Well, the New Year is upon us and with it comes the traditional time for the making of (what we hope will be) life-changing resolutions. The most common of these, of course, is losing a significant amount of weight (or at least enough weight to get into at least some of the clothes that are gathering dust in your closet. I have a theory about my closet that something in there is causing my clothes to shrink, but I need to develop my thesis a little more before I can publish). Another common resolution is that of finally getting organized: planning meals, finances, general time management, and not unexpectedly running out of clean underwear usually fall under this heading.
Well, if you've seen my physique or my underwear drawer, you can safely assume I'm of no help to anyone in either of these first two areas. But one resolution I do have some suggestions is also a common one this time of year: to start reading the Bible in a meaningful way.
Right away we can dismiss the most common mistake people make in this area: resolving to start at Genesis and read all the way to the end of Revelation. This is an almost sure recipe for failure. Most people who blithely and with good intent start out in this manner, almost invariably get bogged down in Leviticus or so (around the third book of the Bible) when they run into all the long chapters of dietary laws and prescriptions for animal sacrifice. With eyes glassed over, they end up laying the Bible aside to resume it's previous function as a dust collector. Don't do this.
If you go to the web-page connected to this blog, you can find an article I did on "Getting Started" in reading the Bible. I'd still recommend reading that if you haven't already, but I have another idea specifically for the New Year that I'd like to share as well: starting a study of the Gospel According to Matthew.
Why Matthew? Well, as you probably know, the Church's three year cycle of Scripture readings proclaimed at Sunday Mass focuses on a different Gospel each cycle. Last year, Year C, it was the Gospel of Mark; next year (Cycle B) it will be Luke; this year (Cycle A, which actually started back on the 1st Sunday of Advent) most of the Gospel readings we will hear will come from Matthew (the Gospel of John is mixed in with the other Cycles, mostly Cycle C since Mark is the shortest synoptic Gospel, and on special feast days).
If that last paragraph is a little confusing, the gist is that this year we will be hearing Matthew's Gospel at Sunday Mass. What better way to gain a firmer grasp on these Scriptures than to establish a solid grounding before you hear them? If you visit this blog often (or the associated web-site or the Facebook pages) you already know you can find a study and numerous resources for each Sunday's readings. It is important, however, for us to read the biblical books in their larger contexts so that we can get more of a "big picture" understanding of what the sacred writer (and the Holy Spirit) is trying to tell us. If you are Catholic, it is also of the most critical importance that your primary resources for biblical studies be Catholic resources. This is because, as helpful as many of them are, non-Catholic studies are often lacking in the Catholic perspective that comes with 2000 years of Holy Spirit-guided magisterial teaching and the insights of the great Saints of the Faith. And even the best of non-Catholic biblical resources can be marred by faulty theological world-views such as Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide, and the worst of them contain anti-Catholic or false comments about Catholicism. If you have a solid grounding in the teachings of your own Faith, you can avoid being confused or misled by alternative interpretations.
There are several terrific Catholic resources for studying the Gospel of Matthew available--both free and for purchase-- that I can recommend. I'll limit myself to six of what I think would be the most helpful resources for someone just starting out:
How did the New Testament writers read the Old Testament in light of the coming of Jesus Christ? This course offers an in-depth answer to that question, focusing on the use of the Old Testament in the Gospel of Matthew. Free online course offered through the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology.
Host - Dr. Tim Grey and 4 students from the Augustine
In this 13 part series, Professor Tim Grey and 4 students from the Augustine discuses the first Gospel in the new Testament: St. Matthew’s. We’ll learn the genealogy of Jesus, the meaning of His parables, and his message of love. Free mp3 download from EWTN.
Host: David Higbee of St. Irenaeus Ministries.
An 18 part series examining the Gospel of Matthew. Almost a passage by passage study; lots of biblical background and practical application. Free mp3 download.
Mystery of the Kingdom is a refreshing Bible study on the Gospel of Matthew that focuses on the “kingdom of God.” Why is the kingdom at the heart of Jesus’ teaching? What were Jesus’ contemporaries expecting? What did Jesus actually say about His kingdom? What is the relationship between the “kingdom” and the Catholic Church we see today? Book by Edward P. Sri
Catholic Commentary On Sacred Scripture: The Gospel of Matthew
This engaging commentary on the Gospel of Matthew is the fifth of seventeen volumes in the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (CCSS), which will cover the entire New Testament. This volume, like each in the series, relates Scripture to life, is faithfully Catholic, and is supplemented by features designed to help readers understand the Bible more deeply and use it more effectively in teaching, preaching, evangelization, and other forms of ministry. Catechism references and questions for reflection. Book by Edward Sri and Curtis Mitch. As a commentary, it is a valuable permanent reference for your Scripture study library.
The Navarre Bible Commentary: The Gospel According Matthew
Part of a 12 volume set of the New Testament with extensive explanations of the meaning of the scriptural text and its implications for everyday life. The commentaries draw on a rich variety of sources - Church documents, the writings of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and the work of prominent spiritual writers, particularly Saint Josemaria Escriva, who initiated the Navarre Bible project. The commentary appears on the same page as the Bible text, which is the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition. Each volume is self-contained with extensive introductions and notes to Old Testament prophecies. The Navarre Bible commentary is considered by many to be the best Catholic commentary on the Bible available today.
The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible on the Gospel of Matthew
This Ignatius Catholic Study Bible on the Gospel of Matthew is based on the Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, with insightful commentary by renowned Bible teachers, Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch. This thorough study takes you on a journey through the Gospel of Matthew with actual biblical text and the Church’s guidelines for understanding the Bible as your guides. The ample notes on each page by Hahn and Mitch deepen your study with fresh insights alongside time-trusted interpretations from Fathers of the Church. The additional geographical, historical, cultural and theological notes create a clear picture of what St. Matthew often assumes his reader is aware of. Also included in this Ignatius Catholic Study Bible of The Gospel of Matthew are topical essays, word studies, charts and maps. An easy to use cross reference section and study questions at the end of each chapter help to engage you as an active participant in your growing knowledge and understanding of the Gospel of Matthew. These tools along side an introductory essay discussing questions of authorship, date, destination, structure and themes make this study of the Gospel of Matthew a true gift to the Faith. (This individual volume is now found in the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, New Testament--which I also
highly recommend-- but for individual study on Matthew, this is an option.)
There are many other good resources I could recommend, but these, in my opinion, are the best of the best that are readily available and highly accessible. May your study of God's Word this year, whatever form it takes, bring you many blessings and bring you closer to Our Lord and His Kingdom. Happy New Year!
To help you prepare for this coming Sunday, here are the readings and reflections for this coming Sunday's Scripture readings. This Sunday we hear Jesus teach about the cost of being his disciple.
