Lent is only a couple weeks away. Now is the perfect time to revisit those New Year’s resolutions to spend less time scrolling and more time reading or to finally work down that giant to-be-read pile on your bedside table. Here are nine recommendations for spiritual reading this Lent.
1. The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise by Robert Cardinal Sarah
It is ironic to say that my extremely talkative and social self counts this as one of my top three favorite books. Holy silence is so much richer than the mere absence of noise. What better season than Lent to reexamine your own relationship with silence and how you can enter into more of it?
Enter into Jesus’ Passion in an uniquely intimate way with this do-it-yourself retreat that combines the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius with the teachings of Sts. Therese of Lisieux, Faustina Kowlaska, and Louis de Montfort. Take it on by yourself, with your spouse, or even as a whole family. The book is divided up in such a way that you can go through it slowly in smaller pieces through all of Lent, reading a little bit each day or week, or make it the focus of a weekend or Holy Week.
3. Bible (Bonus - Fr. Mike Schmitz’s Bible in a Year podcast)
Of course, the greatest spiritual work is the Word of God itself contained in Holy Scripture. Pick up your favorite Bible translation (New American to follow the readings at Mass, Revised Standard for a more accurate and artistic translation, or the Douay-Rheims for the Old-English lovers), and make a commitment to spend at least a few minutes a day with God in His own voice. Another excellent option is the chart-topping Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz.
This is a quintessential love it or hate it book. For those like myself that love it, the story of Portuguese Jesuit priests ministering to Japanese Christians in the face of intense persecution offers hope for the world, while reminding us of the great price faith in Jesus may cost in this life. The temptation to cave under unimaginable pressure and suffering is very human, and a reminder that Peter’s denial in the garden was not unique in Christian history. Silence asks each of us to consider how certain we are in the strength of our faith when not just our life, but the lives of those we love most, are on the line.
5. The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
This 300-year-old French classic offers practical and deep guidance on how to live every moment of every day in prayer. A lovely companion to St. Therese of Lisieux’s “Little Way,” Brother Lawrence’s practice will encourage and guide you in being fully present with God whether you are washing dishes or worshiping during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
6. Humility Rules: Saint Benedict’s 12-Step Guide to Genuine Self-Esteem by J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B.
Fr. Augustine Wetta, the skateboarding priest, is known for his relatability and humor. Here is an accessible introduction to St. Benedict’s rule that governs much of monastic life throughout Church history. Each section contains a daily challenge to help you incorporate more of the virtuous life into daily living in the modern world. This book is particularly accessible to middle or high school students.
7. Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart by Fr. Jacques Philippe
This tiny book packs a powerful spiritual punch, as Fr. Jacques Philippe is known to do. Wasting not a single word, one small section offers enough spiritual wisdom and opportunities for growth in virtue to provide an entire Lent worth of exercising. If you are wont to underline or highlight in your favorite books, keep a writing utensil handy, and try not to underline every word. Like many great spiritual works, the wisdom contained here may be best suited to your life at a particular time, so don’t be discouraged if it takes several attempts to make it all the way to the end.
8. He Leadeth Me: An Extraordinary Testament of Faith by Walter J. Ciszek, S.J.
A Jesuit priest captured by the Russian army during World War II and convicted of being a “Vatican spy” reflects on the spiritual lessons and growth he gained during 23 agonizing years in Soviet prisons and the labor camps of Siberia. Of the multiple books Fr. Ciszek wrote about his experience, this one is the most intimate look at the courage he found in prayer and the solace of spiritual contemplation.
9. Characters of the Passion: Lessons on Faith and Trust by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Enter into the Passion of our Lord through the eyes of various firsthand witnesses, including Peter, Judas, Pilate, Barabbas and others. These meditations are brief enough to be read first thing in the morning to give you rich meditation material for the rest of the day or as lunch or evening reflections. The book can be stretched out through the duration of Lent or easily read during Holy Week.