Vicki Burbach - How to Read Your Way to Heaven

Vicki Burbach HOW TO READ YOUR WAY TO HEAVEN A S PIRITUAL R EADING P ROGRAM
for the Worst of Sinners, the Greatest
of Saints, and Everyone in Between SOPHIA INSTITUTE PRESS
Manchester, New Hampshire Copyright 2016 by Vicki Burbach Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved. Cover and interior design by Perceptions Design Studio. On the cover: Vector ornaments (347794034)
Copyright Anna Poguliaeva / Shutterstock.com. Biblical references in this book are taken from the Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1965, 1966 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission.

All rights reserved. Excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church , Second Edition, for use in the United States of America, copyright 1994 and 1997, United States Catholic Conference Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Material on lectio divina from Dan Burkes Into the Deep is used with the permission of Beacon Press, North Palm Beach, Florida. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

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1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com Sophia Institute Press is a registered trademark of Sophia Institute. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Burbach, Vicki, author. Title: How to read your way to heaven : a spiritual reading program for the worst of sinners, the greatest of saints, and everyone in between / Vicki Burbach. Description: Manchester, New Hampshire : Sophia Institute Press, 2017. Includes bibliographical references. : alk. paper) ePub ISBN 9781622823611 Subjects: LCSH: Books and reading Religious aspects Christianity. paper) ePub ISBN 9781622823611 Subjects: LCSH: Books and reading Religious aspects Christianity.

Christian literature History and criticism. Christians Reading interests. Christians Books and reading. Catholic Church Doctrines. Classification: LCC BR117 .B87 2017 DDC 248.4/6 dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016048458 For my mother, Donna Wilson,
who always encouraged my love for reading C ONTENTS Recommended Reading List A Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan Vicki Burbach A CKNOWLEDGMENTS My heart is full of gratitude for Father C. John McCloskey, who was kind enough to respond ten years ago to an e-mail from yours truly about my comprehensive idea for a spiritual-reading program, for which his Catholic Lifetime Reading Program was the impetus.

Through the years, he has responded to question after question in an amazingly generous and timely manner. It was Father McCloskeys recommendation nearly five years ago that I contact Dan Burke and offer to write an article about spiritual reading for the National Catholic Register that put our book club on the map. I cannot thank Dan enough for his deep faith and never-ending mission to draw hearts and minds to Christ and for the opportunity to share such amazing works with Christians around the globe each and every week. Without Dans encouragement, this reading program would still be housed in its crude, copy-shop spiral binding, where it originated for my personal use. Thanks to my book club partner at Spiritual Direction.com, Sarah Reinhard, who was kind enough to share her experience with me when I began asking questions. Sometimes all you need is a simple example to get you started.

Thanks to Charlie McKinney and Nora Malone of Sophia Institute Press, who have made my first book-publishing experience a complete joy through their kindness, professionalism, and availability every step of the way. I would like to thank all those friends from Holy Family Homeschoolers who listened to my passionate ideas way back when. A special thanks to Joan Gilmore. At the very beginning of this journey, she along with a few other brave souls tested this reading program and offered invaluable feedback. Thank you also to Meghan Cunningham, Kate Ziegerer, and most especially my mother, Donna Wilson, for their mountains of love, support, and feedback throughout this project. For every writer there is one invaluable person without whom nothing would get written.

This person offers an ear, an eye, and is available during the late-night hours and in the early-morning haste a voice of encouragement and motivation. For me, that person is Linda Ochs, a great friend and confidant for whose patience, availability, and intelligent feedback I am very grateful. Thank you so much for all your help. I couldnt have finished this book without you. To my husband, Dale, I offer my undying gratitude for encouraging me to pursue this project through the years, taking care to make our house a home even when I was hidden away with my computer and a stack of books. A special thank you to Christian, Caleb, Emma, Noelle, Elias, and Marlena, who have patiently endured my absence often these past months, even caring for one another on those few occasions when Dad, too, has been gone in the evening.

Some of you have been my cheerleaders. All of you have been my joy. Mostly, I am thankful to Christ, my Savior, who plucked me out of a life of materialism and self-indulgence, introduced me to His Church, and placed me where worldly values can most readily be stamped out united with my husband, at the helm of a family. A special thanks to those who contributed to the amazing reading lists provided in this book: Bishop James Conley Charlotte Ostermann Dan Burke Danny Abramowicz Diana von Glahn Father C. John McCloskey Father Mike Schmitz Father Timothy Gallagher Jason Evert Jennifer Fulwiler Karl Keating Lisa Hendey (catholicmom.com) Marcy Klatt (The Catholic Book Lady) Mike Aquilina Patrick Coffin Patti MacGuire Armstrong Paul McCusker Peter Kreeft Sam Guzman (The Catholic Gentleman) Sarah Reinhard Steve Ray Tim Gray Tim Staples Trent Beattie Trent Horn N OTE TO THE R EADER Dear Reader, Wouldnt it be wonderful if we could read our way to heaven? If going to heaven were as simple as curling up with a good book with the Good Book, a cup of coffee, and maybe a candle for a little atmosphere? Wed open to page 1 full of hope and wonder, but still feeling the filth and grime of our sinful natures and those pesky bad habits. But page by page, wed feel the smut fall away.

No effort would be necessary, other than the methodic turning of the pages as words would rise to our intellects and descend to rest softly upon our souls. No pain; no suffering. And when wed reach the last page, wed have our one-way ticket to the Promised Land. Voila! Virtually instant sanctification. As nice as that sounds, we all know that sanctifying grace does not come to us from a book. Nevertheless, spiritual reading is critical to our development as Catholics, and ultimately as saints.

The information in a book travels directly from intellect to intellect, from soul to soul. Because of this, a books words can often sink in without encountering the barriers we tend to construct, even subconsciously, to protect ourselves from the judgment or criticism of others. Often books provide an impetus for profound change in our lives. They can have a dramatic impact on our decisions, our habits, and our relationships and can even cause a complete paradigm shift in our hearts and minds, changing the way we see the world as a whole. Great saints, such as Augustine and Ignatius, experienced profound conversions through books. Although dedicated spiritual reading can have a great impact on our lives and on our ability to share Christs light with the world, the world often demands so much time and energy from us that we often fail to take the time to fill ourselves spiritually before running off to face each days challenges.