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Homily for the Third Sunday of Easter

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No recording this week, and the recording for the Fourth Sunday of Easter was not usable due to a microphone hardware problem.

As Catholics, we frequently get accused of not being “in the Bible”, and that’s sadly a valid concern for many Catholics. We might have a Bible or two at home, and may even read it once in a while, but do we really understand what the Scriptures are telling us? The challenge for us is to become familiar with the Scriptures while allowing the Church to interpret them for us.

Sometimes we might feel like the disciples on the road to Emmaus. We might know a handful of Scripture passages, and might be able to pick out a few favorite ones we feel really speak to us. The rest of the book, however, feels unfamiliar and confusing. We feel like we need someone to open it up, and there may even be a hunger to do so. The number of Bible studies in Malta really speaks to that desire.

As Catholics, this desire to open the Scriptures and truly understand this sacred and powerful book is a great thing. The Bible truly is the Word of God, revealed to us by God working through the great figures in salvation history, such as Moses, the prophets, and even Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. If we want to know God’s plan for our eternal life, the Bible will help us find the answers we need.

Of course, there is a challenge when studying the Scriptures. Though the Bible is the revealed Word of God, it was recorded by people of a different time and culture for people of different times and cultures. It wasn’t even totally clear to people of Jesus’ time, as we see by the reaction of the disciples to Our Lord’s explanation of the Scriptures. If it wasn’t clear to them, who lived in a culture very similar to that which many books of the Old Testament, how can we expect it to be clear to us who live 2000 after the last words were written?

The answer is that we can’t expect it to be clear on our own. Like the disciples, we need to have the Scriptures interpreted for us. We need someone to guide us and help us understand what we’re reading. For this reason, we have the teachings of the Church to guide us and make Our Lord’s words clear so that we may live out His commands and follow His example. Just as St. Peter explained how King David’s Psalm pointed to the resurrection of Jesus, St. Peter’s successor, the Pope, and the bishops in union with him are our guides to understanding how the Scriptures relate to our lives today.

It is very important when studying the Bible to use the teachings of the bishops and Pope to aide in interpreting the Scriptures. Unfortunately, there is one word of warning that needs to be mentioned. There are a number of Bible studies throughout Malta that are open to anyone for participation, regardless of Christian denomination. While this is a good thing to be encouraged, just be aware that there can be elements within these studies that are contrary to what Christ has revealed through the Church. These Bible studies are occasionally even used to promote other denominations, and can be used to challenge the teachings of the Catholic Church.

The easiest way to overcome this problem is to also have a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and to become familiar with it. Then, when questions come up, you have a resource that can provide a clear idea what the Church teaches and believes.

As Catholics, we need to be in the Scriptures daily and allow the Church to help us understand them. May we allow the Word of God to enter our hearts and burn within us as it did for the disciples.