New to Python - Easy way to open a text file

[Max Steel]

Hey gang, I'm new to python coding.  I'm trying to find the simplest way to 
open a text file (on the same server) and display it's content.

The text file is plain text (no markup language of any kind).

The filename gets found and placed into a variable named [plainfiles.href]

I'm using python to find the text files, and a .ezt template to display the 
list of the files.  But I can't figure out how to read the contents of the 
file, and display it within the same template.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
.\\axSteel