The Torn and Tattered Bible

The Torn and Tattered Bible

     I told her I’ll get her a new bible.  This one is so torn and tattered.  “Oh no!”  she replied.  “My whole life was in this.”  We both chuckled but at the same time realized this was true.  We can never get rid of it.  Too, too precious.  

     And so we ponder, how was this bible used, what was its purpose for her, and for us?  She was a woman of truth, always lived for truth and believed the bible was the ultimate source of it.   The truth of God, Jesus, Him and Him crucified and all that emanates from it.  As sacred and holy, inspired by the Holy Spirit, the bible is totally accurate for whatever it presents:  Jesus, His life, His miracles, history, accounts of events and persons.  With it, are lessons to be learned and applied.  

     She had so many decisions to make.  Without consulting in her youth, she often made mistakes and paid the price.  When consulting later in life our protagonist was secure in her decisions and firm in her commitment.  Consulting was required for having children, raising children, moving to a new city, words to find for her relationships, ways to support and help family members and others.  

     Instruction and guidance is one of the most sought out purposes in consulting the bible.   All sorts of adversities and annoyances creep into our lives, daily, weekly and yearly.  Some seem to be permanent daily thorns sticking us that we need to cope with.

Matthew 4:4 “But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Proverbs 6:23 “For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life.”

      Unbeknownst to her at the time of the World Trade Center crash, she was praying the rosary, 9:00 am on September 11.   And praying for world peace at that.  This is a peaceful woman with much concern for others and the world, and I am not sure of the significance here.  Except for the fact that the reality of the world is in stark contrast to God’s peace and intentions.  The response is to keep praying the rosary for that is what Our Lady of Fatima called us to do.  

“Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins.  Save us from the fires of hell and lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy.”

     Sometimes you might hear criticism placed upon the Catholic Church in that our religion is not biblically based.   They just don’t know the church nor the religion.  A priest told me once that if you went to mass daily, you would have read the entire bible in 3 years.  If you went to mass every Sunday, you would have read the entire bible in 7 years.  Two readings are presented during the weekday mass and three readings presented at the Sunday mass.   The mass itself is biblically based assured to me by a friend who has a master’s degree in liturgy. So, upon checking it out in my formative days I did see what he was referring to. The entire mass: The Preface Dialogue, readings of the old and New Testament, The Confiteor, The Gloria, the Nicene Creed, all lead to the most important part of the mass, The Holy Eucharist [Mark: 14].  The practice of praying the Rosary   to God the Father, The Virgin Mary is entirely biblically based.  The various scriptural rosaries affirm this too.  

     Personal discernment results from reading the bible.  There is so much deception, so much deviance, so much dishonesty that poses as truth.  The propaganda we hear daily on TV, news journals, government agencies, ads of all kinds is mind boggling.  Discernment is the ability to judge well.  From reading the bible it becomes the ability to grow in wisdom, understanding and knowledge.  It allows you to cut through all those false ideologies and ideological preachers [political or religious] coming across as emerging superstars.  The recent ones even win Nobel Prizes, and carry within them messianic complexes.  

Hebrews 5: 14 - “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. 

Matthew 24: 4-5 - “Jesus answered and said to them, “Take heed that no one deceives you.  For many will come in My name saying, “I am the Christ,” and will deceive many’.”  

     Even a popular recent presidential couple have been removed from their pedestal by our discerning bible reader to which we refer.  Correction, two of those couples.  False apostles, false prophets and counterfeit spirits other than the Holy Spirit are increasingly emerging in these last days.  

     As the bible in the New Testament is the story of Jesus Christ, what better way to know him than what is recorded there.  First thing to learn of our religion in the catechism of the Catholic church is known, love and serve the Lord.  And hearing his word is to give us direction and courage in our walk with him.  

Romans 10: 17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

      Realize too that disciplining your mind and using your time wisely is probably the worthiest use of reading the bible.  This is especially so as you reach retirement years.  You won’t get soft in the mind as it keeps it focused on Him, His life and Him crucified.

      And not only was our heroine’s whole life in this, her future life may very well be taking a new turn.  After 7 decades on this planet and without a formal education beyond high school, plans are in place to visit Greece, Israel and the Middle East.  Why is that? There is an education to receive through the bible.  It is replete with lessons of culture and history throughout and has motivated us to visit the Holy Land.  Quite the benefit.  

Psalm 78: 3-4 “stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.”