There are times when people say, with varying degrees of facetiousness, that the difference between Catholics and Christian denominations is that Catholics don’t read the Bible. All too often, there is at least a grain of truth in that. I personally did not grow up reading the Bible. Indeed, it was not until about a year ago that I read the Bible in its entirety. Listened, rather. I will take a moment here to recommend listening to the Bible in a Year podcast.
This was actually my second attempt at listening to the Bible in a Year podcast (or Bible in a year-and-a-half, as I like to think of it). The first time, a few years ago, I had made the decision that I really should read (listen to) the Bible, and so I set myself the task of doing it. It was a chore, aimed toward accomplishing my goal. I made it past day 100, but not much farther.
The second time I attempted to listen to the Bible, my starting place was much different. I was listening to a beloved Voice, not checking off a task. I was spending quality time with a loved One, not trying to rush through a project. (To offer clarity, in the event that it is needed: I am referring to God’s Voice, not Fr. Mike’s, although that has become quite soothing and familiar as well).
A great part of the change in me was coming to recognize that God’s Word is a living word. In some way I do not understand, God is present in the books and words of the Bible. Listening to the readings and seeing the reverence with which the very books containing His word are treated during Mass helped me understand better that He is present there.
This brings me to a cherished analogy that I have about reading the Bible. When I open the book and begin to read, it is like sitting at the feet of a dearly beloved grandfather, listening to him. Sometimes he tells stories of long ago, sometimes of more recent events. Sometimes of people I am familiar with, sometimes of people I have never heard of. Sometimes I understand clearly what he is telling me, sometimes I do not understand the significance (and I may or may not understand at a later date). It is a time full of trust and love and meaning, even if I do not grasp the meaning at the time. I am confident in his love, as I sit there, and trust that he will never lead me astray. Every moment spent at his feet deepens our love.
I clearly see this when reading the Bible. Mine is not an approach of theological study, but of presence. It’s as if, when we choose to set aside time and open our Bible, we say: here I am; I am listening. Then our loving God speaks to us in exactly the way we need, exactly the words we need in that moment. No time spent at His feet is wasted. This can be easy to see when we encounter that phrase that overwhelms us, being so clearly spoken to us just where we are. It can be harder to see when our eyes glaze over a bit as we trudge through a list of names or the details of a building we can’t quite picture. It is a matter of trust, in those moments. He is there, and we are still sitting with Him, listening to Him, and in that, there is great value.
As it may be difficult to find time to visit a grandparent, no matter how good your intentions, so too it can be difficult to “find time” read the Bible. For many of us, our “lack” of time is simply a misuse of time. I cannot in good faith say I do not have time to read the Bible, when the screen time alert on my phone tells me I spend hours a day looking at that little screen. Or when the list of novels I have read or music I have listened to keeps growing. These are only a few of the competitors for our time. I do not condemn them as bad, but I urge us to be more aware of the time we have been given and how we spend it. I consider mint a delicious plant, but given an opportunity, it will take over a garden and choke out the other crops. We need to prioritize the things that truly nourish us over the ones that taste good in the moment.
I encourage everyone to read the Bible. To learn where we came from, where we are going, who we are, and who we are traveling with. It has been such an incredible, life-changing journey for me. I know for some it can be hard to get started. Should I start at the beginning and read through? Follow a study plan? Join a group? Flip it open and start reading at random? Do not let those questions paralyze you or prevent you from starting. If that is where you are, I recommend yet again listening to the Bible in a Year podcast as an option. Or starting with the Gospels and hearing Jesus’ loving words and watching Him move amongst His people.
Sit. Start. Listen. He is waiting for you! Full of love and longing and tenderness. Be willing to give Him time, space, and attention. Bring your heart, but not an agenda. It is a living Word that wants to lead and transform you, not a topic to master and use. Feel for the passage that tugs on your heart and sit with it. Feel nothing? That is okay, too. What a beautiful gift to sit with someone even if you feel nothing and would like to be somewhere else. Know that He is working on your heart even when you feel nothing or have no new “big thoughts.”
Should I read a Bible with great commentary? That can be helpful. But also, the greatest of all interpreters will be with you (ask Him to come!) and will move in your heart and life. Theological study is good, but spending time with a loved one does not require it. Do not get caught up in details (“why was the cloak described in one place as purple and another as red? Did they hear the voice or not?”) so that you miss what He wants to tell you. You are not problem solving, you are spending time with a living Being who is moving you to become who He made you to be. He is infinitely patient and gentle. Be patient and gentle with yourself. Scripture passages will begin to stick and resurface in a beautiful way.
My six-year-old daughter will at times get upset because someone tells her something she already knows. You may already be familiar with all the stories in the New Testament (or perhaps the whole Bible!), but I promise you, you do not “already know.” Spend time with God’s Word whenever you are able. Listen to Him. Pick up that amazing gift He has given us and let Him know, “here I am!”
Photo by Jessica Mangano on Unsplash
