A book like no other
October 5, 2023 - Thursday, 26th Week in Ordinary Time
Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11
Psalm 19 begins with declaring the greatness of God (see Ps 19:2-7), then, it moves into praising the Lord for the gift of the Torah - the teaching of the Lord. The Torah begins with the story of creation (Gen 1-2) and ends with the people of God about to enter the promised land (Deut 32:49). And by its end, we hear this powerful proclamation from Moses: “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess” (Deut 32:46-47).
The psalmist declares that the Torah of the Lord gives joy to the heart. What makes you happy? The psalmist describes God’s teaching as refreshing the soul. For many people, however, God’s commandments are seen as a burden. The psalmist states that the decrees of the Lord give wisdom to the simple. The contemporary atheistic movement considers them as an obstacle to knowledge. The precepts of the Lord bring joy to the psalmist. Many people consider them outdated and boring. For the psalmist, the command of the Lord enlightens the eye. For many people in the contemporary world, God’s commandments curtail their freedom. And the idea that the fear of the Lord could be associated with wisdom is outlandish.
But, let us look at the Bible with the appreciation of the psalmist. It is composed of different books. There is the Torah - the first five books ascribed to Moses; there are the historical books that describe the conquest of the promised land, the establishment of the monarchy, and the loss of the promised land. There are prophetic books that warn people of God’s judgment and call them to repentance but also encourage them to trust in God because His love is everlasting. There are the wisdom books that teach us how to live in obedience to God and the Psalms that teach us how to pray. As we move to the New Testament, we encounter the story of Jesus Christ from his miraculous birth to his even more miraculous resurrection and ascension into heaven. Then, we have the story of the early Church followed by the apostolic letters. Finally, the last book of the Bible reveals to us the heavenly liturgy and the future of God’s creation.
Although written by many different authors over a long period of time, the Bible is inspired by God. That is what makes it so unique. We know countless stories of people who by listening to or reading the Bible got transformed. We know many stories of people who sacrificed their lives for the sake of that Book. This book indeed brought joy to countless lives, refreshed people’s souls, imparted wisdom and enlightened their understanding of life. And it continues to do so. The reason for the incredible power of that book is explained by Saint Paul:
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16).