As Catholics, daily spiritual reading and meditation is an essential part of our spiritual life. It helps us connect with God and deepen our understanding and relationship with Him. However, as many of us know, these daily activities can be more difficult to complete than what we would prefer. The hustle and bustle of family and work life can easily capitalize all our time, leaving little room for God. Not an ideal situation.
Fortunately, there is an easy remedy for this thanks to the Confraternity of the Precious Blood! They have three publications that can up our spiritual reading and meditation “game” to pro-level! Each of these books are pocket sized and can easily fit in a lunch box, backpack or coat pocket, so taking them anywhere is a breeze. Perhaps you already have one or more of these books in your library, but they have been neglected, getting little use. Now is a great time to dust them off!
I've added links for each title to Tan Books. I'm not being compensated in any way for this. I just happen to be a big fan of Tan Books. You'll find the prices for these books to be very reasonable. Now, let's dive in!
Originally printed in 1954 and penned by Fr. Anthony J. Paone, SJ, “My Daily Bread” is written in the format as if Christ Himself is speaking to you one-on-one. The book provides daily reflections and meditations on the three ways of the spiritual life: Purification, Imitation, and Union. It's a great way to start off your day and reflecting on its message. It can help you understand the teachings of Jesus in a deeper way and apply them to your daily life.
The following is a passage from the book:
“Submit yourself to Me by faith. I want you to know My truth. I will add knowledge to your soul by grace whenever it is necessary for you. I do not require great learning, nor a deep understanding of My holy mysteries. What I ask of you is a strong faith in My words and a virtuous life.”
This timeless classic written by Saint Thomas Kempis in 1441 has been a go-to resource for many saints over the centuries including, Saint Thérèse of Liseux and Saint Ignatius of Loyola. It offers practical advice on how to live a good Christian life and focuses on humility, self-denial, and the love of God. This is one of my personal all-time favorites!
My Imitation of Christ" is organized into four “books” with each book covering different spiritual themes:
Book 1: Admonitions for a Spiritual Life
Book 2: The Teaching of Christ Concerning Interior Things
Book 3: Interior Consolation
Book 4: The Blessed Sacrament
Here is a passage from the book:
"Be not much concerned who is for thee or against thee, but let it be thy business and thy care that God may be with thee in everything thou dost. Have a good conscience, and God will sufficiently defend thee.”
“My Imitation of Christ” is truly a step-by-step “how to” guide for becoming a saint! Check it out!
Finally, "My Way of Life", written by Fathers Walter Farrell and Martin J. Healy in 1952, condenses Saint Thomas Aquinas' “Summa” into bite-sized, easy to understand portions, making the Summa easily approachable for the layperson. It's an absolute treasure trove!
The book includes such topics as:
The one God
The angels
Steps to happiness
Causes of sin
The Incarnation of Jesus
The Last Things (Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell)
Here is a passage from the book:
“This obligation to profess one's faith publicly presupposes of course that faith is not just one act, nor even just a series of acts. It implies that behind the act of faith there is a permanent disposition to believe truth on God's word. Faith then is a habitual disposition of mind, and, when perfect, it is a virtue.”
As you can see, each of these books are formatted in a way that make it easy to spend just a few minutes a day dedicated to spiritual reading and meditation. Even if you only take five minutes before bed to read a few passages, the rewards you will reap from these books will far outweigh the few minutes spent reflecting upon the words within. If you ask me, that's time well spent! If you'd like more information about the Confraternity of the Precious Blood you may click here. PAX+