What Should I Read?

Some people love to read, while others struggle getting through a few paragraphs. Some buy ‘good books’ but never crack open the cover, while others have half-read books laying around every corner. Whether you enjoy reading or only read what is necessary, we can all agree that there are ‘good books’ and not so good books.

The Triodion begins tomorrow, which means we are ten weeks away from Pascha. Our minds are already beginning to turn toward thinking more about God. We should be wondering what our plan is for this year’s Journey to Pascha. Everyone always thinks about fasting and attending the special Church services. Today, I invite you to think about what you will read this year.

Today the Church commemorates Saint Isidore of Pelsium. He was a prolific writer. Some say he wrote as many as 10,000 epistles. Unfortunately for most Americans, much of what he wrote exists in Greek. You may not be able to read his epistles, but it got me thinking. Protestants have a constant source of reading material to assist them in their spiritual journey. We Orthodox have made progress in contemporary writings, but many ignore the ancient writings of the Saints.

Just like any genre of literature, there are ‘good books’ and ‘not so good’ books. Orthodox Spirituality is no different. With self-publishing so prevalent, and blogs like this one easily available, we forget that not everything we read is good for our soul. How do you choose?

As with any spiritual topic, begin with your spiritual father. He knows you. He knows your challenges. He knows your strengths. He knows your spiritual journey. Some books may not help you today, but in a few years, will change your life. Set up a meeting with him early on during the Triodion and discuss a ‘good book’ for you to read this year.

When we think of books from the past, it is easy to forget the context and audience the author had in mind. Something written a thousand years ago for a city rich in spirituality may not benefit your soul today. It isn’t that the book is bad, or that the author was wrong. It is just that context matters. You wouldn’t look in the plumbing section for a book about driveways.

With contemporary authors, one thing that is crucial is the credentials of the author. I don’t mean academic credentials. I mean ecclesiastical credentials. Remember, we live in a self-publishing world. Anyone with a ‘few bucks’ can publish a book. Trusted Orthodox publishers are a ‘safe place’ to start your search.

When you meet with your spiritual father, have a few ideas to go over with him. Ask if he has any other suggestions. Then, set aside a few minutes each day to read. Again remember! Some love to read. Some don’t, but it is important to grow each year.

Make sure your book choice includes the writing style. Are the themes broken into small independent sections? That would be a perfect book if you are not crazy about reading, or if you struggle to find time each day. You would be surprised how many ancient writings are written is short segments, and a growing number of them have been translated into English.

One of my favorite ‘mini book’ series is from Saint Vladimir’s Seminary. The Popular Patristic Series has many of the standards from history in modern English and easy-to-read layouts. They are a great start if you are new to Orthodox reading.

No matter what you choose to read, I encourage you to keep a list of questions and topics to discuss with your spiritual father. We always want to be sure we’re not getting off track. He is there to help keep us on the right path.

Enjoy the Triodion this year. Now….get reading!