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

[Elsie]

Mindreading is neither Christian nor acceptable behavior here. But you know that, right?

And yet so many of you Catholics here really know our inclinations, abilities and motivations.

How cool is THAT!!!

[Elsie]

The water must be pored on the three persons of the Holy Trinity as they are said by the priest or deacon.

Jesus would be surprised!

John 6:29

[Elsie]

Mary is dead.

[rbmillerjr]

“Its called “The Way,” and it is not religion, but the truth of Yeshua as he spoke it to his own.”

As you interpret it. Your very own personal interpretation. I

I can hear the Tabernacle Choir singing of their own interpretation of “I did it MY Way”

[Elsie]

With 3 boxtops; you get a free indulgence.

[Elsie]

Whee!

I got you to use your OWN brain for once!

[Elsie]

The MAGISTERIUM has spoken!

 

[Elsie]

And incoherent.

Beats annoying...

[Elsie]

[Elsie]

Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?

[Elsie]

She became the Mother of God,

...and then she died.

[Elsie]

Nope, not me, your inability to clearly communicate is an issue you have.

Says the guy who repeatedly posts the same few lame pictures...

[Jvette]

Are you disputing what I said?

If you are familiar with ACTS, then you know that the word was preached or proclaimed not read because there were no writings in the beginning.

The first record of a written document came in Acts after the Council of Jerusalem.

Then came the letters from Paul, Peter, John, James and Jude, sent to the men they appointed as presbyters of the church in those cities. Those letters would have remained in their possession and were most likely read to the assembly of believers whenever they gathered.

Justin Martyr wrote of those gatherings in his apologetic essay in around 150AD.

Again, do you dispute that the individual could not have read any of the NT for himself?

[editor-surveyor]

The idea of a universal church is from the pagan sorcerer Shimon.

Yeshua described his church as “wherever two or three of you are gathered in my name.”

The term “Christian” was coined in Pagan Antioch. Yeshua was known as Messiach by his followers, not as the “cristos,” which was more of a pagan “man-become-god” rather than God with us, that described Yeshua.

The true followers of Yeshua’s Way were never called Christians. Eastern and Western “Christianity” are man made, and have nothing in common with Yeshua’s Way, which is the fulfillment of the worship Yehova delivered at Mt. Sinai.

I know that you do not understand this, and are all wrapped up in the pagan pagentry that has room for men’s theology, but no room for Yehova and his word. The only canon of Yehova’s word is the Torah and Tanakh. He canonized them himself. Subsequent writings are to be judged by their conformance with them.

Yeshua left no one here on Earth with authority to canonize anything. A good example of this is Peter’s attempt to appoint Mathias an apostle. Yehova cancelled that and appointed Paul, and Mathias was never heard of again.

Let scripture guide, not the ideas of men.

[jodyel]

Humor has never been my strong suit....too filled with fear, anxiety, and anger.

But things might be looking up. :)

[narses]

[narses]

ROTFLMAO!

Camping eh? Way funny!

[jodyel]

Oh, narses, I love how when you have no comeback you pull out the ole standby YOPIOS!

It will really be a happy day when you join the Lord’s club. Just think...you might get to hang out with old Martin hisself!

Now, how is that for a club! lol