Can Five Minutes a Day Make You Holier?

Kathie Scott-Avery points to reliable materials we can tap into quickly for Catholic nourishment when minutes are scarce. 

As much as we may want to grow in our faith, reality sometimes stands in the way of progress. Yet even during busy days or seasons, many published resources offer a feast of Catholic wisdom in small, manageable spoonfuls. Here are some that can be consumed in about five minutes — and savored long afterward. 

Start With Scripture  

Years before Fr. Mike Schmitz’s popular podcast, The Bible in a Year, my faith was being re-awakened by another Scriptural journey: The Catholic Women’s Devotional Bible, edited by Ann Spangler. Each morning before anyone stirred, I’d slip downstairs, pour some tea, and enjoy a few quiet minutes with the day’s reflection and the particular Bible passage that had inspired it.   

I owe a lot to that book. It carried me into the Bible and Catholicism in a new way, helping me interact with the Word of God and take greater responsibility for tending to my faith. It also showed me that I didn’t need big blocks of time to reap spiritual benefits.  

When revisiting my copy, I was delighted to discover it passed the five-minute test! Better yet, the short meditations still resonated. All are approached through the eyes of Catholic women, including saints, from various walks of life. In addition to 260 daily Scriptural commentaries, 52 pieces spotlight women of the Bible and other another 50 focus on Catholic Tradition. 

Another Scripturally-focused option is the missalette. Favorites in our family are Give Us This Day, Magnificat, and The Word Among Us. Mailed monthly, these soft-covered periodicals provide the daily readings, a meditation pertaining to that day’s Mass, prayers, inspirational essays and stories. Although their content is similar, each has a distinctive style, so viewing samples online before subscribing is advisable.  

Look to Leaders 

When a book title on my shelf includes, “A Year of …” or “30 Days With …” it’s bound to be small doses of condensed wisdom, typically from illustrious Catholics. For instance, I’m currently absorbing lessons from a “who’s who” of faith-filled scholars through excerpts of sermons and writings in A Year with Church Fathers: Patristic Wisdom for Daily Living by Mike Aquilina. Not immediately drawn to the Church Fathers? Other titles in this “year with” series feature saints, popes, angels, mystics, Mary, and the Bible.  

My attraction to 30 Days with Saint Thérèse by Thomas J. Craughwell comes from my mother, who frequently turned to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux as a beloved pillar of faith. For others who appreciate the saint’s Little Way, this doesn’t disappoint! Easy to absorb, each day offers a short entry from her writings, a Scripture passage, meditation and prayer. Judging from this book, I’m confident recommending the other two in this series, one featuring Saint Paul and the other, Irish Mystics. 

Finally, a book penned by Kelsey Gillespy may sound familiar to Catholic Mom Book Club fans: Real Life with Mary: Growing in Virtue to Magnify the Lord. Each of the 19 virtues highlighted are introduced with Scripture, the author’s personal encounter with the trait, and a description of how Mary exemplified it. These are followed by points for pondering, a suggestion for taking action, and a prayer. Gillespy’s engaging style invites us to make each virtue our own. 

Target Topics  

Finally, there are many books that are not explicitly one-a-days, but their liberal use of subtitles or a Q&A format breaks down their subjects to bite-size pieces.   

One such title is 100 Tough Questions for Catholics: Common Obstacles to Faith Today by David G. Bonagura, Jr. Divided into 14 chapters, Bonagura tackles age-old criticisms to current controversies – such as “Catholics and Science”; “God, Good, and Evil”; “Human Sexuality”; and “Catholicism, Other Religions, Spirituality, and Doubt.” His explanations help bolster faith where it is weak as well as provide clarity for explaining points of faith to others.  

Manual for Conquering Deadly Sin by Fr. Dennis Kolinski, SJC, is not as intimidating as it may sound! In fact, it reads as if Fr. Kolinski, full of earnest compassion, is taking us by the hand through explanations and remedies for human failings. Whether read cover to cover or by zeroing in on particular stumbling blocks, the manual defines and warns against the seven deadly sins and offers Church wisdom, prayers and practices for turning away from each.   

Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition, is, somewhat surprisingly, very accessible and compelling as a what-and-why explanation of our Faith. Like the 100 Tough Questions book mentioned above, it’s useful for developing depth and breadth of understanding and, consequently, being better able to share and defend Catholicism.  

We’re fortunate to have an abundance of resources — and so many that lend themselves to limited pockets of time! Just five minutes can provide a mini-retreat that nourishes us when the need for faithful inspiration is hindered by an overflowing to-do list. 

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Copyright 2025 Kathie Scott-Avery
Images: Canva

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