How to Read the Bible – A Three Step Plan (written for Catholics - valid for all)

taylormarshall.com ^ | September 30, 2013 | Dr. Taylor Marshall

[NYer]

How do you read the Bible? Today is the feast day of Saint Jerome, who once quipped, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”

“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” – Saint Jerome

It’s a running joke that if you want to find a Bible verse, you ought to ask a Protestant and not a Catholic. Protestants read the Bible. Catholics not so much.

This raises the question:

Why Don’t More Catholics Read the Bible?

I think the answer lies in the fact that we Catholics go to Mass. The Holy Mass has at least two Bible readings every time. If you pray the Breviary or Liturgy of Hours, multiply that several times.

Joe Catholic says to himself, “Why should I study the Bible? I go to Mass. I hear it there. Check and check.”

There is something beautiful in this. For Catholics, Bible reading is liturgical. Hence, Bible reading remains chiefly a community experience.

Three Step Plan to Kick It Up a Notch

It’s good to listen to the readings from the Bible at Holy Mass. However, we also need a personal (even private) encounter with God in the pages of Sacred Scripture. All of the saints breathed Sacred Scripture. Scripture served as the grammar for their souls. They couldn’t communicate without it.

Here are some basic spiritual needs that you have every single day of your life:

1. Praise – Voicing your delight in God and His provision for your life. Gratitude destroys discouragement.
2. Wisdom – You need practical advice to navigate the complexities of life.
3. Challenge – You need to be lifted higher. You need to grow in your faith. You need to be inspired. You must be an intentional Christian.

So when you wake up tomorrow, do the following:

1. Read a Psalm. Start with Psalm 1. Make it your anthem of praise for that day.
2. Read at least one Proverb. Proverbs are the wisdom morsels of your day. There are 31 chapters. Why not read one chapter every day during the month. Oct 1 is Provers 1. October 31 is Proverbs 31. You get the idea.
3. Read a chapter of the one of the Gospels. This is your challenge. Your Savior challenges you in the four Gospels. He calls you to be not merely a nominal Catholic but a disciple. You cannot seriously read the Gospels and stay lukewarm. Christ speaks in a way that cannot be ignored.

“But I’m so busy. I don’t have the time!”

What? You’re too busy. Sorry, you just got served a yellow card:

That’s a yellow card. You’ve been warned…

Doing these three readings will take you only 3-5 minutes. That’s the time of a commercial break. It will change your life for good. I promise. It takes 21 days to make a habit, so give it 21 days and see if you aren’t hooked. Put the Bible on your night stand and read it in the mornings. Start fresh.

“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” – Saint Jerome, Doctor of the Church

[count-your-change]

You have such a list? One that you can share?

[metmom]

How many Protestant rites are there? 35,000 or is it 50,000?

So what? 22 or an alleged 35,000. The fact that there's more than one Catholic rite negates any claim Catholicism has of unity and invalidates any complaint or criti8cism of Protestantism of not being valid because of alleged lack of unity.

As far as the number, I have seen that claim made of Protestantism with no proof to back it up. Therefore, since there is no evidence forthcoming from any Catholic who has thrown it about, nobody is under any obligation to believe it or recognize it as valid.

[metmom]

Christ formed a church and instructed His followers to adhere to what He had originated...

Chapter and verse please.

[metmom]

I say all scripture is true, you say it isn't and ask me to prove that it is/???

ampu has claimed that he does not believe that all Scripture is not true?<>P> Pray tell, where? Provide the link, if you can.

[verga]

Your own post shows your error: It was a Catholic one. Why wouldn’t it admit Christians of any faith that sought admittance?

Kenny is a Christian that happens to attend a Unitarian church. Is that hard to understand?

[verga]

So what? 22 or an alleged 35,000. The fact that there's more than one Catholic rite negates any claim Catholicism has of unity and invalidates any complaint or criti8cism SIC of Protestantism of not being valid because of alleged lack of unity.

Do you understand the difference between a "Rite" and a denomination?

[Iscool]

so let's see....you can prove to an unbeliever, that Christ is God....the creator of the universe.

All I can do is some plantin' and waterin'...God will do the rest...

you can prove, without any doubt, that Catholicism is not the true, unique religion originated and blessed by that same Jesus Christ....

I don't have to do anything...God's word, the bible proves that...

[Elsie]

Your statements did not attack the UU church it questioned the Christianity of a dear friend that always displayed more Christian charity than I see from the vast majority of the anti-Catholics on this forum.

[Elsie]

To call Henry the 8th a Roman Catholic, when he despised anything to do with the Church and made himself the sole head of the Church in England is playing loose with facts.

HA ha!

The RCC organization has ALWAYS played FAL with 'facts'!

---

Besides; I did not call him that.

[Elsie]

How many Protestant rites are there? 35,000 or is it 50,000?

So; you admit you don't know.

[verga]

Your statements did not attack the UU church it questioned the Christianity of a dear friend that always displayed more Christian charity than I see anyone sees from the vast majority of the anti-Catholics on this forum.

Thank you for suggestion to correcting my earlier statement.

[Elsie]

......like politicians I guess

You're getting closer!

[Elsie]

that bottle of bloody milk was cool....stupid, but cool!

STUPID?

This from one of the group that is constantly reminding the WORLD how important it is to drink His BLOOD?

Methinks thou protesteth to lamely.

[Elsie]

nope...traditions aren't scriptures

True; but they COULD have been; if the powers that be (ordained by GOD Himself and all) had the forethought to INCLUDE them into their assembled compiled writings.

[Elsie]

The earliest of the followers of Christ, Apostles, diciples, friends, family, whatever of Christ became known as Catholic...

The Catholic, Henry the Eighth of England, became known as a NON-Catholic....

[Elsie]

it is impossible for me to print everything that the church has proclaimed that is true...

I, however, can print ONE:

Mary is alive in Heaven and interceding for ONLY Catholics.

[Elsie]

Jesus promise, whatsoever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven....do you suppose that He left room for error???

Can you list ANYTHING that has been BOUND?

[Elsie]

..but you, and other Protestants just keep believing that you know better that Christ.....

..but you, and other Catholics just keep believing that you are to stupid to understand Scripture on your own...

[Elsie]

WOW, you can prove that she sinned...extraordinary, ....O.K., go to it

And you can state so assuredly that Scripture is WRONG when it states:

...for ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of GOD.

[Elsie]

bye-bye....pray for his soul, whoops, I forgot that Protestants don't pray for the repose of the souls who have passed....too bad, so sad.

You got it!

We actually BELIEVE when the bible states: Game OVER!