The season of Lent is an ideal time to grow in the spiritual life. Here are five great reads to help you on your way.
By Sister Theresa Aletheia Noble, FSP
Taking its title from the Latin phrase “remember you must die,” this prayer book focuses readers on the Last Things — heaven, hell, death and judgment. Lent is a time to help us recall the importance of these themes in the Christian life, indeed the whole of it is aimed toward their consideration. Each of the Last Things is put before readers with pertinent Scripture, prayers and spiritual resources. There is also the companion volume “Memento Mori: A Lenten Devotional” that will help readers take inventory of their lives, understand greater clarity about their purpose and prepare them for union with God.
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By Pope St. John Paul II
Written in the wake of his assasination attempt and published as an apostolic letter in 1984, Salvifici Doloris is a treatise on the redemptive value of suffering, one of the hidden gems of St. John Paul II’s bibliography. It explains that all suffering finds its meaning and is transformed by Jesus Christ, sheds light on the centrality of the cross in the Christian’s life, and ties together themes of suffering from Scripture to present a robust spirituality on suffering. With Lent’s focus on purification and the need to cling to Christ crucified, this letter is most fitting for the season.
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By Father Walter Ciszek, S.J.
An inspiring and challenging memoir of the American Jesuit priest’s imprisonment in Soviet gulag, falsely accused of espionage and subversion. Much of Ciszek’s suffering was endured in hard labor camps in Siberia. While there he embraced the horror of his situation as a means to carry on his priestly work, even celebrating the sacraments secretly. But, moreover, the brutality he faced was a proving ground for great virtue and holiness. Given the importance placed on interior renewal and holiness imposed by the significance of Lent, this book has much to ponder.
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By Thomas à Kempis
The Imitation of Christ
is a handbook for spiritual life. The text is divided into four books: “Helpful Counsels of the Spiritual Life,” “Directives for the Interior Life,” “On Interior Consolation” and “On the Blessed Sacrament.” It was written at a time when many recognized the need for reform in the Church by holier living of its members. So it focuses on the interior life and withdrawal from the world. It places emphasis on the devotion to the Eucharist as a key element of spiritual life. It can be a sure daily companion during Lenten prayer time.
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Finding Christ in the Crisis: What the Pandemic Can Teach Us
By Father Harrison Ayre and Michael R. Heinlein
In what has been referred to as the “Long Lent,” the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the life of the Church. Because of the suspension of public Masses and the disruption of parish life, many feel disconnected from Christ and his Church. As Catholics, we are wrestling with the theological and spiritual ramifications of the pandemic and how to discern God’s will in this time of crisis. This Lent is a perfect time to begin clarifying our thoughts on what God might be saying to us now, both in the Church and in the world. A companion Lenten study guide is available for free.