Do a Bible Study
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Many of us are intimidated by reading the Bible. It can seem outdated and not applicable to our modern times. But nothing could be further from the truth. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us that " All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." WOW! That's a pretty tall promise, but that's exactly what the Bible is full of - promises.
Why? It is ingrained in our nature by God to desire good (or righteousness). None of us wakes up in the morning thinking "Who can I hurt today?" On the contrary, our inclination is to help others and make their life a little better through a kind word or deed. But in order to understand who God created us to be, we need to read his word and allow ourselves to be filled. Jesus tells us in Matthew 4:4 that “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
We are constantly bombarded with information "you need to know!" But how do you decipher fact from fiction? Ephesians 4:14 says "We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming." Reading God's word keeps us from becoming easily swayed (tossed about) by every report on the local news or post on social media. We don't have to take someone else's word as Gospel truth; we have God's word as our foundation of truth!
What to Expect? Fend off those feelings of intimidation by the big book with small print. Reading the Bible from front to back as a storybook sounds like a good idea, but our enthusiasm can quickly diminish. Using a guided bible study or other resources will allow you to walk through small sections of the bible at a time; whether it be by topic, a particular book of the Bible, or the daily mass readings, which allows our minds to take in the information in small bites and apply those truths to our daily life. Below are a few resources that are a great place to start.- The Little Black Book-Six Minute Meditations on the Sunday Gospels of Lent is our gift to each family of the parish and will be distributed after all the masses on February 14th at both Holy Family and St. Augustine parishes. It contains scripture and short meditations each day from February 14th thru April 4th, 2021.
- The Word Among Us is similar to The Little Black Book, however, it contains all of the readings for the day, not just the Gospel. It also offers a reflection based on the readings and is available by paid subscription.
- USCCB.org offers daily readings and video reflections by email. Subscribers receive a daily email with the readings for that day as well as a video reflection to help understand and apply them to daily life.
- Walking With Purpose is an organization that offers bible studies for women and girls that can be done as a group or individually. St. Augustine and Holy Family host a women's bible study group. Learn more HERE.
- Momnipotent: The Not-So-Perfect Woman's Guide to Catholic Motherhood. "Too many moms feel disillusioned and overwhelmed. Many moms quietly resign themselves to the idea that peace, happiness, and joy are things they need to find in spite of motherhood, not because of it."
If you ever feel discouraged remember these words:
"The voice of truth tells me a different story. The voice of truth says do not be afraid. The voice of truth says this is for My glory. Out of all the voices calling out to me, I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth.
Casting Crowns
The Voice of Truth
