Or in more modern times, think of the young Anglican divine, John Henry Newman, who reading over and over again the Fathers of the Church came to realize that, as an Anglican, his position was analogous to a Semi-Pelagian. He read the arguments of St. Athanasius, who said that only the Catholic Church "surely rules the world," and the Church was graced by one of its greatest converts whose thought still affects us today.

Take a look at the modern spiritual writer Thomas Merton who, out of idle curiosity, picked up a book by Etienne Gilson, the great French Thomist on The Elements of Christian Philosophy and was drawn to study more closely the claims of Catholicism. His study led to conversion and eventually a vocation as a Trappist monk. Flannery O'Connor, the great Southern Catholic author, made a point, she told us, of reading at least 20 minutes of the Summa each day, and her writings are suffused with the common sense and even irony of the Angelic doctor. These are just a few of the many examples that can be cited. In fact, I am sure virtually every reader of this article could tell us his own story in that regard or will be able to tell it soon!

In the apostolic blueprint for our century, At the beginning of the New Millennium, the Holy Father urges us to "Contemplate the face of Christ." One of the primary means he points to is Sacred Scripture: "Scripture has its rightful place of honor the in the public prayer of the Church. It is especially important that listening to the word of God should become a life-giving encounter, in the ancient and ever new tradition of lectio divina, which draws from the biblical text the living word which questions, directs, and shapes our lives."

Sacred Scripture -- according to the Catechism of the Church and the Second Vatican Council -- is the speech of God as it is put down in writing through the breath of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is composed of books in the New and Old Testaments, 72 books confirmed as canonical (or divinely inspired) by the Church at the provincial Council of Hippo in 393. It is not only our guide to salvation, from which flows virtually all Catholic theology and practice, but also forms the basis for Christian culture. Without the Bible, we surely would all be nature worshipers or worse. To paraphrase the Catechism: "The truth that God revealed, for the sake of our salvation, He confided to the Sacred Scripture." But since the Holy Spirit worked through human authors, who used many literary forms to communicate His message, it is understandable that we look above all to the Church to guide us to the proper interpretation. After all, even St. Peter found some of St. Paul's writings puzzling! This all time best-seller, by far most quoted book in history, must be our favorite book, to be read and mediated upon for at least a few minutes each day in an orderly fashion.

We could call the Bible the never-ending book since once we finish it, we simply begin it again, over and over, until God calls us to himself. It is most important that we learn how to live from it and make daily resolutions to that effect. Over time we will find the stories of the Bible, especially from the New Testament, as familiar as the story of our own life and we will begin to live in Christ, being soaked in His words and example.

The Bible will be a frequent inspiration for our meditation and a primary text for our work of evangelization. Having a large Bible for home and a pocket-sized version of the New Testament will assure that our book is never far from us. The home version should have if at all possible a commentary concentrating more on the practical, spiritual or ascetical sense of Scripture rather than the hermeneutical or exegetical. The commentary should be faithful to the teaching of the Church. The Bible above all is a book where by you learn how to live the Christian life, rather than settle arguments on interpretation. Happily, in more recent times, there are several that fit that bill nicely. Some good books on Christ and his life, such as Frank Sheed's To Know Christ Jesus or Fulton Sheen's Life of Christ, also can help you to "contemplate His face."

A good complement to the daily reading of Sacred Scripture is the reading of a spiritual book, normally recommended by your spiritual director. As a whole universe of books could not tell all that Jesus did and taught in His life, it will be impossible ever to run out of classic Catholic spiritual books. These books can include works from the magisterium of the Church, lives of and books by the saints, works of theology, and a plethora of Catholic spiritual classics.

The reader should be working on just one book at a time, which he should read from beginning to end, perhaps taking notes or otherwise highlighting those points that particularly strike him, so that way they may be brought to his silent prayer, or to conversation in spiritual direction. As the Catechism says (2654): "Seek in reading and you will find in meditating; knock in mental prayer and it will be opened to you by contemplation." Good spiritual reading will lead to prayer, self-denial and an ever-growing desire to evangelize family, friends, and the culture.

Just a few words of practical advice in ending: when you do your spiritual reading, put yourself in God's presence and invoke the Holy Spirit. Make sure you are fully alert and located in a well-lit space, far from distractions. That's right -- not late at night and in bed. Don't you think God's Word and great spiritual classics deserve better than that? The reading need not last more than 15 minutes, but never less. John Paul II urges us to follow the Lord's command and "Go out into the deep for a catch." Our commitment to spiritual reading on a daily basis will help to make us "fishers of men."