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February 21, 2019Basic steps in building a Bible resource library
The infinite riches of the Holy Scriptures can bless us in many ways. Depending on what you are searching for there are dozens of resources to assist you. Here are 12 approaches to the Word of God and other books that might be helpful.
Ways in which the Bible can bring us closer to God
Using the Bible as our primary prayer book is when we have a conversation with God. We praise and worship God by offering in prayer his Holy Word. This is the idea behind the Breviary, or Liturgy of the Hours, to join together as Church in worshiping God with the same Psalms, canticles and readings. Liturgy of the Hours is a selection of biblical passages and prayers organized for purposes of private or communal prayer.
Using the Bible as our guide for the Eucharistic liturgy – when we celebrate the Eucharist, the Mass, the readings – will always point us toward the Lord in a unique way for that celebration. Our lectionaries, the Bible divided up into various reading portions in a three-year Sunday cycle or a two-year weekday cycle and our personal missals and missalettes that contain the appropriate portions of the lectionary can help with this. There also are hundreds of lectionary commentaries that can help you better understand the theme for the Mass for any given day.
Using the Bible as our first stop for reflection or meditation helps us embrace God present in his Word. We have been blessed with many books that guide us and lead us on the ancient and proven practice of Lectio Divina .
Using the Bible for a better understanding of our faith occurs when we seek to better understand the Lord’s truth and wisdom that has been transmitted to us through the Church. Combining our study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible help us down this path.
Ways in which the Bible can help bring us closer to his Word
Follow the life of Jesus in the Gospels. The various lives of Christ can help in this study; study the lives of other people connected with Christ, begin in the New Testament; choose a topic connected to our lives as disciples of Jesus Christ and see what the Bible says about it. Search the deeper meaning of the words used by Christ in scripture. Your biblical vocabulary will improve.
Ways in which we can study the Bible; begin with the New Testament- A book study of the New Testament. Who was the human author? When and why was it written? What are the key verses?
- A chapter-by-chapter study of any New Testament book. What are the key themes and topics for that chapter?
- Verse-by-verse study within the context of any given chapter. What is God saying in that verse in that context?
- A personal summary of each book of the New Testament. How would you, in your own words, sum it up?
If you have any favorites let me know by sending me an e-mail – pmoreno@archokc.org. In the future, I’ll include some of your recommendations.
Everyone should have some basic resources at home to assist and guide in their personal Bible study and reflection. Here are a few suggested resources:
- “Catholic Bible Dictionary,” Scott Hahn;
- “Dictionary of the Bible,” John L. McKenzie, S.J.;
- “Ignatius Catholic Bible Study,” series of booklets;
- “A Catholic Introduction to the Bible,” O.T.;
- “The Navarre Bible,” commentary on the Bible;
- “New Testament Basics for Catholics,” Bergsma;
- “You Can Understand the Bible,” Peter Kreeft;
- “Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture,” wonderful series;
- “Making Sense Out of Scripture,” Mark Shea;
- “Essential Guide to the Holy Bible,” USCCB;
- “Scripture Footnotes: The Worlds of Jesus,” George Martin;
- “The Paulist Biblical Commentary,” a one-volume commentary.
