THE LIVING WORD (BIBLE SUNDAY)
BY THE FINAL SCENE in the Book of Job, the title character has been stripped to the core. Everything he thought he knew about life and God, religion and morality, righteousness and just rewards, politics and philosophy, has been ripped away from him, along with his family, his wealth, social standing and everything else. Finally he is able to come to God and simply let God be God. Similarly the blind beggar in Mark’s gospel came to Jesus in the street, simply knowing God being God in Christ and asking Christ to open his eyes. All is restored and more to Job and to the blind beggar the moment they let go all sense of self-righteousness and instead trust completely in God. This is the meaning too of the psalm, where the ‘poor soul’ of the singer-poet cries from the depth of her/his being and is heard.
There is much to interest us and teach us in reading the Bible. But to keep it only on the level of mind and intellect would be tragic, stifling to our life’s walk with God. No doubt, this Bible Sunday there will be enough debate in churches and outside them about Scripture and which translations are best and what we can learn about being a Christian, living a ‘good life’ etc. Fine. But if it ends there, then it won’t bring anyone any closer to the living God. You have heard the Bible described as the ‘living word’ and for sure it has the power to give us life. So let’s make an intention from today, if it’s not already done, to read a little every day, not just with the brain and its questions but with our ‘poor souls’. Read a few sentences, not too much, 3 or 4 times, slowly, letting go the need to know, just asking God to open the eyes of our souls.
Tonnau Duw ('God's waves') Fr Tim Ardouin 