Your most read spiritual book

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What’s the 1 spiritual book (Bible not incl.) you read the most?
 
Poem of the ManGod by Maria Valtorta. Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5! Maybe Volume 1 the most. And 5 a lot, because I read that every Lent, as it covers the Passion… And from Volume One, (published below here at the link online), which I read the very most. I never get tired of re-reading this chapter: http://www.valtorta.org/first_christmas_defaultpage.html
 
The Lord, by Romano Guardini or Transformation in Christ, by von Hildebrand. I’m convinced I’ll be reading both until the Lord calls me home.
 
I think The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis is my most read spiritual book, even though I don’t pick it up as often as I should. Most of my spiritual reading is either done from the Bible, a prayer book, or theology books.
 
I need quotes, so I looked some up. : )
RKS89 said:
Romano Guardini
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From The Lord, by Romano Guardini:

“It is impossible to consider God as a Christian should, with heart and head full of earthly business, society, worries or pleasures. At first it is a question of choice between good thinking and evil, right doing and wrong; soon, however, we realize that this is not enough; that we must also limit the good and beautiful things to make room for God.”

I like that!

From Transformation in Christ, by von Hildebrand:

"“The more our life is permeated by God, the simpler it becomes. This simplicity is defined by the inward unity which our life assumes because we no longer seek for any but one end: God.”
― Dietrich von Hildebrand, Transformation In Christ
 
Thom18 said:
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis
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A beautiful classic. This one speaks to me now:

"“It is good for us to have trials and troubles at times, for they often remind us that we are on probation and ought not to hope in any worldly thing. It is good for us sometimes to suffer contradiction, to be misjudged by men even though we do well and mean well. These things help us to be humble and shield us from vainglory. When to all outward appearances men give us no credit, when they do not think well of us, then we are more inclined to seek God Who sees our hearts. Therefore, a man ought to root himself so firmly in God that he will not need the consolations of men.”

I am writing that out and posting it on my fridge!
 
I think “Interior Castle” is probably the one I’ve read the most. I’ve never made it all the way through-- I usually start bogging down around the fifth mansion and the sixth mansion is too abstract for sure-- but goshdarnit, I re-read 1-4 pretty well. 🙂

Currently reading the Knox translation of “The Imitation”. It’s another excellent book, best digested in small passages, because it packs a whole lot of truth into a very compact space.
 
I don’t read spiritual books as much or as often as I should, and usually only read them once through and I’m done. But as a young child I read the covers off this one. I’m actually thinking of buying another copy and going down memory lane, as I have no idea where my childhood copy is right now. My mother kept hiding it from me because it had very gory stories of the early Church martyrs in it. A couple months would go by and then I’d find it hidden in a drawer or something and read it all over again. In addition to martyr stories and some fairly long thoughts on the Holy Family that were a bit beyond my interest level at the time although I was a very advanced reader, it had an entire section explaining the significance of certain numbers such as 3 and 7 to the Holy Family and Mary, and another place where it listed all the hierarchies of angels. Lots of cool old-time Catholic trivia.

I also definitely remember that we bought this book at the main department store in our city. I saw it there at about age 5 or 6 and was all like “Look Mom, a book about Baby Jesus, can we get it?” I loved books and was also the kind of materialistic kid who was always pestering Mama for something when we went to the store. Nowadays I am not sure such a book (by the Feeneyites no less) would be sold in a department store. You’d have to get it from a religious bookstore.

https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Family-Jesus-Mary-Joseph/dp/B00005W2BY
 
In theory, I could read Divine Mercy in My Soul daily and find ti very edifying. Right now, I don’t have daily reading. Most of all, reading Sacred Scripture every day is the most reasonable thing to do.
 
I like Romano Guardini and very much enjoyed his book on the virtues. The Lord I have on my shelf but i need to make some use of it. Maybe I’ll get it off the bookshelf right now and read a passage at random. 🙂
 
Christphr said:
What’s the 1 spiritual book (Bible not incl.) you read the most?
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most recently the posters on this site. I know it’s not a book but I really enjoy this site. Is the Missal considered a spiritual book? I think that it’s a pretty awesome devotional book.
 
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I don’t reread books because there’s too many books I haven’t read.

The Missalette? 😄
 
I don’t think there’s much I read from cover to cover over and over, but I feel I often go back to or recall specific passages of St. Catherine of Siena’s Dialogue (the unabridged version, specifically).
 
“Uniformity with God’s Will” by St. Alphonsus de Liguori. It’s very small but packed with wisdom.
 
I can pull a few out when I get a minute. I honestly have half of The Lord underlined or highlighted, and Transformation I just gave up on marking. Guardini especially has the rare gift of translating difficult concepts and ideas into easy, digestible chunks, much like C.S Lewis.
 
I always get tired while reading it- probably because I always try reading it at night, so I haven’t gotten very far. I do like what little I have read, though. Very insightful.
 
The Qur’an. I’ve put in dozens of hours into it. I don’t read it anymore, though.
 
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