Read the Bible with Me!

Welcome to the Pauline Family's "Year of the Bible"! I'm reading the Bible clear through this year, and I invite you to read along with me. But first, let us pray: 

My God, I adore and thank your loving and wise Providence, manifested on every page of Sacred Scripture. You have always been close to sinful and erring humanity, and have indicated the way and given hope. Amid the shadows of error and corruption, you kindled the light of your truth; amid universal corruption, you are the Just One; amid so much idolatry, humanity in every corner of the earth has cultivated a sincere worship of you.

Let my reading today increase my trust in your goodness, your mercy, and your unfailing faithfulness.

Today's chapters are Joshua 4-6 and (because it is Sunday) Psalms 19 and 20

There are a couple of interesting episodes in chapter 5, starting with the circumcision of all the men. This points to a failure in keeping the Abrahamic covenant. Since God is about to fulfill his promise to bring the patriarch's descendants into their own land, they had to bring themselves into line with Abraham's commitment.

Then, right after the account of the celebration of Passover (the first Passover in the Promised Land itself). Who is it that Joshua sees? Is it St Michael, or is it "the Lord of hosts"? "Hosts" can mean "legions"; even a term like "heavenly hosts" or "hosts of heaven" could be replaced by "legions of angels" without changing the meaning. At any rate, the mysterious visitor speaks to Joshua just as the LORD had spoken to Moses. 

I am especially taken with the opening line of chapter 6. The siege of Jericho reminds me of the promise of the Lord Jesus to Peter that the "gates of hell will not prevail" against the Church (Mt 16:18). Indeed, the gates of Jericho will not hold out for long against the people of God. (Note also how Rahab's house is marked by a scarlet cord, the way the Israelites' homes in Egypt had been marked with the blood of the lambs in the first Passover.)

Start reading Joshua here and the Psalms here.

Servant of God, Sister Thea Bowman, FSPA, singing the spiritual "Joshua Fit De Battle of Jericho" from the album Songs of My People:

 

If you are looking for a solid but approachable companion to the Bible, I can wholeheartedly recommend A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament by John Bergsma and Brant Pitre. Although the authors are top-level Scripture scholars, they write for "real" readers. Notes include recent findings from archaeology and ancient manuscripts, and how each book of the Bible has been understood by the Church Fathers and used in Liturgy.