Posted on 12/19/2014 6:27:23 AM PST by Alex Murphy
Average Catholics asked today how often they read the Bible likely would say that they do not read the Bible regularly. However, if asked how often they read Scripture, the answer would be different. Practicing Catholics know they read and hear Scripture at every Mass. Many also recognize that basic prayers Catholics say, such as the Our Father and the Hail Mary, are scriptural. But for most Catholics, the Scripture they hear and read is not from the Bible. It is from a worship aid in the pew.
Scripture always has played an important role in the prayer life of the Catholic Church and its members. For the ordinary Catholic in earlier centuries, exposure to Scripture was passive. They heard it read aloud or prayed aloud but did not read it themselves. One simple reason: Centuries ago the average person could not read or afford a book. Popular reading and ownership of books began to flourish only after the invention of the printing press.
Once the printing press was invented, the most commonly printed book was the Bible, but this still did not make Bible-reading a Catholic’s common practice. Up until the mid-twentieth Century, the custom of reading the Bible and interpreting it for oneself was a hallmark of the Protestant churches springing up in Europe after the Reformation. Protestants rejected the authority of the Pope and of the Church and showed it by saying people could read and interpret the Bible for themselves. Catholics meanwhile were discouraged from reading Scripture.
Identifying the reading and interpreting of the Bible as “Protestant” even affected the study of Scripture. Until the twentieth Century, it was only Protestants who actively embraced Scripture study. That changed after 1943 when Pope Pius XII issued the encyclical Divino Afflante Spiritu. This not only allowed Catholics to study Scripture, it encouraged them to do so. And with Catholics studying Scripture and teaching other Catholics about what they were studying, familiarity with Scripture grew.
Scripture awareness grew after the Second Vatican Council. Mass was celebrated in the vernacular and so the Scripture readings at Mass were read entirely in English. Adult faith formation programs began to develop, and the most common program run at a parish focused on Scripture study. The Charismatic movement and the rise of prayer groups exposed Catholics to Scripture even more. All of this contributed to Catholics becoming more familiar with the Bible and more interested in reading the Scriptures and praying with them.
In a round-about way, aspects of U.S. culture also have encouraged Catholics to become more familiar with the Scriptures. References to John 3:16 appear in the stands at sporting events. Catholics who hear of and see other Christians quote or cite Scripture verses wonder why they cannot. Such experiences lead Catholics to seek familiarity with the Bible.
Such attitudinal changes bode well for Catholics, especially when reading and praying with the Word of God leads to lessons learned, hearts inspired and lives profoundly moved for good.
It took me awhile, but I just got that! (Old age creeping up?) Good one!
You say that “Faith is in all of us who believe.” Do you believe that Faith is not in the people who throughout the centuries, did live, and sometimes die, for the Catholic Faith?
Reading on line, especially with the copious amount of information there is, and the millennia work of life stories of those who have practiced their Faith and done good works, I doubt that. Reading a screen is one thing; living the Faith is another.
Yes they get scriptural extracts from mass readings, weddings and funerals. Yet that lacks depth as the extracts limit full context and stifle expository examination of comparable passages throughout the OT and NT. For example, how can one get the fullness of Christ’s teaching of abiding in Him as He used the example of the vine and branches? To understand His teaching we need to know what the original audience knew. Which means the OT vine/branches passages. Then harmonize that with the apostles use of vines and branches. You can’t do such examination using a missilette extract. Sure it’s great devotion material but falls short of Paul’s exhorting of Timothy in 2 Tim 3.
The Mass is available to us in Church 7 days a week. There is the Common, those parts of the Mass which are the same each day; there are the Propers, which include the specific day's antiphons, readings from the Old Testament; a Psalm; a reading from the Holy Gospels; these are specifically intended to tie in together.
For those unable to attend each day, daily missals are available. EWTN has a daily Mass broadcast 3 times a day. Homily and all. There is much more to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass than we can understand in this life. I believe. I attend Mass, and receive the Sacraments. I can't speak for anyone else. God knows the state of mine, and all His children's souls. As with all Faiths, one must persevere.
God bless you!
The object of our faith is not the Church, but in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The 'Catholic faith' is not found in the N.T. scriptures except where it is condemned...
One must focus on Jesus...Not priests or popes or saints or Mary, or rituals nor philosophy, etc...NOTHING between us and Jesus...THAT is the faith Jesus is looking for...That is faith in Jesus...The Christian faith...
Good Post!
One of these days I will get my phone upgraded. That will be my first app!
He or she does not get it. Doesn’t want to get it. We always say “In the Name of the Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit” before we even start praying. It is so much a part of us we forget to point that out. I can’t count how many times we use this prayer in a day. It’s all inclusive and perfect.
You all know more then you think you do, our final exam is not until we meet St. Peter at the gate when we die to this life. Where have we done our best Jesus will say "Well done! good and faithful servant"! All the window dressing and Bible thumping means nothing.
To a Catholic Jesus is the Church. It’s an abstract idea. We are the body, he is the head.
DAILY Mass.
DAILY Mass.
I THINK you've got it now, rlh.
:o)
For all believers, the Church is His Body, the bride of Christ.
How can that be since I have been told so many times that the Catholic Church was an invention of the Emperor Constantine?
My intent was to address the posed question on studying God’s written Words. Not to downplay worship services.
And yes a Merry Christmas to you and family!
Thank you you’re right! I did forget to mention the Sign of the Cross, because it is so much a part of our lives. Even when I see an ambulance, fire truck, police car, I make the Sign of the Cross and pray for the temporal and spiritual welfare of those involved! Thank you!
Thank you for clarifying! I wanted you to see that the Scripture in our Mass is more complete than many people realize, especially when you have the opportunity to attend daily Mass, or take time to read the Scripture for the day! : )
If you have a tablet those apps are available as well.
From my tablet I can post here, read ebooks, including the Bible and use the vast resources of apps.
However such a library is as good as having a charged battery. So having paper backups is still important.
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