Biblical Catholics
There is a Billboard on the opposite side of Mahim Church in the city of Mumbai, India, where I live. Passing by yesterday, I commented to my friend sitting in my car with me, that the board obviously was owned by a Catholic, as I've always seen Scripture Passages on it whenever it was not sold to an advertiser.
My friend's reply shocked me - It was obviously not a Catholic, she reasoned, but a Christian. She then proceeded to ask me if I read the notice boards outside most Churches in the city. "Have you ever read Scripture on them?".
Witty sayings, yes. Religious thoughts, definitely (though not always, I inwards grimaced). But Scripture? I honestly could not remember a single Catholic Church I had passed by in Mumbai city, which had Scripture verses on it's notice board.
My friend then sealed her case with - "You see, if it belonged to a Catholic, you'd see pictures of Saints or some such".
While I disagree with my friend that this is a hard and fast rule - I had to acknowlegde that it was generally the case.
And I wondered - why is it that we Catholics are not as rooted in Scripture as our Christian brethren?
True, we don't believe in Sola Scriptura (only Scripture) but we do believe that the Word is God! (Jn 1:1) - so if most of us can recite 10 prayers from memory, either rosary based, or prayers of protection to angels etc - why is that most of us don't know even 10 Scripture verses by heart?
I love the Catholic Church. After many years of self study of Apologetics, I truly believe the Catholic Church is the true Church founded by Jesus through His apostles. I love the tradition of the Church, I cannot get enough of the Sacraments that we, as Catholics, are so priveledged to have.
But it deeply pains my heart that many Catholics do not give Holy Scripture the rightful place in their hearts and lives.
To end, let me quote Scott Hahn from his beautiful testimony "Rome Sweet Home", one of my favorite books that I first read almost ten years ago, where he talks of his conversion from Presbyterian Pastor to Catholic:
"The foundation for the Catholic's life must be the sacraments, especially the Eucharist...
Let's face it, many of these non-Catholics put us to shame, With Bible in hand, plus lots of zeal, they do far more with less than many Cahtolics who have the fullness of Faith in the Church but who are famished and fast asleep. We share with them so much truth about Christ in the Scripture; but what they lack is nothing less than the real and substantial presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
To state it simply, they study the menu while we enjoy the Meal! And too often, we don't even know the ingredients, so we can't share the recipe.
Is the Lord asking too much from Catholics to do more - much more..?"
Are we up to the challenge? Can we not read and study Scripture? Most of our Churches have Bible Study groups - if we only took the time to find out when it is and to attend them seriously.
Praying for more Catholics to be rooted in Scripture,
November 2007
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