If you ever visit Jerusalem, as St. Ignatius Loyola did, you will find many tour guides available. A good tour guide has a knowledge of the city that he has acquired from three sources: his own personal experiences, conversations with others, and literature. His professional life depends upon his knowledge of the city, so he will often return to these three sources.
Similarly, your entire life as a Christian depends upon your knowledge of God, so you must study him like your life depends on it, because it really does. As St. John the Evangelist put it, “now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ” (John 17:3). Knowing God is eternal life, so don’t ignore him. Just like the tour guide reads books and articles about his city, so you must read books and articles about your God. Just like the tour guide talks to people about his city, both visitors and residents, so you must talk to others about God, both Christians and non-Christians. Just like the tour guide spends time in his city, experiencing it directly, walking through it, taking in the sights and the sounds and the smells, so, you, too, must spend time with your God in his presence. You do this last part only by praying. You pray at mass, you pray the rosary, you pray the examination of conscience, you make a little retreat from time to time, you meditate, you pray vespers, or a novena, or a chaplet. All of these forms of prayer round out your knowledge of God.
The professional life of the tour guide depends upon his knowledge of his city. Your life depends upon your knowledge of your God.