I believe that reading and studying the Bible is more prevalent today than ever before in the history of the Church. That's good news as well as bad. It's good news because the Bible is one of two vehicles through which God has chosen to reveal Himself.

In the 1st century, Saint Paul in his second letter to Saint Timothy declared, "Every scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, in order that the man of God may be fit fully equipped for every good work." In the late 4th (early 5th) century, Saint Jerome, perhaps the greatest scripture scholar ever, declared in his commentary on the Book of Isaiah, "For ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ." In the 20th century the Vatican II Council in Dei Verbum (the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation) declared, "Easy access to sacred Scripture should be provided for all the Christian faithful." Today, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 104), quoting Vatican II, declares, "In the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet His children, and talks with them." Most of us enjoy and look forward to talking with our earthly father. Do you realize that each one of us should carry deep within us a burning desire to talk with our heavenly Father?

The big increase in Bible reading and studying can also be viewed as bad news. Too many Catholics chose to read and study it without using their Catholic eyes, ears, head, and heart. The Bible does not and cannot interpret itself. Jesus established His Church. One of its primary responsibilities is to preserve and infallibly interpret God's public revelation: Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture. CCC 95, quoting Vatican II, declares, "It is clear therefore that, in the supremely wise arrangement of God, sacred Tradition, Sacred Scripture, and the Magisterium of the Church are so connected and associated that one of them cannot stand without the others. Working together, each in its own way, under the action of the one Holy Spirit, they all contribute effectively to the salvation of souls."

Saint Paul gave us four reasons for reading and studying the Bible: to teach, reproof, correct, and train in righteousness. The Bible can teach us about God and His plan for our salvation. It can be a source for correcting those who intentionally misinterpret or distort the teachings of Christ and His Church. We can use the Bible, tactfully, to help our family, friends, and fellow citizens to rid themselves of sinful habits, immoral behavior, and misguided views of what's right and wrong. Finally, it can help us become holy. The Holy Spirit, the author of Sacred Scripture, says in Heb 12:14, "Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord." I want to see the Lord; don't you? Reading and studying the Bible can help us with this most worthy goal.

If you read a book that thoroughly captures your attention and interest, who would be the most insightful person you could talk to about the book's intricacies and message? The author. Not only is the Holy Spirit the author of the Bible, He is its primary interpreter. All Christians agree with this statement. Unfortunately, this is where agreement on Bible interpretation ends.

Other Christians believe that the Holy Spirit will infallibly guide their private interpretation. They are wrong. Our first Pope stated in 2 Peter 1:20-21, "First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."

Catholics do not rely on private interpretation. We believe that the Holy Spirit interprets Sacred Scripture through the Church. CCC 112 states, "Sacred Scripture must be read and interpreted in the light of the same Spirit by whom it was written."

Vatican II gave us three criteria for interpreting the Bible.

1. Be attentive to the content and unity of the whole Scripture. If you pluck one verse from the Bible and ignore the surrounding verses in order to support a personal belief or to win an argument, you will distort God's word and mislead others. When someone throws a verse at you that appears to deny a Catholic teaching, ask that person to read aloud the five to seven verses that precede and follow their verse. Many of the 30,000 plus Christian denominations got their start through the misinterpretation of a single passage of Scripture.
2. Read the Scriptures within the living tradition of the whole Church. Sacred Tradition, which flowed from the teaching of the Apostles, preceded the written word found in the New Testament. In addition, many of the early saints and doctors of the Church learned directly from the Apostles or their disciples. These early Christians gave us endless insight into the meaning of God's written word. Do not ignore the traditional interpretations of Bible passages like many of today's so-called biblical scholars do.
3. Be attentive to the analogy of faith. By "analogy of faith" the Church means the coherence of the truths of faith among themselves and within the whole plan of Revelation. No one can accurately interpret the Bible if he ignores the teachings of the Church. For example, if we find a Bible verse that appears to deny the doctrine of purgatory, our eyes, ears, head, and heart should tell us that our interpretation is wrong. We know that purgatory exists, because the Church has always taught its existence.

Read the Bible daily; but read it with your Catholic eyes, ears, head, and heart. Read it with a copy of the Catechism at your side. Read it in light of all the Tradition and history found in God's 2000 year old Church.