So, as a member of this Guild you claim to have some tangible stake in what some call “the writing life”. Right? If that is accurate then there some things that you probably ought to think about if you haven’t already done so. I bet you can make statements like: “I love to blog., Writing is my everything., The Lord gave me this gift., I have something to say.” That’s all well and good, but there’s more to it than that! The call (vocation) to speak (type) in public is definitely a gift that sets you apart from others. It is one form of evangelization, especially if you are a person of faith. There’s a question, though, that you should look in the eye every time you put finger to key. What are your sources? You know, how does that topic come about, where did the idea come from, what shapes your point of view? And MOST important; What’s the status of the Word in your life?? The Word is a “muti-tool” like none other and it has a function of sustaining and schooling us that is far beyond just keeping us from going at life willy-nilly without having a clue of what works.
It has been my experience that there are really different camps when it comes to incorporating scripture into our thinking: “I believe it, I’m working on it.” And: “That’s way too hard and confusing isn’t the bible mostly metaphor anyway?” Yes is the answer to ALL of the above. In the life of the believer there are two irreplaceable sources when it comes to making sense of the world around us and the place we have in it. One is the Eucharist and the other is the Word. Scripture is meant to be assistance, encouragement, wisdom and schooling for all situations. It is our primary navigation tool. Pope Benedict taught, “Word and Eucharist are so deeply bound together that we cannot understand one without the other: the Word of God sacramentally takes flesh in the event of the Eucharist…” (from General Audience St. Peter’s Square, April 11, 2012). The Word of God is the school of the spirit. The Word is mystery in its influence and power. Paul reminds us that the Word is actually a living thing: The word of God is something alive and active: it cuts like any double-edged sword but more finely; it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit, or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts. (Heb 4:12-13 Jer. Bible) The Word will shape you and give you perspective that you can’t get any other way. If you want to survive as a believer in today’s crazy world you must be immersed in the word.
In short, you can’t be a person speaking with a Catholic perspective unless you are actively being influenced by The Word as one of your primary sources for living. Do not mistake what I am implying. No you do not have to become an exegete, theologian, scholar or one of those people who carries their bible everywhere. If you are so moved that’s not a bad thing but it’s not what I intend to convey. Rather, for the sake of a perspective that allows you to navigate life rather than be the victim of it, include the Bible as a tangible part of your life. Engage the Scripture regularly. Don’t just nod off at the Sunday or daily readings. Pay attention and note or keep a list of your questions. Look up words you don’t know. Get to know bible locations. Memorize a scripture you like and quote it when appropriate. Read all the scriptures for the day hearing the reading and physically taking in the living Word impact your spirit in completely different ways. Do you realize that when you do that you are in concert with millions of others in the world that day? Pope Frances recently asked us to do that in one of his teachings. The real point here is that Scripture needs to be on your horizon even if you are no expert. The simple ace of casting your eyes on The Word is a holy act. That will strengthen your faith and will shape your perspective to be aligned with God’s thinking. How can that be a bad thing? You’ve heard the old saw that two heads are better than one? Well how about hundreds of heads, saints, witnesses and history are WAY better than one person trying to go it alone? That would be the Bible, source of sanity, holiness and God’s directions.
KathrynCunningham
Kathryn is a retired junior high teacher. A convert with a love for the Church she believes that its teachings have a more than viable application for today's world. She writes practical theological for the people in the pews believing that they have as much right to good catechesis as our youth and converts. Her writings appear on Catholic web sites and local Church publications. She has even been published in the diocese of Australia and most recemtly Zenit. Kathryn holds a Master's in Theology and is a certified spiritual director. Learn more about Kathryn at: www.atravelersview.org
Dearest Ladies: Thank you for your kind and thoughtful comments. I hope you both read Don’s post from 6/13. Consider stretching and lending your talents to the CWG blog. A blog commitment is a great place to sharpen your skills and grow your talent. Janet, the Bible is great at that….putting something in your head that sticks. That’s literally the Spirit schooling us. I am not familiar with the disciples being “upbraided: at the Assention. Jesus leaves them with directions for the future ministry. FYI the Church’s official translations for use are the NIV and the NAB. We have to be careful with translations because sometimes language appears that simply would never have been used at the time. “Upbraided” is one of those. Personally my favorite bible for accuracy of language is the Jerusalem (1986) Bible, not the newest one. This is also Mother Angelica’s favorite. Jerusalem is great because it is only one step in translation from the Latin that Jerome used. Blessings!
This is SO true! And you know, the older I get, or something, the more I find there is to Christ, just speaking of that part of the gospel. Like, on the Ascension, he ‘upbraided’ the disciples (but I think it might be the apostles meant, because it goes on say eleven of them and that’s how the apostles were referred to until they got their replacement for Judas). (And also parenthetically, I really really wonder what specifically upbraiding words Jesus used???). Why did He ‘upbraid’ them? Because some of them hadn’t believed the other apostles who had first seen Christ–they wouldn’t believe them. That’s what the gospel says. I’ve been thinking about it ever since. Why would Christ prefer us to show the tendency to believe an authority (another apostle must have been a kind of authority–a guy you’ve lived with, eaten with, walked with, you know he doesn’t typically suffer from hallucinations, you know he’s reliable, and then, if there were two of them saying it? Four? What kind of person doesn’t believe them, hangs back?)
I think I could get insight from thinking about that that would spill over into my writing, into characters’ minds, into narration. With much good. As opposed to using a popular song as a source of inspiration, or say, in a burst of ecumenism, a pagan god, or a mythical creature.
Gospel as source.
I am writing a sci fi novel in which my good guys (Catholics) are escaping from the colony, are on the run, being pursued by bad guys, when they are all overtaken by an apocalyptic solar storm, and get out of it rather like the Hebrews in flight from Pharaoh’s army. So in this case, the gospel is not only inspiration, it’s the actual plot.
And for writer’s block, there is no better cure than the Bible. Every story ever conceived by man is already within the pages of the Bible cloaked in different words. Mystery, intrigue, deception, sex, lies all of it was written long before we ever thought it up! So use your Bible, use the Word and take in the Eucharist as a unifying and healing bond to Christ. You’ll find all the inspiration you’ll ever need. Who knew?
Kassie