Devotion of the day: getting good reads

Usefulness of good reading. A good book is a sincere friend, it is a mirror of virtue, it is a perennial source of holy instructions. Ignatius, in reading the lives of the Saints, found his conversion. The Sales in the spiritual fight, Vincent de 'Paul and many saints in the Imitation of Christ, drew strength to reach perfection; we ourselves do not remember how many times a good reading has shaken, edified, penetrated us? Why don't we read, every day, some excerpt from a good book?

How to read. Reading quickly, either out of curiosity, or for fun, is useless; it is of little use to change the book frequently, almost butterflies fluttering over all the flowers. 1 ° Before reading, ask God to speak to your heart with it. 2 ° Read little, and with reflection; reread those passages that made the most impression on you. 3 ° After the reading, thank the Lord for the good affections obtained. Are you waiting for you like this? Maybe it seems almost useless, because it was badly done…!

Don't waste time reading. Time is wasted in reading bad books which are the plague of good morals! He gets lost in reading indifferent books that do nothing for the health of the soul! He loses himself in reading to appear erudite in spiritual things and without the aim of making a profit! Time is wasted in reading good things, but out of time, to the detriment of the duties of one's state ... Think about whether you are guilty of such reading. Time is precious ...

PRACTICE. - Promise to do at least five minutes of quiet spiritual reading every day.