Twaddle-free Tuesdays: Genesis to Jesus

In the Saint Gianna Vocation to Holy Motherhood group I host on Tuesdays we are working our way through a wonderful Bible study.
It is called Genesis to Jesus, and was co-written by Kimberly and Scott Hahn in association with the St Paul Center for Biblical Theology.
Wanna know how good it is ?? It is rapidly becoming my single favorite resource besides the Catechism for explaining Salvation History using the Bible. True story!
We originally selected it for those mothers who weren't familiar with the Bible to help them make some sense out of what they read and heard.
Ironically (or maybe not) there are only two of us who regularly meet right now to persist in unpacking the rich contents of scripture via this book, and of the whole group, we are the only two who probably "didn't need" to read it in the first place-- we're well versed in scripture study and none of the content seemed too "new" to us initially.
Despite all that,  we are both learning something incredible with each passing chapter. And our discussions are like, woah!! Needless to say, I'm loving it.
The book is a review of covenant history, and journeys through scripture from Creation onwards. I already know what you're thinking--- None of its topical concepts are "new" to me as a Bible reader. BUT to you , I say: give it a chance.  It is nothing short of amazing how deep we are led into understanding the nature of covenant, what it means for us, and WHY it matters by simpling putting two scriptures together we may not have connected before.
For us as Catholics, it is especially helpful to give tools for assessing why we believe that the Catholic Church is the ONLY Church on God's green earth which teaches wholly, and fully, biblical doctrine. All other churches and even religions contain small fragments and large pieces of truth.... but for me, from day one, I've sought to live by the Bible, and the Bible is what led me to Catholicism. I know some of my readers disagree, so for the sake of my non-Catholic friends I should point out that this book is neither preachy nor overtly "Catholic"-- in fact, I have only seen the word Catholic once so far in it, and it was in this sentence:

"If we want to understand the Bible, we need to understand it's plot. That plot is salvation history, the story of how God's plan for human salvation unfolds in the course of human events. In order to correctly understand the plot and recognize how Scripture applies to our lives, we need to read the Bible from the heart of the Church, seeing God's story with Catholic eyes. Knowing why we read the Bible, and how we should read the Bible, can give us that perspective."

He then goes on to unpack the story of the walk along the Emmaus Road in such a way as to help the reader understand how Christ HIMSELF explains scripture to His disciples. Nope, this book is not preachy-- in fact-- there's hardly any text at all that isn't directly related to the  biblical text itself. But it's eye opening and extremely interesting as a sort of timeline- method of passing through old, familiar Bible stories in light of the actions, words, and prophecies about the Christ.

Let me give you a little peek into just one area we are covering by sharing a snippet that hit me just right and just at the right time.... but first- a little background.
I've been really, truly struggling lately in almost every way.
Although I'm quite certain that I'm doing mostly the right things -- and recognizing and correcting them right away when I'm not...I have never felt more isolated, alone, and unloved.
My children are the focal point of virtually all of my energy (and plenty of energy I don't have but somehow muster up) right now. What they don't take up is taken by my husband, who is stressed on a level I cannot even describe right now as he goes through the academy and attempts to-- once and for all-- get us on our feet. And in the midst of all that I am living in my father in law's house, a challenge enough as it is but which is currently made twice as hard by some challenges he himself is facing.
Because we have only one car and cannot afford to insure me right now, I am completely isolated. And because things are tough, the good is really, really good... and the bad is... a nightmare.
I keep trying to hang on to St John of the Cross' promise that there is great benefit in simply detaching from everything. He recommends as a spiritual exercise that we maintain a practice of refusing what gives us pleasure and doing only what we dislike. I think it must be a great grace that God has given me that I am not even given the choice at any stage in this season... I just feel hammered.  I don't know. I will be speaking with my spiritual director about it.
In the meantime, God has used this book to really make me aware of His presence.
As I prepared for tommorow's lesson I was sitting outside reading this book and studying my bible when I was literally moved to tears for a moment by meditating on salvation history.
The topic is Abraham, Our Father in the faith. It opens with the promises given to us through Genesis 12:1-3:  (Land and nationhood, a royal dynasty and great name, and a worldwide family) and goes on to describe Abram's response in faith.
I paused there for a while, reflecting on many lessons I have learned over the years about faith, especially through a dear friend who discipled me when I first came face to face with the living God-- and her father, a wonderful pastor and mentor who gave me a foundation of faith right from the start that could not fail.
I remember well her and her father telling me, over and over again the powerful lessons given to us from Hebrews 11:8:

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

This is the journey of faith, by faith, and through faith. This is our own calling, too. Like Abraham and Mary, his daughter, we say to God: "be it done to me according to thy Word." (Luke 1:38) And then we believe, we hope, and we love, even though we experience sorrow beyond all understanding. We have seen His glory revealed... a glimpse.... and we know the rest is there. Come hell, or high water. That's the Christian life.

But it was the next passage that really stopped me.. a simple list of things he experienced during that "walk." See if it doesn't get you thinking too:

The Tests of the Blessed (the life of Abram---> Abraham)

Famine (Gen 12)

Exile and temporary loss of wife (Gen 12)

Family strife and division (Gen 13)

Wars (Gen 14)

Unfulfilled promises (Gen 15)

Marital Discord (Gen 16)

Painful surgery (Gen 17)

Supernatural disaster (Gen 18-19)

The temporary loss of his wife, again (Gen 20)

More family strife (Gen 21)

Asked to sacrifice his son (Gen 22)

His faith is rewarded (Gen 15; 17; 22)

Sound familiar?? It did to me. I am walking through that same darkness.... on that same journey. I'm daily living those exact same things! 

What incredible peace came over me to stop and think that my Father, Abraham, and every one of his children, though they walk through the same trials, will be rewarded for their faith. What beautiful joy overpowered my sorrows--- what companionship. I am honored to be called a daughter of Abraham, and honored to walk this well-worn path with all of you.

 

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. 

   -- Mary (Lk 1:46-55)

I can't recommend this book enough--- it is fascinating for Jews, for Catholics, for Non-Catholic Christians, and even for Muslims and is simply a discussion of events as they unfold in the scriptures-- nothing added, nothing taken away. Just a journey through the scriptures. 

As I mentally prepare in my heart for advent and the season of waiting for the celebration of the Only Event on which all of History stands (I'm throwing my newly annual "Thankful for Advent" Party the day after thanksgiving and getting sooo excited!) it is perfect to go through this book and deeply drink from the living well present in scripture, because I'm so thirsty!! -----And I would venture to guess you are too. Enjoy it!