What Writers Read

Reading the writings that inspire great writers

08/13/2022

Mt 19:13-15 Children were brought to Jesus that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." After he placed his hands on them, he went away.

My brother, Paul, works for one of the largest home-improvement companies in the world. He rubs shoulders regularly with the CEO, which means he is close to becoming one himself. He said recently there is a list of CEO books that people pay attention to that helps them understand the CEO’s thoughts and the thinker himself. Incidentally, by “CEO” I don’t mean “Christmas and Easter Only” – those Catholics who only come to Church twice a year. A “real CEO” shows up to work every day, and maybe even to daily Mass.

Just like my brother reads the books of his CEO, so I read the books of those people I admire. And the people I admire are those who write books. In other words, I wonder what are the writers themselves reading? One of my favorite authors is C. S. Lewis. And one of the writers he read was George MacDonald, a Scottish Presbyterian minister who lived in the 1800’s. So, like my brother, I bought one of George MacDonald’s books, called Unspoken Sermons.

If there is one recurring theme in MacDonald’s writing it is that Christianity is all about being a child of God. Is it any wonder that C. S. Lewis’ most popular books are a children’s fantasy series called The Chronicles of Narnia? That is, the student has learned well from the master. Here is how MacDonald describes being a child of God: “That such is the mercy of God that he will hold his children in the consuming fire of his distance until they pay the uttermost farthing, until they drop the purse of selfishness with all the dross that is in it, and rush home to the Father and the son, and the many brethren – rush inside the center of the life-giving fire whose outer circles burn.”

In other words, being a child of God is both easy and hard. How is it easy? Well, a child always enjoys his father or mother’s love. A good father would take a bullet for his son. A good mother would stand in front of a moving train for her daughter. But the best Father (God) would give his only obedient Son (Jesus) to save his other disobedient children (you and me). So being a child of God is easy because you never have to doubt your Father’s unconditional love.

On the other hand, being a child of God is extremely hard. Why’s that? Well, who do parents demand more from: their own children or the neighbor’s kids? Good parents expect better behavior from their own children. So, too, does God. And Jesus is Exhibit A of being a Child of God, who not only carried his cross, but also then died on the cross. George MacDonald also said: “The Son of God suffered and died, not so that men might not suffer and die, but so that our suffering might be like His.” In other words, so that we might be a better child of God, but it is hard to be one.

In the gospel today, Jesus touches the mystery of Christianity by touching little children. As people brought their children to be blessed by our Lord, and the disciples tried to discourage them. But Jesus said in Mt 19: “Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” And to that comment, George MacDonald would offer a hearty Scottish “Amen!” Who better than Jesus, the Son of God, would know that the kingdom of God belongs, first and foremost, to the children of God? And being a child of God is both easier and harder than being the neighbor’s kid.

Today ask yourself: what do the people I admire read for books? If you admire CEO’s, then check out the list of books they spend their valuable time reading. If you admire “old dead white men” like C. S. Lewis, then pick up the volumes that spoke volumes to them But if you really want to know what Christian writers read, then just pick up the Bible. Both MacDonald and Lewis were infinitely more inspired and influenced by the Sacred Scriptures than anyone else they read. Why? Well, because the Author of that book was the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit never read anyone else’s writings to inspire Him.

Praised be Jesus Christ!