3 Non-Catholic Books That Taught Me Valuable Life Lessons
Being a Catholic writer doesn’t mean that I only read Catholic books. While I do pray for guidance and exercise caution whenever I read non-Catholic writings, I am humbled by all the valuable lessons I have learned from reading them.
There is still so much light out there. Light that God has given the world so that it may draw near to Him, and so that it may yearn to know Him more.
God pursues us right where we are. And He holds true to His promise that He can be found if we seek Him with all our hearts.
Here are some of the non-Catholic books that are brimming with valuable lessons in life:
1. The Giver by Lois Lowry
The first time that I read this dystopian book, I never thought that our world would come so close so soon to becoming like the world depicted in the story.
Some people may disagree, but if the world continues to lose its faith, we will not be so far away from creating the dystopian society portrayed in the book.
In such a society, the highest objective seems to be the eradication of pain, not love. As a result, people have accepted the plan of “Sameness” that ensured order and comfort in exchange for letting go of many of the things that make us human.
Everything is planned including the partner you will have, the children you can raise, and the job you will be assigned to. There is no color or music or any deep human emotion.
It is said that this program of “Sameness” has eliminated wars and other strife in society. But in its place, there is forced surrogacy, infanticide and euthanasia.
This book teaches us the value of life and our humanity and the price we pay whenever we exchange them for comfort and the absence of pain.
“Do you love me?"
There was an awkward silence for a moment. Then Father gave a little chuckle. "Jonas. You, of all people. Precision of language, please!"
"What do you mean?" Jonas asked. Amusement was not at all what he had anticipated.
"Your father means that you used a very generalized word, so meaningless that it's become almost obsolete," his mother explained carefully.
2. A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks
Although this book was written by a Catholic, I decided to consider it as a non-Catholic book because of the story and the characters involved.
Jamie, our main character was the daughter of a Baptist minister. But while she was not Catholic herself, she was portrayed as someone very close to a Catholic saint!
I have another article about the other lessons I have learned from this book. But for this one, I would like to focus on Jamie.
I was very happy to read from a modern novel a character that possessed saintly virtues and isn’t ashamed to depict her as such. While the story itself was set many years back, it didn’t prevent me as a reader from feeling as though she were a real person I could meet today.
More than ever, I guess we need more witnesses of holiness and goodness for our time. Witnesses that show us it is possible to still be kind, pure and unselfish. And because of their love, something also changes deep within us, and we are drawn closer to God.
Here are some excerpts from the book about Jamie:
“Jamie was the kind of girl who would pull weeds in someone’s garden without being asked or stop traffic to help little kids cross the road. She’d save her allowance to buy a new basketball for the orphans, or she’d turn around and drop the money into the church basket on Sunday. She was, in other words, the kind of girl who made the rest of us look bad, and whenever she glanced my way, I couldn’t help but feel guilty, even though I hadn’t done anything wrong.”
“...the one thing that really drove me crazy about her was the fact that she was always... cheerful, no matter what was happening around her. I swear, that girl never said a bad thing about anything or anyone, even to those of us who weren’t that nice to her.”
The above quotes were from Landon, the man who fell in love with Jamie later on. It was his relationship with her that changed him and made him grow in love, Indeed, he was the one who testified how Jamie had become the true essence of the following Bible passage that described what true love was all about:
“Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins, but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.”
3. Little Men Louisa May Alcott
This is a classic book and is the sequel to the novel “Little Women”. In this book, Jo has already grown into an adult and is married to Professor Bhaer. Together, they run a school in Plumfield, a property that Jo inherited from her Aunt March.
The beauty of this book is in its simplicity. It is a good book for children as well as for grownups, especially those who are raising children of their own.
How do you teach the young ones the important values in life? What lessons do children need so that they can grow up as responsible and compassionate adults?
This book has so many lessons within its pages and I guess the best way to impart some of them is to quote from the book itself.
Here are the excerpts for some of the most memorable lessons from the book:
“Love is a flower that grows in any soil, works its sweet miracles undaunted by autumn frost or winter snow, blooming fair and fragrant all the year, and blessing those who give and those who receive.”
“Simple, genuine goodness is the best capital to found the business of this life upon. It lasts when fame and money fail, and is the only riches we can take out of this world with us.”
“It takes so little to make a child happy, that it is a pity in a world full of sunshine and pleasant things, that there should be any wistful faces, empty hands, or lonely little hearts.”
Final Thoughts
Many books contain priceless treasures once we read and open them. They help us realize that we are not alone in our struggles. They can assist us in thinking about the future as well as in remembering the lessons learned from the past.
May we have the eyes to see what’s worth keeping. And may we be guided by Him who is the Source of all beauty, truth and wisdom.
"A book, too, can be a star, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe." – Madeleine L'Engle
Please support Jocelyn’s mission by buying her books or subscribing to this Newsletter. Paid subscribers will receive the following as a token of her gratitude:
Full access to the Writer’s Resources section
Full access to the Archive including all posts in our Questions to God section
Free e-book: “The Secret To Answered Prayers”
Free e-book: “My Journal on God’s Love”
“Catholics can earn a living by sharing their faith!” Become a paid subscriber and read every post in our Writer’s Resources.