of the house. By doing
so many have brought on the loss of their vocation. It is
unfortunately too true that such a presumption leads, almost always,
to greater disorders.
What to Read
If you are disheartened, read the twenty sixth Psalm. If people seem
unkind, read the fifteenth chapter of St. John. If you are
discouraged about your work, read the one hundred twenty sixth
Psalm. If you are weary, read the twelfth chapter of Hebrews. If you
find it hard to obey, keep silent, and read the third chapter of St.
James. If you are losing confidence in persons, read the thirteenth
chapter of First
Corinthians. Treasures for Memory's Storehouse
Genesis: Fall of Man, C. 3; Sacrifice of Isaac,
C. 22. VV. 1-19.
Isaias: CC. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 40, 53, 60, 63.
Zachary: C. 11.
Wisdom: CC. 4, 5, 9, 13, 1-10, 15.
Ecclesiasticus: CC. 3, 6, 11, 13, 19, 23, 1-6, 24, 41.
Psalms: 1, 5, 8, 18, 22, 26, 31, 41, 42, 50, 62, 69, 83, 90, 101.
St. Matthew: CC. 5-7, inclusive.
St. Mark: C. 10.
St. Luke: CC. 2, 7, 10, VV. 25-37, 15, 11-32.
St. John: CC. 1. 6, 15, 21.
The several narratives of the Passion of Our Lord.
Acts: CC. 7, 9.
1 Cor.: C. 15.
1 John: C. 1.
Epistle of St. James: C. 3. These few passages are a storehouse of
sacred literature, the possession of which will prove an armor in
temptation, a solace in sorrow and a worthy expression of our
gratitude to God; advantages which will richly repay the time and
labor spent in studying them. |
|
