When was the last time you cracked the binding of your family Bible? I have to admit that our family Bible doesn't get opened much anymore. Oh, my personal Bible is opened every day, but since my daughters graduated from high school, my family hasn't read the Scriptures together. (We hear them at Sunday Mass, but we're often at different Masses.)
My own experience makes me wonder about how many other families read the Bible on a regular basis. Here is my challenge for your family/household: Crack open your Bible at least weekly. Whether it's your big family Bible (you know, the one you and your husband received at your wedding or the one you received when your first child was baptized), your personal Bible, or even if you have to go out and buy a new Bible, put it on your kitchen table and open it up at least once a week. (I'll do a separate posting on suggestions for purchasing Bibles.)
Here are some tips for reading the Scriptures together as a family:
- Don't let your fear of not knowing what's what keep you from opening your Bible. Start with the Table of Contents; there you will find a listing of the books of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Together count the number of books of the Old Testament, then the number of books of the New Testament. Notice the breakout of the books of the Old Testament: The Pentateuch, the Historical Books, the Wisdom Books, the Prophetic Books. Look at the breakout of the books of the New Teevelation.stament: The Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, the New Testament Letters or Epistles, the Catholic letters (if you have a Catholic Bible), the Book of Revelation.
- Decide what to read. You have choices! You can simply open your Bible and begin reading where your eye lands first. You can begin with a specific book; what book are you curious about? You can follow along with the Church's Lectionary, the Sunday or daily readings. (Click on the USCCB Readings and Psalms for the Month icon on the left menu.)
- A word about chapter and verse notations...Bible passages are noted with the name of the book, the number of the chapter, and the number of the verse(s). For example, if you see something like "Mt 13:1-23," the "Mt" is the initials for the book (in this case, Matthew), the "13" before the colon is the chapter number, and the "1-23" is the verses of the passage; so you would open your Bible to the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 13, verses 1-23. (If you are unsure about the initials of the book noted, Google the passage or go to www.biblegateway.com and search the initials to find the book it is referencing.)
- Read the passage reflectively. Read the passage through slowly one time. Let family members just listen to the words and sit quietly with them for a moment. Then read the passage slowly again. Invite family members to speak one word or phrase that stood out for them; just the word or phrase. Read the passage slowly a third time. Invite family members to dialogue about what they hear from this passage. This is a process of Lectio Divina, Divine Reading. It is a wonderful way to hear what God is speaking to you through the passage.
Remember that there is no wrong way to read the Bible! No matter what you read or how you read it, if you just read a passage and reflect on it, you will be hearing God's Word.
This week, begin making time at least one time per week to read your Bible. I promise you that it will unite your family with one another and with God.
If you have Bible reading practices that have worked with your family, share your thoughts in "Comments."