Understanding the Bible: 10 points for fruitful Scripture reading

1. Bible reading is for Catholics. Our church encourages us to make reading the Bible part of our daily prayer lives. Reading these inspired words (the word of God) we can grow deeper in our relationship with God and others.
2. Prayer is the beginning and the end. Reading the Bible is not like reading a novel or a history book. We should begin with a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and minds to the word of God. What does the story mean? How does the story applied to my life? We want the message of the Bible to change our lives for the better. Peace, joy, love, kindness, patience, understanding, gentleness and self-control will be the fruit of our prayerful reading.
3. Selecting a Bible. Look for the New American Bible (Catholic edition). A Catholic edition will include all 73 books of the Bible along with introductions and notes for understanding the text. This translation of the original Hebrew and Greek texts, is the one we use at mass.
4. The Bible is a library of books. The Bible is a collection of 73 books written over the course of many centuries. The books include poetry, history, fables, prophecy, Royal history, and some unique forms of writing like a ‘gospel’. The Bible contains challenging letters in the New Testament to struggling faith communities who have just heard about Jesus. Knowing the genre (type of literature) of the book you are reading will help you understand the meaning the author is trying to convey.
5. The Bible is not a history text, a science book, or a political manifesto. It is the story of God's loving relationship with the people he has called to intimacy with himself. It is not intended to be read in a literal way. It is not accurate in offering us scientific or historical information. It is accurate in teaching us the truths that we need to know for the sake of our salvation.
6. Do not take passages of the Bible out of their context. What happens before and after-even in other books of the Bible-helps us to understand the true meaning of the text.
7. The Old and the New Testaments are related. The Old Testament, sometimes called the Hebrew Scriptures, and the New Testament, sometimes called the Christian Scriptures, shed light on each other. The New Testament writers are often trying to bridge the gap between God's revelation to the people of Israel and the coming of Jesus Christ, his life death and resurrection.
8. We do not read the Bible alone. We are joining those faithful men and women who have meditated on God's word in the Bible, taken it to heart and put it into practice in their lives. We read a viable within the tradition of the church and benefit from the holiness and wisdom of all the faithful living and deceased.
9. What is God saying to me? The Bible is not addressed only to long dead people in a faraway land. It is addressed to each of us in our own unique situations. When we read and reflect, we need to understand what the text says and how the faithful have understood its meaning in the past. In light of this understanding, we then ask: "what is God saying to me?"
10. Reading isn't enough. The Bible is not just words on a page. Our work is not done until the word of God changes our perspective and draws us into action in our lives. Then the word of God is living and effective.

The 4 Steps of prayerful reading with Scripture or LECTIO DIVINA

1. LECTIO: Read a Scripture passage aloud slowly. Notice what phrase captures your attention. Be attentive to its meaning. Pause silently.
2. MEDITATIO: Read the passage aloud slowly again, reflecting on the passage. Allow God to speak to you in the silence of your heart through the passage.
3. ORATIO: Read the passage aloud slowly a third time, allowing it to be your prayer or response to God’s gift of insight to you. Pause silently.
4. CONTEMPLATIO: Read the passage aloud slowly a fourth time, now resting in God’s word.