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

[Iscool]

I question the mental capacity of a person who thinks that the record of the PAST numbers occurance of being selected somehow affects the FUTURE of them being pulled.

Hey, tell me about it...I have a brother who claims certain numbers come up more than others...Says it's statistically proven...

I figure I've got a better chance statistically of finding a large bag of money, in the trunk of my car...Plus, I don't have to check it everyday and it doesn't cost me anything...

[Hegewisch Dupa]

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“lations, and you should connect yourself with all Protestant denominations who also have violations....we have done something about it, you haven’t!”

First, I am not just speaking of my local congregation.

Second, we have no connection to other Protestant groups.

In short, you are wrong twice and still wrong.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“October 15, 2013 at 12:04:02 AM EDT · 2,037 of 2,063
terycarl to aMorePerfectUnion
History shows the accretion of pagan beliefs and practices into the roman church.
no it doesn’t!

.......

Oh sure it does. Even the Catholic Encyclopedia admits this as true.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“
Take this and eat of it, THIS IS MY BODY....Unless you eat of the flesh of the son of Man and drink of His “

Metaphor.

“1Cor 10:16....the bible is replete with references to the true presence in the Eucharist, but Prottys continue to bury their heads in the sand because they just don’t have enough faith to accept it....remember about moving the tree and planting it in the ocean....they couldn’t even blow the dead leaves off of it.”

Context shows your posted view as eisogesis

[NKP_Vet]

That’s right. Christ is right there with you.

The Catholic Church teaches that once consecrated in the Eucharist, the elements cease to be bread and wine and actually become the body and blood of Christ, each of which is accompanied by the other and by Christ’s soul and divinity. The empirical appearance and physical properties are not changed, but for Catholics, the reality is. The consecration of the bread (known as the host) and wine represents the separation of Jesus’ body from his blood at Calvary. However, since he has risen, the Church teaches that his body and blood can no longer be truly separated. Where one is, the other must be. Therefore, although the priest (or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion) says, “The body of Christ”, when administering the host, and, “The blood of Christ”, when presenting the chalice, the communicant who receives either one receives Christ, whole and entire.

[Elsie]

.I have a brother who claims certain numbers come up more than others...Says it's statistically proven...

He's RIGHT!

But that does NOT make the others MORE likely to come up in the future.

People think the 'Law of Averages' is a statistical fact, in that the low performers MUST show up later to even out the data spikes.

[Elsie]

The Catholic Church teaches that once consecrated in the Eucharist, the elements cease to be bread and wine and actually become the body and blood of Christ, each of which is accompanied by the other and by Christ’s soul and divinity.

Yeah...

Mumbo-jumbo

[Elsie]

[Bobsvainbabblings]

terycarl, we can see you place a lot of importance to the Christ’s blood being in the wine of the Eucharist.

How much importance do you give to the Christ’s blood being placed on the mercy seat in heaven?

Which do you think has the most effect on your salvation?

May God our Father lead us to His truth, BVB

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“The Catholic Church teaches that once consecrated in the Eucharist, the elements cease to be bread and wine and actually become the body and blood of Christ, each of which is accompanied by the other and by Christ’s soul and divinity. The empirical appearance and physical properties are not changed, but for Catholics, the reality is.”

It is a Roman teaching, and you correctly post “but for Catholics, the reality is.”

Of course, it either is or it isn’t.

The Bible does not teach it is transformed, but you correctly state that your church teaches it is. If you accept that fine.

[Bobsvainbabblings]

ampu, God’s Church did not start at Pentecost

Scripture is based on two covenants God has with the people who worship Him, His Church

The first covenant had earthly priests using the blood from a spotless ram for their sins once a year placed on the mercy seat in an earthly tabernacle..

The new covenant is a one time application of the Christ’s blood on the mercy seat in heaven.

Jesus did not come to earth to start a new church. He came to be a one time blood sacrifice for our sins to allow a new covenant for God’s existing Church.

Pentecost was the fulfillment of the promise Jesus made that He would not leave us alone. It was the first time men could fully understand His teachings.

The early church was led by Jesus in the case of Paul, angels at times and always by the Spirit.

The only time the apostles are mentioned they are being led by the Spirit except when Peter choose to take a vote to replace Judas. That was while they were waiting for Pentecost. Done by his flesh. No casting of lots is mentioned after the coming of the Spirit.

The apostles, in no way, are shown to be leading the Church God gave to His Christ.

May God our Father lead us to His truth, BVB

[GeronL]

did Jesus ever attend Mass? no

did Jesus ever say anything about a Pope? no

The Catholic Church is nothing like what the Bible calls us to be

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Bob,
Until Pentecost, the Holy Spirit did not indwell believers, did not baptize them into the Body of Christ (Bride of Christ) and did not seal them to the day of redemption. Consequently, His Body began at Pentecost.

Thank you for your note.

“Jesus did not come to earth to start a new church. He came to be a one time blood sacrifice for our sins to allow a new covenant for God’s existing Church.”

Christ says He will build his gathering on the foundation of Peter’s testimony. There was a covenant with Israel before Christ came to earth physically. There was not a Church before that point.

[NKP_Vet]

Typical reply for Catholic-hating protestants. You know more than 2,000 years of Church teaching, starting with the earliest Church fathers. Pardon me for not recognizing your brilliance in all things Catholic.

[NKP_Vet]

“The Bible does not teach it is transformed, but you correctly state that your church teaches it is. If you accept that fine”.

No, the Bible says it is the blood and body of Christ. Pardon me for being not calling the blood and body of
Christ a saltine cracker and bottle of grape juice.

PS: “My Church” is God’s Church, i.e., the CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Still perking along after 2,000 years. How long has your
“church” been around?

[metmom]

Comparing the Reformation to the Holocaust now??? Isn't there some internet "rule" about that?

Probably that the first person to compare the Reformation to the Holocaust forfeits the debate.

[metmom]

GMTA.

That’s what I was thinking of also.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“PS: “My Church” is God’s Church, i.e., the CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Still perking along after 2,000 years. How long has your
“church” been around?”

My church was conceived in the heart of God before the foundations of eternity. God has no grandchildren. Only children.

[Bobsvainbabblings]

“Christ says He will build his gathering on the foundation of Peter’s testimony. There was a covenant with Israel before Christ came to earth physically. There was not a Church before that point.”

Peter’s testimony is that Jesus is the Christ of God. The Messiah, the savior they were hoping for.

Peter was under God’s first covenant with Israel, those who worshipped Him. His Church

God’s new covenant is with Israel and us, Jew and Gentile. It is based on Jesus’ blood on the mercy seat.

Peter did not become a member of a new church when he accepted Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. He became a part of God’s new covenant with His people in which Jesus’ blood paid for all his sins and ours.

How many times have you seen a Catholic claim, Jesus did not give us a book, He gave us a church. This shows it to be a lie.

May God our Father lead us to His truth.