After breakfast I usually spend 20 minutes or so reading something that might help me with my relationship with God. Presently I am reading Duty of Delight: the Diaries of Dorothy Day. She is my favorite spiritual figure of the 20th century. She not only fished people out of the river; she went upstream to stop whoever was throwing them in. She cared for the poor and attacked the causes of poverty.
I was startled the other day to read her instructions to herself as the result of a retreat: "Turn off your radio. Put away your daily paper. Read one review of events a week and spend some time reading such books as the above." Just a few lines earlier she had mentioned "Books for Wartime: Labyrinthine Ways. To the End of the World. Kristin Lavransdatter. Master of Hestviken. Jeremiah. 1 KIngs." Novels and Scripture.
I was startled because about ten or twelve years ago I stopped listening to the news and gradually gave up newspapers. I read two reviews of events a week. Since retiring I do look at the New York Times on line, but usually just glance down the headlines. This practice has considerably reduced the stress in my life and gives me more time for novels and prayer.
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