In this Issue

Bible Basics

Romancing the Word

Barbara's Column

Nancy Lee Walters, the One who Helps us Keep it All Together

Recommended Reading

From the Director

Good News Briefs

The Scenic Route

GOOD NEWS BRIEFS

The new study, Pilgrim People, will be available in August. The commentary was written by Clifford Yeary and the study guide by Catherine Upchurch. Wrap-up lectures for the five sessions will be provided by Catherine Upchurch, Linda Webster, and Clifford Yeary. This is a good opportunity to explore one of the most basic spiritual lessons of the Bible – we are all pilgrims and we are not alone.

A Year of Sundays 2011and Un Año de Domingos 2011 will also be released in August. These reflections on the Sunday Gospels (as well as on the Gospels of Christmas Day, Ash Wednesday, and the Triduum) are used by many as spiritual energizers for their week. Consider ordering them for all in your Scripture study groups as well as those who are in the RCIA and other parish activities.

Little Rock Scripture Study continues to work with the Petrie Catholic Community outside of Brisbane, Australia, to promote and distribute LRSS materials in that region of the world. This group, Evangelization Resources Down Under, has a new director, John Tasker. John and his adult daughter Julie visited the offices of LRSS in the spring to share ideas for further development and to continue to forge a strong relationship in ministry. Visit their website: www.erdu.com.au.

114 people attended the Bible Institute June 18-20. Pauline Viviano, PhD, helped the group explore the creation accounts in Genesis and to understand the church’s approach to creationism, intelligent design, and evolution. Make plans now to attend next year’s Bible Institute July 8-10, 2011. Plans are currently being finalized. Watch our website for more information.

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The Scenic Route

Informational and Enrichment Workshops offer clear information, hands-on experience, and practical tips for establishing and growing Bible study using LRSS materials and methods. For very little expense, a diocese can arrange to host a workshop that will benefit parishes throughout the diocese. For more information, contact: Susan McCarthy, RDC, P.O. Box 7565, Little Rock, AR 72217; (501) 664-6102 or (501) 366-5691; or by email at smccarthy@dolr.org.

Exhibits:

June 26, 2010
New York Catholic Bible Summit
New York, NY

October 22-23, 2010
University of Dallas Ministry Conference
Dallas, TX

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LIttle Rock
Scripture Study

Direct editorial questions or ideas to:
Susan McCarthy, RDC
LRSS Office
P.O. Box 7565
Little Rock, AR 72217

www.littlerockscripture.org

Editor: Susan McCarthy, RDC

Managing Editors: Kris Isaacson, Deb Lampert-Pflueger

Contributors: Susan McCarthy, RDC, Cackie Upchurch, Macrina Wiederkehr, OSB, Clifford M. Yeary

Translators: Maria Teresa de Bourbon, RDC, Rosa Maria Icaza, CCVI

The material in this newsletter may be reproduced only with the consent of Little Rock Scripture Study.

Bible Basics

This is the third and final part of a series intended to assist readers to better understand how Catholics approach the Bible.

Divine Inspiration of Scripture

Clifford M. Yeary

The Bible is a library of seventy-three different books. Forty-six are in the Old Testament (of which there are seven accepted by Catholics as part of what is called the "Deuterocanon," but which are not accepted by Jews or Protestants) and twenty-seven in the New Testament (which virtually every Christian denomination accepts). Catholics, like most Christians, believe every book of the Bible is divinely inspired. But what does divine inspiration mean?

Inspiration literally means "breathed into." Before the advent of writing, all words were spoken words, and therefore always carried on the breath of the speaker. Building on that concept, divine inspiration of Scripture means that God has breathed into the written words of the texts in such a way that God is truly the author of the books of the Bible. The humans who wrote the biblical texts, however, are no less the authors of their works than are the human authors of texts that are not divinely inspired. Divine inspiration does not mean dictation. The human authors were not merely secretaries, writing down word for word what they “heard” God speaking to them (see Dei Verbum 11-12).

While we can't possibly go inside either the mind or heart of the biblical writers and study just how inspiration works, we can read their words and know how human they are. St. Paul, in Second Corinthians, is a man struggling to win back the hearts and minds of a Christian community he fears is in danger of rejecting his apostolic authority. He writes to them as their apostle, but apostles are human and nowhere else in Paul's writings are we shown so vividly how very human he is. Paul’s words are very much his; he has obviously selected them according to well recognized styles of rhetoric of the time in order to win over the hearts and minds of the Corinthians. They are also the words of a man under psychological stress, because the risk of losing the Corinthians is a risk he is unwilling to bear.

Recognizing the power and purpose of the divine inspiration of Second Corinthians takes nothing away from the letter's intimate association with Paul, the human author. It might, however, make us ask what divine inspiration (authorship) really means if it doesn’t mean dictation. First of all, it means that God speaks to us not only using human words, but using the fully human voice of the human author. God’s inspiration works through the whole human author, not just the author’s words, in communicating the divine message to us. Inspiration employs the human author’s personality, education, cultural and historical setting, literary talents, etc.

God has a purpose in inspiring Scripture, and that is to communicate the message concerning God’s efforts to redeem us and to transform our lives in and through the life, death, and resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. The human authors were people of their times, places, and cultures. They wrote using a wide variety of literary styles prominent in their time but which must be carefully identified and accounted for in interpreting their message for modern times. They often held unscientific understandings of the world and nature and wrote without an acquaintance with the strict research standards expected of modern historians. Divine inspiration did not alter their unscientific understandings and worked freely with the literary styles chosen by the human authors.

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God is for us always

A Reflection on Psalm 90

Macrina Wiederkehr, OSB

      Lord, you have been our refuge through all generations.
      Before the mountains were born,
      the earth and the world brought forth,
      from eternity to eternity you are God. Ps 90:1-2

Eternity is a long, long time. Perhaps it is even what we might call a never ending story. One of my earliest memories of theological reflection is sitting in our backyard when I was about ten years old pondering eternity. Try as I might, I just couldn’t figure out how God could possibly have no beginning and no end. To no avail, I would try to think back as far as forever. It was a fascinating and exasperating exercise. I would finally surrender all efforts to solve this mystery and move on to more manageable pastimes.

Psalm 90 begins with my childhood quandary: "from eternity to eternity you are God." I smile as I recall author James Finley suggesting that "when you try to figure out the unfigure-outable you get a headache." A good observation! Better to take a deep breath and reach for the hand of mystery. However, even in my grown-up years I still find the psalmist’s assertion that we have been sheltered in the mind and heart of God before the mountains were formed, both comforting and unfathomable.

      A thousand years in your eyes
      are merely a yesterday,
      But humans you return to dust,
      saying, “Return, you mortals! v.4

Swiftly the tone of the psalm changes from a consoling/encouraging stance to a somber attitude. We move from that reassuring reminder that God has been our refuge from all ages to the sober reality of the shortness of our lives. Suddenly we are invited to struggle with the eternity of forever in contrast to the brief, ephemeral nature of our lives. We who have made such a god of time must face its fleeting temperament.

Perhaps this seemingly harsh proclamation is, in reality, not such bitter news after all. Is it not an honest appraisal of our brief, time bound days? Does not the Eternal One who cherished us in our coming, cherish us in our going as well? If we fade away and wither like the grass have we not been tenderly held in the hands of God in all of the space between birth and death? Although it is true that, for God, a thousand years is a mere glimpse into our human history, I believe that brief glimpse is a glance of love. One moment of God’s love is enough for our liberation. So perhaps it is sheer grace to be reminded that we arrived in love and we depart in love.

      You have kept our faults before you,
      our hidden sins exposed to your sight. v. 7

Not only are we reminded that we, who have been in God’s heart forever will fade like the grasses of the field; now it is announced that our sins are not hidden from the sight of the Creator. Although it may appear that the time has arrived when we should bow low with discouragement I insist that even pondering God’s anger can be healthy. Anger can flow out of love. The Lord knows our potential for good and wants us to be all we were created to be.

As I reflect on my own sinfulness dwelling alongside my desire for good, I am heartened with the memory of times when even God has a change of heart. God may relent and leave behind a blessing, the prophet Joel tells us (Joel 2:14). Many times that has happened in my own life when faced with the discouragement of choosing my own will rather than the will of God; I stumble into blessings even in the midst of my wrong choices. God can use even our blunders and allow good to flow from them. Then, too, if I feel oppressed with the thought of God’s anger I can always find comfort in the arms of the Divine by glancing back into other psalms, "This I know: God is on my side" Ps 56.

Thus I began to understand that even though the psalmist leads us on a journey where we must embrace our fragility; all this is to assist us in gaining wisdom of heart. It is in the midst of our daily struggles that we begin to see the face of the One who has sheltered us before the mountains were born.

We end this psalm with a tone of trust, for surely it is a better prayer to ask for joy through all our days than to complain about the fleeting nature of our lives.

      Fill us at daybreak with your love,
      that all our days we may sing for joy. v.14

Yes, Lord, we name those vulnerable times of our lives as the cherished moments that taught us how to call upon your name.

Your next word to romance is John 6:30-35.

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Scripture Study and the Practice of Christian Virtues

Barbara Fleischer

Running late to a piano concert she wanted to attend, a visitor to Manhattan asked a person on the street, "How do I get to Carnegie Hall?" The New Yorker replied, "Practice, practice, practice!" So, we might ask a similar question, how do we get to the Kingdom of God "among us." The answer is the same, "Practice, practice, practice!" And what do we practice? The Christian virtues!

Virtues are those attitudes and habits of the heart that make our Christian faith visible through our actions in our everyday lives. When we practice Christian virtues, we bring the Gospel pages to life in our neighborhoods and families. Examples of these virtues are hospitality, humility, forbearance, compassion, gratitude, and courage to act for justice. There are many more, but these are a few that can help point the way to full Christian living.

In the context of our LRSS gatherings, we learn to practice Christian virtues in a number of ways. First, Scripture study itself clarifies and highlights the ways we should live our lives. The story of the ten lepers who were cleansed by Jesus, with only one returning to give thanks (Luke 17: 11-19), for example, highlights the importance of gratitude for the many gifts, large and small, that God gives us each day. Jesus’ confrontation of the unjust practices of scribes and Pharisees, who burdened the poorest in the community with financial and ritual obligations (Matt 23:4), provides an example of the virtue of courage to speak out in truth and justice, despite the possible consequences. And throughout the Gospels we see the compassion of Jesus reaching out to those who are hurting and suffering all kinds of illnesses. “At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with compassion for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt 9:36). The study of Scripture heightens our awareness of the central Christian virtues.

But our Scripture study groups also provide us with the opportunity to practice Christian virtues, even as we gather together. We may practice hospitality, for example, by reaching out to those in the group who may be new or whom we know the least. We also practice hospitality as we listen to others carefully, setting aside our own cares of the day to make a “hospitable” place in our minds and hearts for what others are saying. Our hospitality in listening may be expressed outwardly by acknowledging what we have heard and by listening "actively" with encouragement and invitations for the speaker to express his or her full thought.

We can practice gratitude in our groups by thanking others for their sharings that have shed new insights for us. We do this by letting others know how their comments have helped us see a passage or a situation in new light. We may also thank our facilitators and hosts for the work they have done to make our Scripture study possible and pleasant.

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Nancy Lee Walters, the One who Helps Us Keep it All Together

This article is another in a series on the lives and work of those on the LRSS staff.

Perhaps you are one of the lucky people who have called our Little Rock office and been greeted with the warm words, "How can I help you?" If so, you have most likely spoken with Nancy Lee Walters, the Customer Service Representative for Little Rock Scripture Study.

For nearly twenty-five years, Nancy Lee, a Kansas native (and proud of it!) has worked directly with customers and with the customer service reps at Liturgical Press. In fact, Nancy Lee helped to train the original LRSS customer service folks at Liturgical Press so they would be familiar with our materials, process, typical customer questions, etc. Over the years, Nancy Lee has encouraged and supported many of our customers who were just beginning groups in their parishes or were looking to resolve an issue.

But Nancy Lee does much more than answer the phone and deal with interested customers. She serves as the "right hand" for all the various work and activities of LRSS staff members. For exhibits and workshops, Nancy Lee orders the materials and collects money from sales; for the retreat and Bible Institute, she helps with the advertising and the registration of participants; and most importantly, she is our "hostess with the mostest," always providing gracious hospitality.

Actually, it is this last part of her job description that Nancy Lee seems to enjoy the most. She is a "natural" at welcoming guests and planning meals and social activities. Our LRSS staff relies on her for this.

In her life away from the office, Nancy Lee and husband Tony, relish time with their family, especially their grandchildren, and when possible they enjoy traveling. Nancy Lee is an avid reader and wonderful handicrafter. Her entries in the State Fair seem always to be medal-winners!

Co-worker Cliff Yeary says of her, "Nancy Lee approaches her passion for helping Little Rock Scripture Study users with the same enthusiasm she has for being a grandmother—it's part of the very fiber of her being. It never seems like a job Nancy Lee is doing, it's always done because it's part of her life."

LRRS Director Cackie Upchurch adds, "Every organization needs someone who just enjoys all the small and large ways that service can be given. Nancy Lee is that person for us. She sees where she can be of help, where an extra touch of "glue" will hold it all together better, and she jumps right in to provide it."

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Recommended Reading
Summer Reading – Something for Everyone

Cackie Upchurch

I have a friend who is often trying to cut back on her calorie intake and when she is offered a scrumptious dessert, she’ll just as often say "Get behind me, Satan!" I can’t imagine anyone who would have trouble grasping the meaning. However, I do know plenty of people who don’t know that these words originally appeared in the Gospel of Mark as a rebuke of Peter. Timothy Beal, a professor at Case Western Reserve University, is a skilled author and essayist who makes the case that in western society, we do well to know our Bibles. In his book Biblical Literacy (HarperOne), Beal takes up a review of the major stories of the Bible to help us identify the well used language and imagery of our culture that is drawn directly from the Bible. It’s a fun read and would make a delightful book for the summer.

One volume of a series known as Engaging Theology is simply entitled Scripture: History and Interpretation (Liturgical Press). The rather dry title doesn’t do justice to the richness of the information contained in its pages. Dianne Bergant, CSA, wrote this book two years ago, but I’ve just gotten around to reading it and enjoyed it very much. It’s one of those books that helps to clearly articulate everything from the environment in which the various books of the Bible emerged, to the methods used to interpret Scripture, to the key lessons we can hope to find there. It’s a slim volume packed with good material. You’ll want to keep it on your bookshelf even if just to brush up on essential lessons for understanding the Bible.

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From The Director

Cackie Upchurch 

Recently, as I was preparing to talk with a campus ministry group I was reminded of a few truths I have come to appreciate about God’s call in our lives.

First, every person is called by God who has a loving purpose for our lives. Our call does not depend on being worthy or talented or even good. It depends on God, it comes from God, and it is oriented to God’s purpose.

Second, God tends to use our best attributes and tends not to work against our personal talents and interests. When we answer God's call, it should build on our interests and talents and lead to our deepest contentment. That doesn’t mean it won't be challenging from time to time, but God wants happy disciples.

Third, the more we come to know ourselves in God's presence, the more we will be able to see God’s direction in our lives. And while that is unfolding, we can be confident that God is still shaping our hearts and minds and imaginations.

Fourth, we are never called simply for our benefit. We are called in the midst of God's people and will find our deepest response to God in service to others, whatever shape that may take.

During these summer months, I plan to continue discerning how God is deepening my call, and how I may better respond. I hope to select a few biblical characters and pray with their stories to see what more may unfold. Maybe you can reflect on your call too?

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