Reading the Bible

 Where do I start?  To start at the beginning is too intimidating--all those books and thousands of pages!

You can't just start reading. Well, of course you can--but you can't do it by approaching the Bible as a narrative story, because it's a lot more than that. You have to approach with an open heart, first.  Even if you are starting to read on your own, or in a group, you need dedicated time, second.  Time to reflect, pray, and journal your journey.

Here is a workbook that will help.  All 73 books are summarized.  When my eyes glazed over in Leviticus, I looked at the Workbook's summary and the reflection questions and suddenly Leviticus was more understandable.  Sometimes I drew pictures and even charted genealogy charts in the spaces at the end of each book.

I also liked the short prayers at the close.  They kick started my own prayer or used the words I would have used.  This is a good beginner's tool.

Catholic Bible Study

 Have you ever been shocked to hear one of your adult children say something that was omitted from their upbringing that was clearly wrong?  For example, "My parents never taught us table manners."  Of course you did.  You never formally announced, "Now is our time to teach table manners."  But everyone was involved in the family meal, practiced table manners, whether the children knew they were being taught, or not.

This scenario came to mind when I was watching Noel Culbertson talk on the Journheey Home.  She very casually connected the Liturgy of the Word to her Southern Baptist Bible Study.

Eureka!  Of course, Catholics have always, since Apostolic times, had Bible study in the Liturgy of the Word.We just never realized it, much like my table manners explained in the first paragraph.  

The Liturgy of the Word has a reading from the Old Testament, a Psalm and a Gospel.  If you attend daily Mass, you will have completed reading the entire Bible in three years.  Catholics don't carry their Bible to Mass, they could, (because the Book, Chapter, and verse is announced at each reading) because there are Missalettes in each pew.  Missalettes have the readings in them.  I myself subscribe to Magnificat to get the readings and other spiritual commentary.

At the end of these readings, the homilest will give scripture commentary.  Most of the time, the homily will explain the readings and tie them together.  Sometimes, the homily is about something else of importance, e.i., war, disaster, etc.

So Catholics who think Catholics don't do Bible Study are like people who say they were never taught table manners.  

Inexhaustible

 This is cute.

Someone describes packing his suitcase for a trip.  Just before closing it, he observes a small corner not yet filled.  He thinks, "Into this little corner I put a guide book, a lamp, a mirror, a microscope, a telescope, a volume of choice poems, several well-written biographies, a package of old letters, a book of songs, a sharp sword and a small library of more than sixty volumes; yet, strange enough to say, all these did not occupy a space of more than three inches long by two inches wide."  "But how could you do it?" "Well, it was all in the packing, I put in my Bible."

Four Ways

The email Aleteia tells us about the 4 ways to read scripture:

Literal --  as historical fact

Moral  --  the thematic theme is the point

Allegorical  --  the real story is implied

Anagogical -- what is to come.  Everything will come together

Here's an application:

Story of Samaritan Woman at the well.  John 4: 1-42.

Literal  --  A woman alone would tell you that she wasn't accepted by the other women.  Hebrew men did not talk to Samaritan women.

Moral  --  We should accept everybody.

Allegorical  --  This is a story about love, acceptance, redemption, and acceptance.

Anagogical  --  Jesus offers true love which we will truly fulfill once we get to heaven.

Hey Jude.

The other night I was attending an interfaith Bible Study.  We were reading the Book of Jude or The Letter of Jude.  We began by watching a video.  In the video the narrator was speaking of Jude, not being an apostle.  And James is mentioned as the brother of Jesus.

Well, I didn't say anything because it was a Catholic priest who was leading this particular session.  He said nothing about this Letter of Jude, not being an apostle, nor that James is not a biological brother of Jesus.  So I stayed quiet.

Later I took out my Bible and the introduction to the Letter of Jude was exactly what the narrator said.  Jude is NOT an apostle.  And James is accepted as a brother of Jesus.  It doesn't go into the "how."  This Bible is a New American Bible, St. Joseph Edition, 2011.

I took out my old high school Bible, Catholic Family Library Edition Holy Bible, 1958.  The book in question is titled, The Catholic Epistle of St. Jude the Apostle.  James is assumed to be a member of Jesus's extended family. 

When did the Bible change?  I don't know the date, but the USCCB says:

This letter is by its address attributed to “Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and brother of James” (Jude 1). Since he is not identified as an apostle, this designation can hardly be meant to refer to the Jude or Judas who is listed as one of the Twelve (Lk 6:16; Acts 1:13; cf. Jn 14:22). The person intended is almost certainly the other Jude, named in the gospels among the relatives of Jesus (Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3), and the James who is listed there as his brother is the one to whom the Letter of James is attributed (see the Introduction to James). Nothing else is known of this Jude, and the apparent need to identify him by reference to his better-known brother indicates that he was a rather obscure personage in the early church.

Google has references to Jude being an apostle, so I am not the only one, who didn't know the change.  The Bible is full of surprises.

My Scripture Sharing Group

My Scripture Sharing Group is overloaded with testosterone.  By that, I mean that when Mary doesn't come, like last time, I'm the only female.  And let me tell you, the feminine point of view is needed.  Otherwise, those guys would only see their side of the story.

Those guys actually thought that Elisha and the hospitable woman in 2 Kings 4:8-16 were doing hanky panky.  That thought NEVER entered my mind.

I also remember that when John 8: 1-11, was discussed, the guys said the adulteress was naked.  How else would they know she was committing adultery?  Again, that thought NEVER entered my mind.  The verses don't say that, but those guys envisioned the same picture.

Actually, that's the reason why I love this group.  I see different interpretations that would never enter my mind when reading alone.  By reading and reflecting with faithful people, we all benefit from each other's wisdom.  And isn't the Bible the story of God's relationship with His people--male and female?

Going Deeper

I picked up a Bible I once used in a Bible study class, awhile ago.  It was highlighted in three colors.  I had forgotten what the colors meant, but I figured them out.  I also remembered that reading with that highlighted method used to bring me deeper into the meaning of the scripture.

So this morning, I read the Readings of the day, and then highlighted them accordingly.  It took me an hour!  I never did get to Morning Prayer.  But I have to admit, this method is a Lectio Divina gimmick.  Before you know it, you see the scripture differently.

This is how you do it.  Read the scripture.  Highlight or underline in one color every time the verse is a command, e.i., "Do unto others..." (Luke 6:31)

Change to another color.  Highlight every time the verse states a truism, e.i., "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."  (Matt 11:30)

Lastly, use a third color.  Highlight all promises, e.i., "...you will inherit the kingdom of God..."  (1 Cor 6:9)

Your Bible will be marked up, but it will be well used, and it's yours anyway.

Unwanted Books

This morning I was sorting through books.  I was helping the library for their book sale, tomorrow.  I found an almost brand new Bible.  It had a name and date.  I cleaned from the bookplate that this Bible was bought in 2013 for a 9th grade religion class.  It looked brand new.  I surmised it was hardly used and now that school is almost over, the student gave the book to the library.

How sad!  A Bible can be used for a lifetime.  Even if one isn't religious, a Bible is a reference source.

Education is wasted on the young.  Of course I bought it.  I'm also praying for the person who donated the book, that he especially be graced with understanding to know how important the book he threw away is.

My Best Book

As a blogger, and gluttonous reader (belong to two book clubs and writer of reviews for Tribute Books, Tuscany Press, and Catholic Fiction), I love the flow, sound, and images of written language.  I just love the written word.  But the book I always return to, more than Island of the World, more than The Liturgy of Flowers in a Mary Garden, and David Lang's Does The Bible Support Catholic Beliefs, is the Bible.

The aforementioned books meet certain needs I have in certain moments.  Reflection comes from Island of the World and The Liturgy of Flowers....  The Liturgy of Flowers... gives me inspiration and beauty.  (See You Tube above.) The Island... offers hope and imagination.  David's book is well worn from thumbing.  It's my "go to" reference book.

But the Bible is so much more than that.  Hardly a day doesn't go by, in which I don't  have a need to look up something.  It has everything for everybody: wisdom, direction, help in various situations, love letters and poetry, warnings, and instructions for life.  It's God's manual for how to live your life.  This is all in one book.  See how great our God is!

Man Owes Woman

Today, I read Genesis 3.  I know some people automatically blame Eve for committing the first sin.  However, read Gen 3: 6.  The verse clearly states that Adam was with Eve.  How can Eve be blamed for eating the apple, when Adam was there.  Why didn't he shout, “No.”  Hence, it was Adam’s silence, and also his inaction, that damned them.

Still, Eve never blames him.  Adam blames her; she blames the serpent.  In this “blame game,” Eve never says, “He, the man who was made first, he just stood there, like one of dumb boulders, with his jaw slack, and his eyes blinking a thousand times; he didn't stop me; he didn't say anything.  He did nothing.  He let me do his dirty work!  He didn't protect me.  He didn't stop the serpent.  He just let me do what he didn't have the balls, guts, nerve to do.”

She didn't snitch.  The way I figure, man owes woman, big time.

Discerning the Word

One could study the Bible all their life and still not be able to fathom it.  When I think of my understanding as a teen, a young mother, and now as a grandmother, I am amazed at the different discernment I went through.  Surprising, also, is Bible exegesis.  It seems that the Bible grows, adjusts, and/or adapts to the time, culture, and/or need.

Recently I joined a Scripture Study for moms.  I'm the oldest. This has resulted in some new insights for me.  I'm so happy that I found this group.  I pray that I'm as valuable for them, as they are to me.

I'll take the story of Adam and Eve, for example.  Somehow, I had always blamed Eve for taking that apple.  I pictured her representing mankind.  We are weak creatures and easily seduced.

These young ladies introduced me to consider that the blame really lies with Adam.  Man was put in charge.  He was the keeper of the garden.  He was standing beside Eve, when the serpent appeared.  (I had to check three Bibles to assure myself that he was there beside her.)

The Bible I take to class is the Christian Community Bible.  I often cross check with the New American Bible, and the King James.  I checked all three and two intimate that Adam was beside Eve.  The King James version actually states that Adam was beside Eve.  Previously, I thought he wasn't.  I even pictured Eve looking for him with an apple in her hand.

The young ladies also pointed out, that if Adam was there beside Eve, why didn't he say something?  Why didn't he defend Eve?  Why didn't he defend God?  He was supposed to be protecting her.  And the most important question, why didn't he appeal to God, for help?

Because of Adam's inaction, he is the one responsible for the first sin.  Adam saw with his own eyes, God's goodness.  He saw God create Eve.  Adam had believed and trusted God; surely this should have enabled him to repel the serpent.  His unwillingness to say anything, or act, actually left Eve vulnerable. His silence influenced her.  His "NO!" would have ended everything.  Adam didn't help her.  Instead, she was alone in her reasoning.  And we know that it is not good for man to be alone.

This was interesting to me.  Both Adam and Eve were together in front of the serpent.  The serpent is speaking to both, although his attention is directed to Eve.  "He said to the woman, 'Did God really say...'"  Why did the serpent focus on the woman?  If Adam had the authority, then shouldn't the serpent go through him?  The Christian Community Bible has an interesting footnote:
             The woman temptress--isn't the reality, especially in a world where she is 
             riveted to an inferior state.  Perhaps the author in this remote age witnessed
             the exploitation of women and the art of exploited people to manage their
             masters.
The serpent saw that the woman was subordinate to the man, and he concluded that the woman would desire more autonomy.  Is the serpent correct?

Isn't that the original sin?  The disobeying of God's command was due to man wanting autonomy.  Adam and Eve chose their own "wants" over God, against the requirements of their respective statuses.   Adam's silence and inaction condemned them.

And for what?  Everything the serpent promised, they already had:

          You will not die.  They had that, already.  They were created for immortality
          Your eyes will be opened.  They had that, already.  Adam saw the woman...
          You will be like God.  They had that, already.  They were made in His image.
          Knowing good and evil.  They had that, and should have known it.  They knew that obedience                    
          to God was good because it meant life; they also knew that disobedience was evil, because it
          would cause their death.

Do you think Adam was intimidated?  I can just see Eve turning to Adam for some confirmation.  She keeps deferring to him and he doesn't respond.  At all!  The serpent seemed to have superior knowledge.  Are they too inexperienced in debate?  Was this a fair contest?

Wait a minute!  I'm looking at Adam and Eve like it's factual history.  It is not.  It certainly isn't a scientific treatise on cosmography.  Our Lord was talking simply to men of a certain time, and He used references in their experiences.  He made use of his writers' expressions and knowledge.  St. Thomas Aquinas interprets scripture as history written in mythic language--a poetic truth.  We are obliged to believe the fundamental truths expressed--that our first parents, tempted by the devil, committed a primal act of disobedience whose effects we still suffer (Catechism, no. 390).

I love to read the Word to prove my love and faithfulness to God.  I also have found, that the more I persevere, the more I understand, and my discernment grows.