“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Imagine that you wanted to build a house. How might you begin? Would you just go to the local hardware store, purchase some lumber, grab a hammer and nails, and start building?
Of course not! First, you would look at other homes and perhaps some pictures to get an idea of what kind of style would best suit your needs. Then, you would visit with an architect to draw up a blueprint before beginning construction. Undoubtedly, it is more effective to follow some guidelines than to simply get started without a plan.
Pauline, sponsored through CARITAS' Catholic child sponsorship programs, is very active in class and church activities. She is in Primary Five and represented her school by reading at Mass in Nkokonjeru, Uganda.
That is why it is important for us to read the Sacred Scriptures. In them we find the blueprint for living and loving like Christ. They contain His teachings, His parables, and the story of His saving love. The more we immerse ourselves in the Scriptures, the better prepared we will be to help build the Kingdom of God.
Here is another way to look at it: We can only give what we have. We can only share that which we know. Saint Jerome said that, “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.” So, if we want to help others get to know Christ, if we want to share God’s love, then we need to become better acquainted with the Scriptures!
To help you get started (or begin again), here are a few practical suggestions:
First, try spending time with the daily Mass readings. This is a simple way to incorporate Scripture into your daily routine. It will help you grow closer to the Lord, regardless of whether you can make it to Mass every day or not. If you stick with it, you will read through most of the Bible over the course of a few years, because of the way that the Lectionary is set up. You can access the entire calendar of readings on the U.S. Bishops’ website. You might also enjoy subscribing to a regular publication of the Mass readings with commentary, such as Magnificat or The Word Among Us.
A second suggestion would be to try reading through the whole Gospel of Mark in one sitting. Of the four Gospels, Mark’s was written the earliest and is also the shortest. At only fifteen chapters, you could read it entirely in one afternoon. Doing so can help you internalize the whole narrative arc of the story of Christ.
A final suggestion is to read Dei Verbum, the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, which was promulgated by the Second Vatican Council. Again, this is not an extremely long read, but one that is filled with valuable insights about the relationship between Scripture and Tradition, as well as the proper considerations one must make when interpreting the Bible. Reading this document will help you understand the Scriptures better.
If you put these ideas into practice, you will soon find yourself growing in knowledge and love of the Lord. You will become not only hearers, but “doers of the word” (James 1:22).
Lord Jesus, You are the Word made flesh and the splendor of the Father. Enlighten our hearts and minds with the truth of Scriptures, that we may grow in Your love. Amen.
