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September 21, 2007
Tips for Reading the Bible as a Family
In honor of St. Matthew the Apostle's feast day, today's article will focus on the Bible. Sacred Scripture should be an important part of Christian family life. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the "Church has always venerated the Scriptures as she venerates the Lord's Body". Since liturgical life is made to point us towards the Eucharist, this should tell us how important Scripture is. I've assembled a few tips to help families engage in Sacred Scripture as much as possible:
- Fathers or Mothers, go to Mass as often as possible and take whoever else can come along - Did you know that at Sunday Mass, four Scripture passages are read and at daily Mass three passages are read ? Many other prayers said during the Mass are also taken directly from the Bible. If you cannot get to a daily Mass, watch it on the television, if possible.
- Read the Scripture passages for Mass before they are read aloud in Mass- this always helps them sink in better; you'll think about them for a greater part of the day.
- Take turns reading a section of the Gospel at night before bed as a family - the Gospels are perfect for reading a short amount of material for everyone to ponder on as they end the day. I've found that the book of Proverbs works well for this too.
- When praying before a meal, select a Psalm of thanksgiving to read aloud - this helps me and my family keep the blessing before the meal fresh and varied.
This last bit of advice comes from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America: decide as a family where you want to read the Bible together. Consider a comfortable room or a special location set aside for this purpose. To help prepare yourself mentally, you might find it helpful to light a candle or sing a religious song before reading Sacred Scripture. Consider using a "family Bible" as well.
I hope you find some of these tips helpful.
God bless,
Daniel
Posted by Daniel at September 21, 2007 5:05 PM
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