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| A promise of summer |
When he got home away from the crowd
his disciples questioned him about the parable.
He said to them,
"Are even you likewise without understanding?
his disciples questioned him about the parable.
He said to them,
"Are even you likewise without understanding?
Periodically I will ask a group of Christians or Catholics to “Open your bibles to” this or that book or epistle; and the response will come from someone, “Is that in the Old or New Testament?”
While I am glad the student knows there are two testaments, I am nonetheless astonished at the general ignorance of Christians about the ABC’s of our religion. They might as well ask if China is in Asia or Africa, or chickens are fish or fowl. How can a Christian pretend to know Jesus and not be familiar with the scriptures?
Jesus found that same lack of comprehension among his disciples. He spoke as clearly as possible, using imagery, stories and proverbs that everyone must understand; and yet they did not get it.
But their ignorance was rooted more deeply than a general lack of education; they could not fathom his teaching. They could not see the Kingdom of God. They were too busy fishing, collecting taxes and memorizing scripture verses to see what was going on around them. Trapped in cycles of work and survival like their forebears in Egypt, they had forgotten the God who abides with his people.
Some years ago I attended a class about meditation. When the instructor spoke about paying attention to one’s breath, I told her, “I cannot do that; I always end up gasping like a fish out of water.”
She looked at me strangely. Now I know why – but it took a while. I had to learn how to observe my breath without control. It’s really very simple although it seemed impossible at the time.
Likewise we must spend time with Jesus to recognize the Kingdom of God. We have to live there with him, breathing its purity, savoring its sweetness, suffering its restrictions, trusting its demands and believing its promise to feel its fullness.
Well to let you know, students in Catholic schools today are learning more about Scripture. In my day in grade school, we didn't. I teach sixth graders Old Testament, seventh graders New Testament and eighth graders Church History. The sixth grade memorizes the categories and titles of OT books. Just today were reading about the Exodus. Seventh grade really gets with it. They have to learn each Gospel writers' purpose and audiences. I tell them most of their parents won't know this, but you can help them learn too. So for me, I have at least an elementary understanding of the layout of the Bible. But there is always so much more to learn.
ReplyDeleteI have always had a desire to learn. When I was in a public high school, so many years ago, in the 1970s. I took a class called Bible Literature. I was the only Catholic kid in with all the preachers' kids. I remember going to the pastor and asking if it was ok for me to take the class if I promised to read the family Catholic Bible too. I only got a "B" in the class; Ms. Hamilton was a tough teacher.
As a catechist, I know God reveals Himself to us in Scripture, Eucharist, community and the priest. How can people not want to read scripture? To know scripture is to know God.