Skip to main content

Reflect on Scripture and Read Books that Help You Grow Spiritually

Reflect on Scripture and Read Books that Help You Grow Spiritually:


When I read today’s scripture verse from my Mary Day by Day daily meditations book, “Everyone who asks, receives; and the one who searches, finds; and to the one who knocks, it shall be opened” (Luke 11:10), I couldn’t help but smile. Every time I hear or read this passage from scripture, I think back to a wonderful memory and little miracle. It was summertime, I was home from college, and I’d decided to go to daily Mass. I arrived at church a few minutes early and went inside. After I’d been sitting in the pew for a while, I started to wonder if there was Mass that morning, because no one else was there. It wasn’t long after thinking this, however, that a few women came in and explained to me that they’d been trying to set up for Mass but the keys had accidentally gotten locked in the cabinet where the chalice and other Mass items were kept. I replied that I had a Bobbie-pin we could try to unlock the lock with and then followed them back to the sacristy. I put the Bobbie-pin into the lock and turned— nothing happened. I took it out and put the other end in the lock and silently payed, “Lord, please let this open.” I turned the pin again and instantly heard a click. This scripture verse and memory always remind me that we need God. Yes, we can do things on our own, but when we collaborate with God, we can do so much more and the possibilities are endless! God will indeed give things to us, help us find what’s sought, and open doors when they are what will be best for us. So, keep opening your heart to receive, keep looking, and keep knocking, because God will always answer, and sometimes things might just be physically unlocked. There are so many beautiful verses to reflect upon in scripture! Try reflecting upon one verse a day, and see how God will begin working with you through your life. 

Besides reading and reflecting upon sacred scripture, there are also so many wonderful books written that can help you grow in your faith and relationship with Christ. I follow the “The God Minute” podcast on Facebook and Twitter, and a question they recently asked  was: “Okay, besides the Bible and Catechism, what would you say are five books every Catholic should own. Not just read, but actually own in print!” I replied to their question with the following five books: (1) Rediscover the Saints, by Matthew Kelly, (2) The Diary of Saint Faustina, (3) 33 Days to Morning Glory, by Father Michael Gaitley, (4) Consecration to Saint Joseph, by Father Donald Calloway, and (5) Theology of the Body for Beginners, by Christopher West. These are five books on my bookshelf or digital bookshelf that I have read or am currently reading that I feel have helped me significantly in my personal faith life and journey. If you haven’t read any of these books, I highly recommend reading them, and once you’ve read them, if you’re like me, you’ll find your soul start to crave reading spiritually inspiring texts and soon find you’re reading multiple books at a time. Start reading where you can, and The Holy Spirit will keep guiding you on your journey.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Saint Teresa of Avila

Saint Teresa of Avila: Feast Day October 15th (My rendition of François Gérard’s painting “Teresa of Ávila”  1827) "Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing make you afraid. All things are passing. God alone never changes. Patience gains all things. If you have God, you will want for nothing. God alone suffices.”  It's been a while since I've written a blog post, and as I reflect upon the words of Saint Teresa of Avila's "Serenity Prayer" above, I cannot help but find comfort in them. Living in a time when everything in the world seems to be turned upside down, and logic and truth abandoned, the wisdom of Saint Teresa offers hope, consolation, and peace.  Teresa of Avila lived in a time similar to our own. Born in the 16th century, she witnessed a world that contained globalism, political conflicts, and religious tensions following the Protestant Reformation. Yet during this turmoil, she trusted in God. She lived a life of contemplation, excelled in writing and p...
Post a Comment
Read more

Saint Margaret Mary

Saint Margaret Mary: Feast Day October 16th  “Look upon yourself as a tree planted beside water, which bears its fruit in due season; the more it is shaken by the wind, the deeper it strikes its roots into the ground.” ~ Saint Margaret Mary ~ Faith is a gift—an undeserved and valuable grace granted by the Holy Spirit. Each of us has the capacity to seek The Way, The Truth, and The Life, for this longing has been inscribed within our hearts. Yet, in our free will, we have the choice and ability to ignore and turn from this divine call. Like the image of the tree Saint Margaret Mary describes above, if we seek Jesus and are rooted in our faith, nothing can shake us. Our water is the Church, and Jesus, in the Holy Eucharist, is who makes our roots deep and strong enabling us to withstand the winds of the world and produce good fruit in His name.  Jesus offers us so many opportunities to find Him, and so many ways to live with Him in Heaven. In the 1600s, He appeared to Saint Mar...
Post a Comment
Read more

Baptism of the Lord

Baptism of the Lord: The Last Day of Christmas  “I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11) Today we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord. Since Jesus is God and, therefore, sinless and perfect, he didn’t need to be baptized, but by being baptized, he gave us a sacrament for adoption into his family—a means to become children of God. What makes the Sacrament of Baptism important? (1) Baptism claims us as children of God, forgiving us of our sins, (“I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”), it is the first sacrament of initiation into the Church and Her mission, and through Baptism, God gifts us with grace. What exactly is grace? The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines it as: “Grace is favor, the free undeserved help that God gives us to respond to His call to become children of ...
Post a Comment
Read more