What Did Don Quixote and St. Ignatius of Loyola Have In Common?
July 31, 2019
The fictional character of Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote and Ignatius were both fond of reading tales of chivalry and romance, I suppose the modern equivalent of trashy adventure books. Don Quixote is said to have his brain addled by reading so many of them, inspiring him to undertake his fanciful adventures.
Ignatius' thirst for romance novels was thwarted when there were none available for him to read during his recovery from a battle wound. The only reading material on hand was The Golden Legend (a life of the saints) and a Life of Christ. Reading these materials led him not to adventures of knights errantry, but of Christian discipleship.
The materials we read the the media we immerse ourselves in have a major contribution to our mindset and our spiritual outlook on the world. Let's be careful, especially with the media our children swim in.