The Beauty of Scripture

26/7/2020

Our separated brothers and sisters (the protestants) will often place emphasis on scriptures. In fact, they very much believe only in sola scriptura. But what about us? Do Catholics also see scripture the same way?

Definitely. Our faith is very much based on scriptures and traditions. In fact, I will quote Pope John Paul II here: "The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures just as she venerates the body of the Lord. She has always maintained them, together with sacred Tradition, as the supreme rule of faith, since as inspired by God and committed once and for all to writing, they impart the word of God Himself without change, making the voice of the Holy Spirit resound. For in the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven meets His children with great love and speaks with them." (Dei Verbum #21)

God really speaks through scriptures and He speaks to us in personal ways. It is not a static, historical account of the past but it is very much alive in the present moment as well. In it, God comes to us in great love which present to us an opportunity to respond. Pope Benedict XVI explains that, "The desire for God includes love for the Word in all its dimensions because in it, God comes to us and we to Him." (Verbum Domini #32) The Word, after all, is food for the soul and source of spiritual life.

So how do we read and understand scripture, especially those of the Old Testament? Pope Benedict continues to provide some fundamental criteria in Verbum Domini #34 in that:
(i) the text must be interpreted with unity of the whole of Scripture,
(ii) it must be in line with Traditions of the Church, and
(iii) it must have respect for the analogy of faith*.

In the past few weeks, my hunger for Scripture has definitely grown as I come to discover how much beauty there is to it! Of course, I still sometimes struggle with understanding certain passages in the OT especially when the writers refer to God as someone angry and just, but I know that is not His nature so to also look at it in a different context and trying to connect with the cultural background of those times. With this newfound interest and changed method of approaching the Bible, I am excited to see how else is God speaking to me. I hope you too, can find joy in reading Scripture!

*The analogy of faith has always been associated with the one unchanging faith of the Church. The early Church fathers saw that the New Testament complements the Old Testament and in which each particular truth contributes to the inner unity of the entire Christian revelation. Thus the phrase came to indicate a rule or guide for the exegesis of Scripture. In difficult texts, the teachings of tradition and the analogy of faith must lead the way. (Catholic Answers, 2019)

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