Praying with or studying the Bible?

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Now, on to my question…I have a working knowledge of scripture, mostly to growing up as a baptist, not necessarily due to personal interaction. But, I need to grow in my realtionship with Christ. I have recently started going to (mostly) daily Mass. I go to (almost) weekly confession. But the two biggest areas I fail in are praying and reading the Bible.
My priest suggested praying with the Bible at least 10 minutes in the morning and praying the Rosary daily. I understand the rosary (though I haven’t followed through on this everyday, as of yet, but I struggle with praying with the Bible.
The Question I have is this…what is the difference between praying with the Bible and studying. And, since I have little personal interaction with the Word of God, if they are different, which should I do more or exclusively? And if I simply pray before reading in the morning for the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment and just read for a bit in the Bible…would that be what I need? If I’ve never read the whole bible, would it be advised for me to follow the year long plan offered on the CHNI website.

I’m just kind of lost I guess and any suggestions or advice would be well appreciated. Thanks!
 
Praying with the Bible begins with the realisation that the Bible is not a text to be studied as one would a science or math or history textbook, but a personal love letter from God to His people.

And its words are to be cherished, savoured, pondered over in the way one cherishes every word of a love letter one receives. You read it in order to feel and experience something of God as well as to intelletually understand His message.

It’s easiest to start with a short passage of the Gospels - I’ll use the example of this Sunday’s Gospel reading, which is good vivid stuff (John the Baptist beginning his ministry in Matthew 3:1-12).

As you read it, slowly, picture yourself in the scene in as much detail as you can. Maybe you’re the Baptist himself, trying to wake those around you up out of their spiritual apathy. Maybe you’re a bystander hearing his words and being challenged by them.

I would find it helpful to imagine myself actually saying his words and really meaning each one, or else him looking me square in the eye and addressing each word to me personally.

Stop at any phrase or sentence that particulary strikes you. What does that phrase or sentence make you think and feel? About yourself, about what is currently happening or has happened in the past in your life, about anything? Bring it to God in prayer.

For example, one thing that strikes me on reading it is John talking about being baptised with the Spirit and with fire. Because I’ve been feeling a bit lukewarm in my faith recently, my prayer might go something like ‘Lord, rekindle the fire of your Spirit in me, the fire with which you have promised to baptise us.’ And I might make a resolution to begin feeding that fire by spending more time in prayer (one of the things I’ve been slack about).

Then you might move on and slowly continue reading the reading, stopping again for other phrases or sentences that strike you and praying over them, until you’ve reached the end of the passage.
 
I started my Bible/prayer practice by getting up in the morning 20 mins earlier than normal. I use a daily Mass reading guide (from LTP) and I read the scripture readings every morning. You can read the readings and then contemplate them and try to apply their meaning to your day. I added structured prayer later on, in the form of ‘The Liturgy of the Hours.’ I now get up about 45 min - 1 hour earlier, but I compensate that with cutting out an hour of TV at night and try to go to bed earlier. Good luck, any time that you give the Lord in the morning (and or in the evening) will add to your spiritual life!
 
Yes, reading each days Mass scriptures from a Missal is a good approach.
 
This does help to clarify the issue of praying with the bible. But should I also be reading the bible in large, or medium, size portions to learn more about the Bible in general? In other words should I be systematically reading through the Bible following one of many plans available, in addition to this praying with it?
 
This is a great discussion. Thanks to all contributors.

The type of reading recommended is Lectio Divina.

But is there a place for Bible study in the Catholic Church? Should we try to get a deep meaning of the text? Is there a place for scholarship in Catholicism?
 
buzzoff1031 said:
This does help to clarify the issue of praying with the bible. But should I also be reading the bible in large, or medium, size portions to learn more about the Bible in general? In other words should I be systematically reading through the Bible following one of many plans available, in addition to this praying with it?
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I’ve been reading through the new Ignatius Catholic Study Bible (New Testament) when I have time. It has great commentary notes, and I am reading it cover to cover, usually 2-3 chapters a day as I have time. You can also attend a regular Bible study class at your parish (if they have one).
 
Bump…sort of. If I follow the plan offered here, would I be able to practice Lectio Divina using something that jumps out at me from that day’s readings?
 
I asked
But is there a place for Bible study in the Catholic Church? Should we try to get a deep meaning of the text? Is there a place for scholarship in Catholicism?
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This question has been ignored.

Thus this implies that here in CA it is considered there is no place for Bible scholarship in the Church.
 
NoelFitz said:
I asked

“But is there a place for Bible study in the Catholic Church? Should we try to get a deep meaning of the text? Is there a place for scholarship in Catholicism?”

This question has been ignored.

Thus this implies that here in CA it is considered there is no place for Bible scholarship in the Church.
Click to expand...
Then I’ll step forward and address it (although the fact that your question is posted within an entire CA forum devoted to Sacred Scripture with hundreds of Catholic participants engaged in regular scholarly discussions seems to sufficiently answer your question).

Bible scholarship is an important aspect of the Church. Scholarly knowledge enhances ones understanding and appreciation of God’s revelation. It also makes the reader aware of the artistry and poetic nature of the Holy Spirit which is embodied in the text. Because such artistic nuances may be lost when the Bible is translated from the original Hebrew and Greek, we can learn about them through good Bible study programs (except in the rare occasion when someone happens to already be a scholar of such ancient languages - I’m certainly not).

Bible scholarship also helps us know the context of each book in the Bible which, in turn, enhances our understanding of Scripture.

Bible scholarship has also helped me spot certain connections in Scripture (which were not lost in translation) that I did not catch on my own. For example, I have always been aware that Adam was the primordial gardener who was supposed to watch over God’s creation. But through disobedience he botched the job, causing himself and all creation to fall from grace. Likewise I have always been aware that the Bible teaches that Jesus is the “New Adam” whose death and resurrection reconciles fallen creation to the Father.

But even though I was already familiar with these basic teachings, it was through Bible study that I recognized the beautifully simple and profoundly poetic ways that the Bible teaches these truths. In light of this, consider the following things: The disobedience of Adam was expressed in a garden (Eden), and the obedience of Jesus was expressed in a garden (Gethsemane). When Mary Magdalene spotted the resurrected Jesus, she at first mistook him for “the gardener.” Although I have read these Bible passages all my life, it was through Bible study that I came to learn and appreciate the deeper significance of them. This is just one of many examples that I could cite.

Simply put, I have found that Scripture study and Scripture meditation compliment one another.
 
Eric
many thanks for your profound and inspiring reply.

There must be room for scholarship in the Church, This means truth is important for Catholics.

But it often seems this is not the case and reputable scholars are exorciated by Catholics without biblical training.

I have seen Raymond Brown (who was a member of the Pontifical Biblical Commisssion) and Luke Timothy Johnson condemned.

The fact that you are the only one to defend serious biblical study in the Church does seem to indicate the lack of respect for Scripture learning.
 
NoelFitz said:
Eric
many thanks for your profound and inspiring reply.

There must be room for scholarship in the Church, This means truth is important for Catholics.

But it often seems this is not the case and reputable scholars are exorciated by Catholics without biblical training.

I have seen Raymond Brown (who was a member of the Pontifical Biblical Commisssion) and Luke Timothy Johnson condemned.

The fact that you are the only one to defend serious biblical study in the Church does seem to indicate the lack of respect for Scripture learning.
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I have many non-Catholic friends who have spent a life time in bible study, often in church sponsored groups.
First impressions are that they really know and love their bible. They are proud of the certificates of achievement awarded for their knowledge.
My parish and none of the other parishes within travelling distance have ever offered bible study classes and sad to say, there is no real demand for it.
Hence in my own case, I have to source reliable material and do it on my own.
Thankfully there is now a lot of very good material from various sources.
Perhaps we badly need local qualified leaders who could take classes in the parish, or should it fall squarely on the parish priest?
Mike
 
BW

thank you for your honest reply. I agree with you to a great extent.

Here in Ireland there are Bible courses offered in adult education centres. Some of these are quite expensive, some not so. Thus courses are available if one wants them. But is the demand and respect for scholarship there?

Do the few replies to this discussion shows a general lack of interest in serious Catholic Bible study?
 
Bible study is important for Catholics. I think that the biggest debate among Catholics (particular on CA Forums) is which bible study materials (i.e., which scholars) to rely on. There is concern by more traditionalist Catholics that modern bible scholars using the historical-critical methods of scholarship undermine Christian faith. For that reason, they caution against such scholars as Raymond Brown, Joseph Fitzmeyer, Luke Timothy Johnson, John Meier, Jerome Neyrey, Daniel Harrington, etc., etc. I don’t share their categorical rejection of contemporary bible scholarship. Any of the scholars listed above are excellent in my opinion. Raymond Brown (a faculty at Union Theological Seminary in NY and a Sulpician priest), now deceased, was probably the finest New Testament scholar in the English language at the time of his death.

I commonly use a bible commentary for my personal study. Right now, I’m working my way through the commentary on Mark’s gospel in the Sacra Pagina series, which is very good.
 
buzzoff1031 said:
Bump…sort of. If I follow the plan offered here, would I be able to practice Lectio Divina using something that jumps out at me from that day’s readings?
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The point of this thread has been ignored…not that the present debate or discussion is unnecessary, but the question is stated in the above quote. I hope I’m not coming accross as rude as that is not my intention. But I am looking for an outside opinion on this particular question, as that was my point in starting the thead. Then, feel free to discuss the place of biblical scholarship in the Church.
 
From Pope Benedict XVI new document Verbum Domini:

The prayerful reading of sacred Scripture and “lectio divina”

The Synod frequently insisted on the need for a prayerful approach to the sacred text as a fundamental element in the spiritual life of every believer, in the various ministries and states in life, with particular reference to lectio divina.[290] The word of God is at the basis of all authentic Christian spirituality. The Synod Fathers thus took up the words of the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum: “Let the faithful go gladly to the sacred text itself, whether in the sacred liturgy, which is full of the divine words, or in devout reading, or in such suitable exercises and various other helps which, with the approval and guidance of the pastors of the Church, are happily spreading everywhere in our day. Let them remember, however, that prayer should accompany the reading of sacred Scripture”.[291] The Council thus sought to reappropriate the great patristic tradition which had always recommended approaching the Scripture in dialogue with God. As Saint Augustine puts it: “Your prayer is the word you speak to God. When you read the Bible, God speaks to you; when you pray, you speak to God”.[292] Origen, one of the great masters of this way of reading the Bible, maintains that understanding Scripture demands, even more than study, closeness to Christ and prayer. Origen was convinced, in fact, that the best way to know God is through love, and that there can be no authentic scientia Christi apart from growth in his love. In his Letter to Gregory, the great Alexandrian theologian gave this advice: “Devote yourself to the lectio of the divine Scriptures; apply yourself to this with perseverance. Do your reading with the intent of believing in and pleasing God. If during the lectio you encounter a closed door, knock and it will be opened to you by that guardian of whom Jesus said, ‘The gatekeeper will open it for him’. By applying yourself in this way to lectio divina, search diligently and with unshakable trust in God for the meaning of the divine Scriptures, which is hidden in great fullness within. You ought not, however, to be satisfied merely with knocking and seeking: to understand the things of God, what is absolutely necessary is oratio. For this reason, the Saviour told us not only: ‘Seek and you will find’, and ‘Knock and it shall be opened to you’, but also added, ‘Ask and you shall receive’”.[293]

In this regard, however, one must avoid the risk of an individualistic approach, and remember that God’s word is given to us precisely to build communion, to unite us in the Truth along our path to God. While it is a word addressed to each of us personally, it is also a word which builds community, which builds the Church. Consequently, the sacred text must always be approached in the communion of the Church. In effect, “a communal reading of Scripture is extremely important, because the living subject in the sacred Scriptures is the People of God, it is the Church… Scripture does not belong to the past, because its subject, the People of God inspired by God himself, is always the same, and therefore the word is always alive in the living subject. As such, it is important to read and experience sacred Scripture in communion with the Church, that is, with all the great witnesses to this word, beginning with the earliest Fathers up to the saints of our own day, up to the present-day magisterium”.[294]

For this reason, the privileged place for the prayerful reading of sacred Scripture is the liturgy, and particularly the Eucharist, in which, as we celebrate the Body and Blood of Christ in the sacrament, the word itself is present and at work in our midst. In some sense the prayerful reading of the Bible, personal and communal, must always be related to the Eucharistic celebration. Just as the adoration of the Eucharist prepares for, accompanies and follows the liturgy of the Eucharist,[295] so too prayerful reading, personal and communal, prepares for, accompanies and deepens what the Church celebrates when she proclaims the word in a liturgical setting. By so closely relating lectio and liturgy, we can better grasp the criteria which should guide this practice in the area of pastoral care and in the spiritual life of the People of God.
 
The documents produced before and during the Synod mentioned a number of methods for a faith-filled and fruitful approach to sacred Scripture. Yet the greatest attention was paid to lectio divina, which is truly “capable of opening up to the faithful the treasures of God’s word, but also of bringing about an encounter with Christ, the living word of God”.[296] I would like here to review the basic steps of this procedure. It opens with the reading (lectio) of a text, which leads to a desire to understand its true content: what does the biblical text say in itself? Without this, there is always a risk that the text will become a pretext for never moving beyond our own ideas. Next comes meditation (meditatio), which asks: what does the biblical text say to us? Here, each person, individually but also as a member of the community, must let himself or herself be moved and challenged. Following this comes prayer (oratio), which asks the question: what do we say to the Lord in response to his word? Prayer, as petition, intercession, thanksgiving and praise, is the primary way by which the word transforms us. Finally, lectio divina concludes with contemplation (contemplatio), during which we take up, as a gift from God, his own way of seeing and judging reality, and ask ourselves what conversion of mind, heart and life is the Lord asking of us? In the Letter to the Romans, Saint Paul tells us: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (12:2). Contemplation aims at creating within us a truly wise and discerning vision of reality, as God sees it, and at forming within us “the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16). The word of God appears here as a criterion for discernment: it is “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12). We do well also to remember that the process of lectio divina is not concluded until it arrives at action (actio), which moves the believer to make his or her life a gift for others in charity.

We find the supreme synthesis and fulfilment of this process in the Mother of God. For every member of the faithful Mary is the model of docile acceptance of God’s word, for she “kept all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Lk 2:19; cf. 2:51); she discovered the profound bond which unites, in God’s great plan, apparently disparate events, actions and things.[297]

I would also like to echo what the Synod proposed about the importance of the personal reading of Scripture, also as a practice allowing for the possibility, in accordance with the Church’s usual conditions, of gaining an indulgence either for oneself or for the faithful departed.[298] The practice of indulgences[299] implies the doctrine of the infinite merits of Christ – which the Church, as the minister of the redemption, dispenses and applies, but it also implies that of the communion of saints, and it teaches us that “to whatever degree we are united in Christ, we are united to one another, and the supernatural life of each one can be useful for the others”.[300] From this standpoint, the reading of the word of God sustains us on our journey of penance and conversion, enables us to deepen our sense of belonging to the Church, and helps us to grow in familiarity with God. As Saint Ambrose puts it, “When we take up the sacred Scriptures in faith and read them with the Church, we walk once more with God in the Garden”.[301]

vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben-xvi_exh_20100930_verbum-domini_en.html#The_God_Who_Speaks
 
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