St. Isidore of Seville: The Patron Saint of the Internet
“If a man wants to be always in God’s company, he must pray regularly and read regularly. When we pray, we talk to God; when we read, God talks to us.” — St. Isidore of Seville
St. Isidore is regarded as the patron saint of the internet, and for good reason. His “Etymologies”, an incredible reference encyclopedic dictionary, was ‘the Google search engine’ for a 1000 years.
Imagine that, a holy Google that always led searchers to the truth!
St. Isidore’s Wisdom on Prayer and Reading
Here are a couple of his memorable maxims:
Prayer purifies us, reading instructs us. Both are good when both are possible. Otherwise, prayer is better than reading.
If a man wants to be always in God’s company, he must pray regularly and read regularly. When we pray, we talk to God; when we read, God talks to us.
All spiritual growth comes from reading and reflection. By reading we learn what we did not know; by reflection we retain what we have learned.
Reading the Holy Scriptures confers two benefits. It trains the mind to understand them; it turns man’s attention from the follies of the world and leads him to the love of God.
The conscientious reader will be more concerned to carry out what he has read than merely to acquire knowledge of it. In reading we aim at knowing, but we must put into practice what we have learned in our course of study.
The man who is slow to grasp things but who really tries hard is rewarded, equally he who does not cultivate his God-given intellectual ability is condemned for despising his gifts and sinning by sloth.
Learning unsupported by grace may get into our ears; it never reaches the heart. But when God’s grace touches our innermost minds to bring understanding, his word which has been received by the ear sinks deep into the heart.
St. Isidore, patron saint of the internet, please pray for us as we search for truth online, and help us root our life of prayer in Christ rather than in the noise of the digital age!
Read more about this incredible saint | http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08186a.htm