As human beings, our legitimate needs are best understood in relation to each of the four aspects of the human person—physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. These needs exist not only in these different areas, but also on different levels.

Saint Braulio is a powerful example of how to stretch and satisfy your intellectual needs. Alongside Saint Isidore of Seville, he composed the Etymologiae. This was an encyclopedia meant to capture all of human knowledge up to that point in time. It had twenty volumes, and Braulio called it "practically everything that it is necessary to know.”

There is not much more we know about Saint Braulio, other than that he lived a rich intellectual life.

Our intellectual needs are many and varied. We all need different forms of entertaining intellectual stimulation. But if you really want to stretch yourself, delve into the wisdom writings. Selections could include a variety of philosophical texts, the writings of countless spiritual leaders past and present, and the Scriptures. It is in these writings that the intellect comes face-to-face with the most profound questions and truths about the world, creation, God, humanity, and our individual journeys.

Wisdom writings constantly hold before us a vision of the-best-version-of-ourselves. These writings seek not to entertain us, but to reveal to us who we are and why we are here. The wisdom writings gently call us out of our comfort zones and challenge us to improve, develop, grow, and live life to the fullest.

As Mark Twain wrote, "The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them."

Our bodies need regular exercise and a balanced diet, and so do our minds. You have a legitimate need to nourish your mind. If you choose the right diet of the mind, your life will be directed by ideas of excellence and greatness.

Patron Saint of: Aragon, Spain

Feast Day: March 26

Feast Day Shared By: Saint Margaret Clitherow