SPIRITUAL READING. — By s. r. is meant the reading of those writings that contribute to the progress of the spiritual life, undertaken precisely with the purpose of nourishing and strengthening II. Unlike prayer and also meditative reading, s. r. presupposes in the reader a disposition that is more receptive than active; yet, by communicating new material for reflection, it serves to increase his interior energies and the activity that follows. The object of s. r. is not only works with a strictly ascetical or mystical content, but also those concerning dogma or another theological discipline, as well as hagiography, provided that they are not taken up as subjects of purely academic study. The necessity and importance of devoting part of one’s time to s. r. derives from human indigence, which is constantly in need of instruction and new impulses in order to persevere and advance along the path of virtue and apostolic action; with the increase of secular culture, this necessity grows, not only in order to acquire a more adequate knowledge of the problems and interests of the spirit, but also to combat errors and defend oneself against corruption. For many, s. r. can produce the same fruits as meditation, and at times greater ones; compared with the word heard through preaching, it has the advantage of being repeatable and capable of deeper study.
Experience confirms the powerful influence of s. r. on the human soul. S. Agostino recounts the example of two friends of Pontiziano who were induced to abandon the court and give themselves to God by reading the life of s. Antonio (Conf., 8, 6), and he himself was salutarily shaken upon reading a text of s. Paolo (ibid., 12). The b. Giovanni Colombini and s. Ignazio di Loyola began their conversion and advanced in their sanctification through s. r.; this explains why s. r. was always recommended by the Fathers and prescribed in the Rule of almost every religious family. Pio X effectively inculcated it among the clergy as a great means of priestly sanctity (the enc. Haerent animo of 28 July 1906 [*Acta Pii X, IV, Rome 1914, pp. 237 ff.]), and Pio XII regards it as necessary for the formation of the clergy (encyclical Menti nostrae*, of 23 Sept. 1950: AAS, 42 [1950], pp. 657-702).
In practice, the reading must be chosen judiciously, without allowing oneself to be guided by curiosity or frivolity. First place belongs to Sacred Scripture, particularly the Gospels with good commentaries and the apostolic Letters; next come properly ascetical books and the biographies of the saints. Not everything is equally suitable for each individual; therefore s. r. should be selected and proportioned to each person’s spiritual needs and to the various periods and moments of his life. It is generally useful also to undertake some systematic reading, considering the more celebrated authors of the different periods. Whoever follows a particular form of life, as is the case with religious, must first deepen his knowledge of the writings that best embody the spirit proper to his vocation and profession. As for the technique or manner of reading, one ordinarily begins with prayer, asking God for light for the intellect and movement of the will; one then reads calmly, pausing from time to time to reflect, without wishing to get through too many pages at once. Constancy is recommended—that is, not changing books before finishing them, and not skipping chapters and pages, unless particular reasons suggest otherwise. It is also useful to take notes. The reading concludes with a prayer of thanksgiving to God and an offering of the good resolutions conceived during the pious exercise.