What you read has an impact on your way thinking. It is thus with what you watch on television or cinema. Think about what you leave in your mind that will influence your thinking. Your readings should give you something that will positively impact your spiritual growth that will shape and guide your mind towards God.
predispose to better your mind in a positive way, you will need to take the time to regularly read the scriptures, the writings of the Fathers and the Saints. You must organize your life so you can spend at least half an hour per day for this occupation, perhaps instead of one of the television programs you usually watch. A good time to do it at night just before bedtime, before or after your evening prayer. This will allow you to sleep with sweet thoughts ..
Spiritual life is a challenge. It's like climbing a steep slope or a mountainside. This path is long and slow, but with moments of joy throughout the journey. As and when you earn your advanced forces. You can start to look back and appreciate the distance traveled while being aware of how far you have to do. As you increase your strength, you will be able to confront a lot harder as well as to cope with the uncertainty of the storm that you can not predict. It is often a lonely path, and sometimes it will seem that you never reach the summit.
When you dealing with these difficulties, the readings, particularly the lives of the Saints, you can inspire the courage to continue your journey. You will see that others have traveled this path before you, and thanks to their perseverance and faith, they peaked much higher than you are able to see right now. When you turn to those who have had an intimate relationship with God, they will give you hope and give rise to a spark of warmth in your heart. They will help you keep your head up and eyes fixed on the summit ahead. They will show you that your ability to choose, to change, and support is real. They will show you the path of wisdom and love and the ability to irradiate the seeds yourself from the spiritual glory of your discovery of the uncreated light of God and you will find yourself in a glorious union with Him.
The Bible contains the most important books to read regularly. Here are some suggestions on how to read the Bible: Reading the Bible
obediently. Remember it is inspired by God. It is Christ himself who speaks to you. This means that you must keep a sense of wonder in his plays, without trial. Ignore this wonder for granted. Indeed, because of what you already know or what has been popularized in the Bible, you can consider what is written in the Bible as a text like the others and lose your sense of awe and wonder in the reading. Reading the Bible can be like reading a novel or that of a newspaper. As for prayer, you need to prepare your mind to the nature of the text you are about to read. It is the Word of God. With an open mind to wonder, you can make your receptive listening to what is said. It is the spiritual meaning what is written that you should look. Remember this: the Bible is not a history textbook, but a spiritual document. Listen to the words you read, you will realize the enormous task that God has with you and his boundless love for all humanity.
When you read the Bible, do not you do the project yourself your own interpretation. Scripture must be interpreted by the Church. Remember the story of Philip encountering the Ethiopian reading the Bible in his chariot (Acts 8:26)? Philip asked: "Do you understand what you read?" And the Ethiopian answers: "How can I do if someone guides me." This same attitude you should have. Scripture is not always obvious. According to the different stages of your spiritual growth, passages take on a different meaning. The more you grow spiritually, the Bible has more to teach you. You should enjoy the biblical commentaries of the Fathers of the Church for help. When you read the Bible your own understanding will be fully illuminated by the Holy Spirit by reading the comments of the Fathers of the Church. And finally if you have any questions or opinions, submit them to the Church for clarification.
Your reading of the Bible must always be centered on Christ . Your interpretation must be made in light of harmony and wholeness that Jesus has brought to this world. Adopt an analytical approach and remove each book or chapter of all would be a mistake. For us Orthodox, the Bible must be understood as a whole, with Christ at the center while connecting and unifying.
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| St. Mark the ascetic |
You should also you read the Bible in applying it to yourself. St. Mark the Monk (fifth-sixth century) said: "Whoever is humble in his thoughts and engaged in spiritual work, when he read the Scriptures, applies to himself and not his neighbor. "
Do not ask:" What does this mean? "But rather ask:" What does this mean for me? In reading the Bible, he should first have in mind that Scripture is sacred history of the world from the moment of creation to formation of the early church. We must then consider how this story applies to ourselves, our encounters with God intervening at times and places that we own and enter into dialogue with these people who belong to our own particular spiritual history. You must take ownership of these places and distant times and transpose them to your own life by entering into correspondence with you.
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