St. Josemaria Escriva on the Importance of Scripture

A reading of the Pope’s recent apostolic exhortation, Verbum Domini, reminds us of how frequently the popes, the fathers, the doctors, and the saints have urged us Catholics to read and reflect on Scripture—and how sluggish our response has been!  

Verbum Domini has been released by the Vatican and can be read in its entirety here in PDF format OR
online @ The Vatican Website.

I know the stereotype is that Catholics aren’t interested in Scripture. In many places and at many times the stereotype holds true. I hope this is changing!  But if Catholics are not interested in Scripture, it is not from a lack of exhortation from the most authoritative representatives of the faith.
St. Josemaria Escriva, a recently canonized saint, is a good example of the reverence for Scripture that lies at the heart of the faith:

“When you open the Holy Gospel,” St. Josemaria wrote, “think that what is written there—the words and deeds of Christ—is something that you should not only know, but live. Everything, every point that is told there, has been gathered, detail-by-detail, for you to make it come alive in the individual circumstances of your life.

“God has called us Catholics to follow him closely. In that holy Writing you will find the Life of Jesus, but you should also find your own life there.

“You too, like the Apostle, will learn to ask, full of love, ‘Lord, what would you have me do?’ And in your soul you will hear the conclusive answer, ‘The Will of God!’

“Take up the Gospel every day, then, and read it and live it as a definite rule. This is what the saints have done” (The Forge, §754). 

Perhaps the greatest advice I took to heart was to make Scripture a habit. Whether you want to incorporate baby steps or make a grand leap into your Bible here are some suggestions for weaving more and more Scripture into your days . . . .

• Make it a habit to read the readings of the day or just the Gospel reading of the day.
• Pre-read Sunday's readings and then utilize the Navarre commentaries or chose a trusted commentary online to help you prepare for the next Sunday
• Look up your "Birthday Scriptures" and be sure to read all around it so you understand the context. For example - if your birthday is on May 8 you would look up chapter 5 verse 8 in the books of the Bible. Find the one(s) that you really like and memorize it (them)
• Read the parables
• Read Scripture with the Early Church Fathers and look up the Bible passages cited.

• Participate in a solid Catholic Bible Study like Great Adventure or Epic (more Church History but incorporates Scripture) Stay away from Cornerstone! 
• Read the Gospels with the help of the Navarre Bible commentaries
• Pray the Liturgy of the Hours / Divine Office

SOURCES:

 Dr. John Bergsma 
St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology 
Divine Office online
Commentary on Pope Benedict XVI's Verbum Domini @ Catholic.org
Verbum Domini @ The Vatican Website

From the Office of Readings for Holy Saturday

Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.

He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: ‘My Lord be with you all.’ Christ answered him: ‘And with your spirit.’ He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: ‘Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’

I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.

For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.

See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree.

I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.

Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.