Reading the Bible

[Magdalena59]

I was talking to a friend at work the other day who made the comment, “I didn’t think Catholics read the Bible.” Of course I defended as I could that more are reading it today and that we read through the Bible everyday at mass but I am curious. Are Catholics getting better at reading the Bible, so if I could get answers that would be great.

Do you read the Bible, how often and do you do Catholic Bible studies?

 

[JRKH]

Sad to say I don’t read it much…
I listen to the readings at mass and am currently engaged in a bible study on the internet…But I’m not as engaged in reading the bible as I ought to be.

Peace
James

 

[GLam8833]

The readings from the pulpit cover the gospels in three year cycles,
but the rest of the readings do not cover the whole bible in three
years, not even close. You have to do your own bible-a day planned
reading if you want to cover the entire bible! I would suggest using
protestant resources, I use Our daily bread, you will read the entire
protestant bible in a year, and start over in Jan 1 of next year.
It is helpful to be armed with scripture knowledge if you are a disciple
of Christ, who told us “I send you out as sheep among wolves”!(Matt 10:16)
And who would go into the fray w/o a weapon? The Bible is
our “sword of the Spirit”(Eph 6)

 

[sousley]

I was talking to a friend at work the other day who made the comment, “I didn’t think Catholics read the Bible.” Of course I defended as I could that more are reading it today and that we read through the Bible everyday at mass but I am curious. Are Catholics getting better at reading the Bible, so if I could get answers that would be great.

Do you read the Bible, how often and do you do Catholic Bible studies?

Unfortunately, laxity in Scripture reading is a cultural issue today; one seen by Catholics and Protestants alike. I know many Protestants that don’t remember whether or not they own a Bible and Catholics that are “pretty sure” they know where theirs is.

While the issue of indulgences is a touchy subject in dialogue at times, the preface of my 1914 DR states “An indulgence of 300 days is granted to all the Faithful who read the Holy Gospels at least a quarter of an hour. A Plenary Indulgence under the usual conditions is granted once a month for the daily reading.” So the Church has been encouraging the faithful for sometime.

Further, we are encouraged to pray the psalms (liturgy of the hours) and are offered daily Mass. There have been many great studies in the recent past: Little Rock, Salvation History, The Great Bible Adventure along with JPII focus on New Evangelization. Personally, I’m into Scriptures at least an hour daily.

 

[tawny]

Sad to say I don’t read it much…
I listen to the readings at mass and am currently engaged in a bible study on the internet…But I’m not as engaged in reading the bible as I ought to be.

Peace
James

I read the Bible daily. I start with a book & read it through. I am fortunate that my parish offers Bible Studies throughout the year. We have the class on Thursday nights & we discuss the upcoming readings of the Sunday Mass.

 

[Magdalena59]

The readings from the pulpit cover the gospels in three year cycles,
but the rest of the readings do not cover the whole bible in three
years, not even close. You have to do your own bible-a day planned
reading if you want to cover the entire bible! I would suggest using
protestant resources, I use Our daily bread, you will read the entire
protestant bible in a year, and start over in Jan 1 of next year.
It is helpful to be armed with scripture knowledge if you are a disciple
of Christ, who told us “I send you out as sheep among wolves”!(Matt 10:16)
And who would go into the fray w/o a weapon? The Bible is
our “sword of the Spirit”(Eph 6)

Thanks I agree, except I wouldn’t suggest reading protestant resources as they can lead one astray. There is a Catholic One Year Bible and many Catholic Bible studies but you’re right we need to be armed with scripture knowledge. One good one for Catholics is Patrick Madrid’s “Where is that in the Bible?”

God bless.

 

[Eileen_T]

I usually have a bible near my computer desk, one in my car and four in my bedroom. I have several different translations so I can compare verses to help me get a better understanding.

Fr Larry Richards tells people “No Bible, no breakfast, no Bible, no bed.” That made a big impact on me.

It was working with several Christians, as the only Catholic, that had me reading the Bible with greater frequency because, when they questioned me about my Catholic beliefs I realised I had to ground them in Scripture.

 

[Granum_Frumenti]

The readings from the pulpit cover the gospels in three year cycles,
but the rest of the readings do not cover the whole bible in three
years, not even close.

Yes. I’ve occasionally heard before that the three-year cycle covers the entire Bible, but some looking will show that this statement is untrue. I wonder how this idea got popularized; it sounds appealing, but checking it isn’t very hard.

You have to do your own bible-a day planned
reading if you want to cover the entire bible! I would suggest using
protestant resources, I use Our daily bread, you will read the entire
protestant bible in a year, and start over in Jan 1 of next year.

Thanks I agree, except I wouldn’t suggest reading protestant resources as they can lead one astray. There is a Catholic One Year Bible and many Catholic Bible studies but you’re right we need to be armed with scripture knowledge. One good one for Catholics is Patrick Madrid’s “Where is that in the Bible?”

God bless.

I’ll leave recommendations to others, but there are multiple Catholic resources for reading the entire Catholic Bible in various time periods, whether one year or otherwise.

Over the years, I’ve come up with a few yearly plans (always based on existing plans, never starting from a blank slate). I’ve lately come up with one which especially appeals to me; I just have to follow it more consistently.

 

[JRKH]

Yes. I’ve occasionally heard before that the three-year cycle covers the entire Bible, but some looking will show that this statement is untrue. I wonder how this idea got popularized; it sounds appealing, but checking it isn’t very hard.

You know - I’ve wondered that myself.
For instance - I don’t recall sitting through a reading of “begats” (except at Christmas).
Also I don’t recall hearing a lot from the more historical books like 1st and 2nd Kings etc.

Makes me wonder though - just how much of the bible IS covered in the three year cycle.

Peace
James

 

[Magdalena59]

You know - I’ve wondered that myself.
For instance - I don’t recall sitting through a reading of “begats” (except at Christmas).
Also I don’t recall hearing a lot from the more historical books like 1st and 2nd Kings etc.

Makes me wonder though - just how much of the bible IS covered in the three year cycle.

Peace
James

I believe you need to go everyday to mass. I am not saying I know if every single thing is read but I know I catch a lot more when I include daily mass. It is hard to do that of course if you work.

 

[JRKH]

I believe you need to go everyday to mass. I am not saying I know if every single thing is read but I know I catch a lot more when I include daily mass. It is hard to do that of course if you work.

That would be wonderful…Of course working tends to interfere with that…

Peace
James

 

[kkollwitz]

Every day/ self study/ no overarching pattern or system.

 

[Granum_Frumenti]

Yes. I’ve occasionally heard before that the three-year cycle covers the entire Bible, but some looking will show that this statement is untrue. I wonder how this idea got popularized; it sounds appealing, but checking it isn’t very hard.

You know - I’ve wondered that myself.
For instance - I don’t recall sitting through a reading of “begats” (except at Christmas).
Also I don’t recall hearing a lot from the more historical books like 1st and 2nd Kings etc.

I didn’t include specifics in my final draft of that post, but this is one of the methods of “looking” or “checking” that occurred to me. If you have enough experience of the Bible, you will recognize over three years that there are parts that go unheard. (The other major one was to compare the lectionary citations to the contents of a Bible.)

Makes me wonder though - just how much of the bible IS covered in the three year cycle.

I was wondering myself and checked one site without success. Then I realized tonight that I had been looking at the wrong site.

What I had in mind is “Lectionary Statistics” on the wide-ranging Catholic Resources for Bible, Liturgy, Art, and Theology site by the Rev. Felix Just, S.J.

How much of the Bible is included in the Lectionary for Mass?
Not as much as you might think, yet far more than was included in the Roman Missal before the Second Vatican Council!

According to the tables, of the verses of the Old Testament (not counting psalms), 3.7% are used on “Sundays & Major Feasts” and 13.5% on “Sundays & Weekdays.” The figures for New Testament verses are respectively 40.8% and 71.5%.

 

[dluna]

I am reading the Bible a few chapters a day. I love reading it though sometimes the laws make me sleepy.

 

[Granum_Frumenti]

According to the tables, of the verses of the Old Testament (not counting psalms), 3.7% are used on “Sundays & Major Feasts” and 13.5% on “Sundays & Weekdays.” The figures for New Testament verses are respectively 40.8% and 71.5%.

I should’ve added this to my last post here: I don’t know the figures for the Liturgy of the Hours, although I’ve done a little searching. I imagine, though, that the equivalent percentages are higher, particularly for the Old Testament.

In other words, depending on how you mean “Catholics reading the Bible,” someone may be able to get quite a bit of it from praying the Hours, or at least those hours with the most biblical content.

 

[Iheartcoffee]

I love reading the Bible! Scott Hahn’s website is a great way to help study scripture.

 

[hadulzo]

Currently enrolled in the archdiocease of chicago scripture school. In my first of four years. Ptogram is great, lots of new friends, learning a lot about scripture. If your diocease has this program take it!

 

[InNomineDomini]

Magdalena,

You may be interested in an article Fr. Dwight Longenecker wrote on this subject, which you can find here: patheos.com/blogs/standingonmyhead/archived-articles-2/3549-2/more-christianity/why-dont-catholics-read-the-bible.

I absolutely love reading the Scriptures, but I also love to read about theology and spirituality and prayer and history and many other things as well.

Some types of Protestants may be rather conversant with the Scriptures, but their lack of knowledge in other areas of religion may make their understanding of Scripture rather superficial. The average Reformed Christian, for example, may besmirch the idea that a Word of Faith Protestant is particularly Scriptural in their understanding of faith, no matter how often the latter reads the Bible.

I think this underlines something very true: faith formation is the result of many causes.

 

[PJM]

=Magdalena59;11708478]I was talking to a friend at work the other day who made the comment, “I didn’t think Catholics read the Bible.” Of course I defended as I could that more are reading it today and that we read through the Bible everyday at mass but I am curious. Are Catholics getting better at reading the Bible, so if I could get answers that would be great.

Do you read the Bible, how often and do you do Catholic Bible studies?

Me personally?

I have read the bible cover to cover 4 times and the NT several additional times.

PLUS having attended daily mass for many years have heard it and have had it explained to be many more times

 

[McCartney]

I generally read specific parts online when I want to cross reference something.

However, recently I started reading Genesis. I found it quite interesting especially the footnotes.