Do You Read the Bible? How Often?

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Recently I’m readIng daily. I say the trad office most days, and also read from the trad missal, but I’ve also started a bible plan for regular daily reading.

I think that the office and missal are most valuable (if I had to choose) but reading entire books of the bible together is fascinating and provides a lot of great context).
 
OraLabora said:
I tend to get my “daily dose” from the LOTH, and rather use my Bible as a reference book.
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I am like this too. The majority of my prayers are Scripture based but I do not systematically read or study it outside of this. I have already read the Bible through many times and done more studying than was good for me. Right now my prayer life is what needs attention.

Some people ought not to be reading the Bible and we should not treat Bible reading as an absolute rule.
 
I have been reading the bible daily. It tends to
Make me bear the scriptures in mind more and moreover helps the bible apply to everyday life.
 
To me the Bible is the Greek/Latin Vulgate, not the many translations. And I have to say I’m behind in my readings, but I’m working on Romans.
 
floresco said:
Some people ought not to be reading the Bible and we should not treat Bible reading as an absolute rule.
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Though this is probably not a popular view since Vatican II, I agree.

Reading the Bible, books at a time, is not for everyone. It’s risky, and if done should be done under guidance. Someone reading the Bible should ideally have a good simply Catholic commentary (e.g. the simple and short notes in the Douay-Rheims are great). They should use a good Catholic translation. They should read with the mind of the Church and have a basic background (i.e. know their basic catechism).

When I read the Bible I always try to think “how does this fit into what the Church has already taught me?” or “how does this help me to grow in the love of God whom the Church has already revealed to me?”

I try never to “discover” new things for myself, since I’m not interested in starting my own Protestant sect.
 
newyorkcatholic said:
Though this is probably not a popular view since Vatican II, I agree.

Reading the Bible, books at a time, is not for everyone. It’s risky, and if done should be done under guidance. .
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I disagree. Reading the Bible is for everyone.👍

Here are some quotes from before Vatican II :D:
catholicapologetics.info/apologetics/general/reading.htm
St. Isidore (560-636 AD)
Reading the holy Scriptures (the Bible) confers two benefits. It trains the mind to understand them; it turns man’s attention from the follies of the world and leads him to the love of God.
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St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153 AD)
“The person who thirsts for God eagerly studies and meditates on the inspired Word, knowing that there, he is certain to find the One for whom he thirsts.” …quote taken from his Commentary on the Song of Songs, Sermon 23:3.
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St. John Chrysostom (344/354 -407 AD) Doctor of the Church.
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Code: 
"To become adult Christians you must learn familiarity with the scriptures" ...... quote taken from..... On the Letter to the Ephesians - Education of Children.
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TrueLight said:
What do you mean by this?
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For one thing I’m referring to the risks that newyorkcatholic was writing about. There is a danger that a person who is not sufficiently formed in Catholicism will take a Protestant approach to Scripture. I would not recommend reading the Bible to a new Catholic unless it were under supervision.

In my own case, after years of academic study of the Bible, I needed a break from it before being able to read it prayerfully. Even now, the majority of my Scripture reading is in liturgical prayers.

Reading the Bible can be a good thing, but it is not a precept of the Church. We need to use our judgment about whether it is right for our circumstances.
 
St. Isidore (560-636 AD)
Reading the holy Scriptures (the Bible) confers two benefits. It trains the mind to understand them; it turns man’s attention from the follies of the world and leads him to the love of God.
Click to expand...
St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153 AD)
“The person who thirsts for God eagerly studies and meditates on the inspired Word, knowing that there, he is certain to find the One for whom he thirsts.” …quote taken from his Commentary on the Song of Songs, Sermon 23:3.
Click to expand...
St. John Chrysostom (344/354 -407 AD) Doctor of the Church.
“To become adult Christians you must learn familiarity with the scriptures” … quote taken from… On the Letter to the Ephesians - Education of Children.
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Beautiful quotes. I don’t question the benefits of Scripture that all three saints mention. But they are writing at a time when most Christians couldn’t read anyway, and even if they could, didn’t have access. And meditating and being familiar with the word of God includes doing this through hearing about it at Mass.

But even if we do accept them as applying to all Christians, it is imperative that it be with the guidance of the Church. Reading the Bible is fraught with danger, and it should be a step we undergo after we are formed in the faith to some degree.

Perhaps I am over-careful, but I think of the many Protestant denominations that have been formed based upon differing interpretations of the same texts!
 
newyorkcatholic said:
I try never to “discover” new things for myself, since I’m not interested in starting my own Protestant sect.
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This is part of an excellent, excellent post. 👍

Sacred Scripture does require training in order to be properly exegeted, and it does require a basic understanding of the teachings of the Church, so as to have a framework of understanding that it can be fit into. This is not an easy task, one that requires humility. Too often, I think that people try to simplify it much more than is necessary.
 
Yes, I do. Just this morning, I took a verse from the Gospel according to St. Luke to open the prayer in an event in our company.
 
bearer said:
**My wife and I read a chapter and the day’s readings at Mass together **before our daily prayers. And, of course, I look up specific verses while reading theology or discussing Scripture with people on this and other forums.
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Beautiful. It all starts right there.
 
I would love to get into Lectio Divina prayers, but I’ve only had limited experience with it. But I do at least read very nearly daily. I also try my best to keep it from becoming an empty work, but rather meditate on it and try to discern what lesson there may be there.
 
I don’t read it daily, only 3-4 times a week. I pray the Divine Office but don’t consider that Bible reading exactly, although I’m well aware that 90% of it is directly from the Bible.

I guess we all have our own opinions. Mine is that reading the Bible is for everyone and one doesn’t need supervision to read it, no matter how new they are to it. I think to say that reading the Bible is dangerous, risky or fraught with danger is terribly wrong and is absolutely contrary to the teaching of the Church.

“Study them, I beg you, and meditate daily on the words of your Creator” - Pope St. Gregory
"“Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ.” - St. Jerome
“Our predecessors, when the opportunity occurred, recommended the pious reading and meditation of the sacred Scripture.” - Pope Pius XII
“We must read (scripture) as truly the Word of God, placing ourselves in conversation with God.”- Pope Benedict XVI

There are plenty of ways for a person new to scripture reading to safely read the Bible. The Ignatious Study Bible: New Testament has wonderful notes. I also have one of the old Jerusalem bibles from the 60’s with all the notes in it.

Some of the scripture study programs I’ve used are the Six Weeks with the Bible series, Threshold Bible Study, and Christian Scripture Study series.

When I come across something that confuses me I email our pastoral associate for his opinion on it. For the vast majority of the time I’m pretty sure I’m capable of understanding what I’m reading.
 
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