Making the SCriptures come alive

[SacredHeartFan]

I feel that the scriptures have become dead to me and obsolete. I have read and re-read the Bible many times. I have clear memories of a summer camp where we had 20 minutes a day with our Bibles in silent meditation and prayer. These are the greatest memories I have of that camp. How do I find that joy of the scriptures again and make the scriptures come back to life for me?

 

[puzzleannie]

I How do I find that joy of the scriptures again and make the scriptures come back to life for me?

stop reading and studying scripture and just pray. read the passage and sit in silence with it for a while, absolute minimum 15 minutes, 45-60 minutes optimum.

 

[cheeto1]

I feel that the scriptures have become dead to me and obsolete.

What??!!??!!??!!
Say it isn’t so!!!
The bible is the most amazing book ever!
It is God talking to you!
Please, read the readings for today. The daily readings are “magic”. God uses the
same readings, but speaks indivually to each of us according to who we are and what
our situation is. Pray first, ask God what He is trying to say to you today, then read
it and see.
If something doesn’t strike you after this, then please go to sleep. You should be
reading it when you feel awake and alert, not busy or sleep deprived.
My prayers go out to you…

 

[crazzeto]

I feel that the scriptures have become dead to me and obsolete. I have read and re-read the Bible many times. I have clear memories of a summer camp where we had 20 minutes a day with our Bibles in silent meditation and prayer. These are the greatest memories I have of that camp. How do I find that joy of the scriptures again and make the scriptures come back to life for me?

Sounds hoacky, but some times I like to read it out loud like it’s a play or movie of some sort… Just if I’m having trouble focusing, it brings me right back into it.

 

[Jesus_123]

+Prayer is essentially the heart of one’s soul “talking” to its God . . . on the other hand . . . meditation is taught in Sacred :bible1: Scripture and by Holy Mother Church as essentially being the heart of one’s soul “listening” to its God . . . the ultimate goal of these actions of the soul being that at the center . . . of the deep interior quiet within the heart of the soul . . . the soul enters into . . . *constant holy conversation and communion with its God *. . .

Lectio Divina (divine reading) is perhaps the clearest most well lit holy pathway for the soul to “listen” to its God . . . essentially it is encountering God in the reading of a literary level of holy writings in Christendom believed to be especially blessed and anointed of God . . . first order and always primary of which is God’s **Holy Word **. . . Sacred :bible1: Scripture . . . and which group of writings can also include The Holy Rule of St. Benedict . . . The Catechism of the Catholic Church . . . writings of the Fathers of the Church, etc., . . . and as such . . . when prayerfully read the . . . **Holy Spirit **. . . Wonderful Counselor of Our God . . . is abundantly available to help regarding the reading and understanding of same . . .

The holy monk Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki , O.S.B. of the Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania here in the United States . . . recommends that we . . . *slow down radically *. . . when reflecting on inspired material . . . so as to . . . ***open up freely ***. . . to the treasury of insights contained therein . . . he goes on further to share with beautiful simplicity:

Lectio Divina (divine reading)
Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki , O.S.B. (Order of St. Benedict)

“It is the **monastic insight **that reading, if it be authentic, cannot be undertaken simply with the eyes and the mind. Rather it must involve the whole person: mind, heart, body and spirit. It is reading not so much for information as for formation, that is, for encounter with the living God in this moment in such a way that one’s heart catches fire and one’s life is transformed … In St. Benedict’s day reading a sacred or spiritual text was practiced not so much for the sake of ‘information,’ but rather in order to be ‘formed’: that is, to be inwardly changed or shaped. …

Thus the aim of lectio divina (divine reading), i.e., pondering the material in a slow, prayerful way, is to dispose ourselves to welcome God’s ever-present grace and His efforts to conquer our hearts and transform us more and more into a holy people . . . ”
​

. . . :coffeeread: . . .
CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCHPart One: The Profession of Faith

Article 2 - THE TRANSMISSION OF DIVINE REVELATION

81 Sacred Scripture is **the speech of God **as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit.

Article 3 - SACRED SCRIPTURE

104 In Sacred Scripture, the Church constantly finds her nourishment and her strength, for she welcomes it ** not** as human word, "but as what it really is, the Word of God."

In the sacred books,
the Father who is in heaven
comes lovingly to meet his children,
and talks with them.

 

[StillWondering]

I feel that the scriptures have become dead to me and obsolete. I have read and re-read the Bible many times. I have clear memories of a summer camp where we had 20 minutes a day with our Bibles in silent meditation and prayer. These are the greatest memories I have of that camp. How do I find that joy of the scriptures again and make the scriptures come back to life for me?

I seem to fail at this, but I was told Lectio Divina is a great way to bring the scriptures alive. There are articles here on Catholic Answers about it.

Also, reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church and cross-checking them is a great way.

Also, I love this audio series by Scott Hahn. Smart guy and he brings together great Catholic thinkers and understanding in a way that is easy for this layman to understand.
ewtn.com/vondemand/audio/seriessearchprog.asp?seriesID=-306548622&T1=scott+hahn

 

[cheeto1]

"Lectio Divina is a great way to bring the scriptures alive"

– I looked this up to see what it means, and I noticed I was already doing it!
No wonder I love the scripture so much!!

 

[Mark77]

Read the daily Mass readings, which usually include an Old Testament, Psalm & New Testament Gospel reading, which are all tied together by a common theme.

Find the daily readings here; ewtn.com/devotionals/inspiration.htm

or here (with the breviary & the office of readings, which is fantastic & includes early Church Fathers sermons & writings on Sacred Scripture!); universalis.com/-800/mass.htm

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark

 

[Reuben_J]

I feel that the scriptures have become dead to me and obsolete. I have read and re-read the Bible many times. I have clear memories of a summer camp where we had 20 minutes a day with our Bibles in silent meditation and prayer. These are the greatest memories I have of that camp. How do I find that joy of the scriptures again and make the scriptures come back to life for me?

Hi SHF.

In my experience, first of all it got to do with my own relationship with God. Do I believe that God loves me? Have I recognized my sins and shortcoming? Is my life in order? It started with a realization that my life was not in order and that I did not really live a Christian life; and that I could hardly know God. Yes, I knew who Jesus was as in the Bible or teaching, but He was irrelevant to my life. What I did most of the times had no bearing whatsoever on Him.

Then I knew that Jesus loves me and he wants to give me life in abundant. I know that my life would be for the better if I endeavor to keep his commandment and to follow his way. I know that I can find him in the Church, among friends but most of all in the Bible and the Sacraments. The Bible can teach me lots of thing that I need to know so that my spiritual life would improve.

You see, one’s love for the Bible is when we begin to see the need for it. That need has to be felt and experienced. The rest would be quite natural, for God will add to what we have and want to be.

I have no magic answer for you. Of course prayer is always good, without that being said. Hope that while praying, all the holy thought would come to you.

But always it is – that you must have the needs for it. Are you thirsty? Are you hungry for Jesus? If not, ask for it in your prayer. Ask for his Holy Spirit to fill you with his love. If there is something in your life that can be improved for the better, examined that area, and tell God you want to repent and ask for his forgiveness.

What I tell you here may sound irrelevant to your question but the love for the Bible truly begins somewhere.

But if you have experienced the love for the Bible before and now it seems to be very dry, then you are probably experiencing a temporary dry spell. In that case, yes, pray and ask for the Holy Spirit to refresh you. Surely God will give it to you. Start reading Luke 11, now, …

God bless.

 

[NHInsider]

It’s also important to remember that the truth or value of something does not depend on our emotions. While it is natural to long for a spiritual “high,” particularly if one has experienced it before, the lack of that feeling does not mean that you are not benefitting from spending time with the Lord in His Word. Peter wanted to build a booth and hang out on the Mount of Transfiguration, but Jesus led him down the mountain - to find the others struggling against evil.

So create the time and opportunity for the Lord to touch you through His Word, but don’t judge the results by your emotional response. Thank Him for His presence and His gifts, believing that He is with you whether you can feel it or not. He rewards faithfulness.

 

[Monte_RCMS]

Get ahold of some local maps that show exactly where Jesus walked.

For example, during the week between Palm Sunday and Easter.

If you can afford it, after studying it, then visit the area yourself.

There are some very steep hills that Jesus walked up and down and when you read the scriptures and walk it the same time of day that Jesus did, it all comes alive.

One of my pastors did that and his writings that ties in what Jesus did and saw and described, PLUS linking the Old Testament to the New Testament … about Jesus sitting and the role and posture of judges. Brings the whole of Jesus’ life to … life.

I have told this pastor that when he finished talking that I had actually felt that I had been there myself at the same time that Jesus had walked there.

Find small individual “topics” and see how much you can study and focus on one small thing.

For example, explore EVERY aspect of the expression : “Son of Man”. You could write a whole book just about that. Consider the origin of the Aramaic.

If I had the time, I would study Hebrew.

Read “Biblical Archeology” and related magazines.

If you have cable, watch “The Naked Archeologist”. It’s a Canadian Jewish guy who walks all over the Holy Land and charms people into letting him into restricted sites and he stands there stands where Jesus stood. He may be Jewish, but he tracked down the actual house where he thought Jesus actually lived. Up on the wall was a hand print in the mortar wall. And with great reverence, he said, that if this was Jesus’ actual house, then … and he put his hand in Jesus’ possible hand print.

Read Joan Carol Cruz’ amazing books, such as “Relics” and “Eucharistic Miracles”.

Amazing books.

During his visit to the Holy Land, Pope John Paul II did his ceremonial appearances and they were turning to return to the airport. And he asked if he could visit the actual site of Jesus’ crucifixion which was not too far away. This was unplanned. He was in bad shape, medically and physically. It took a few minutes to clear everyone out of the way, but the Holy Father limped up the narrow path and dropped to the ground on the actual place where Jesus died.

The path to salvation is through the cross.