For National Bible Week, I will be proposing a question each day for you to consider. Let's take this week to consider the great gift that is the Holy Scriptures.
Today's Question:
What is your favorite passage of Scripture? Why?
Because of the tender mercy of our God by which the the daybreak from on high will visit us to shine in those who sit in darkness and death's shadow, to guide our feet into the way of peace. ( Luke 1:78-79 NAB)
If I had to pick a passage of Scripture as my favorite, I would go with a single line, Ephesians 2:8. This line was quoted to me by an Air Force chaplain while I was going through a tough time. I was also unsure at the time how I felt about religion. This line of Scripture stuck with me and was ultimately the catalyst for my journey of conversion. 9 years after hearing that line of Scripture I received my Sacraments of Initiation, and went from being an atheist to a Catholic. Scripture is powerful, even one line at a time!
My favorite scriptural passage(s) tend to change with time and circumstances. During the last five years, I've been dealing with a chronic pain situation and during that time, I have often found myself falling back on:
Philippians 1:21 "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain," and: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness"
I also love the opening of Psalm 19
The heavens proclaim the glory of God, and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands. Day unto day takes up the story and night unto night makes known the message.
No speech, no word, no voice is heard yet their span extends through all the earth, their words to the utmost bounds of the world
For several years, Ephesians 3:14-21 has been one of my favorite passages. Here it is in the REB:
"With this in mind, then, I kneel in prayer to the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name, that out of the treasures of his glory he may grant you inward strength and power through his Spirit, that through faith Christ may dwell in your hearts in love. With deep roots and firm foundations may you, in company with all God's people, be strong to grasp what is the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ's love, and to know it, though it is beyond knowledge. So may you be filled with the very fullness of God. Now to him who is able through the power which is at work among us to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or conceive, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus from generation to generation for evermore! Amen"
I love the opening lines of John's gospel for obvious reasons. Two other favorite verses are Sirach 38:34 (particularly in the RSV-2CE) and Revelation 14:13.
Because of the tender mercy of our God
ReplyDeleteby which the the daybreak from on high
will visit us
to shine in those who sit in darkness and death's shadow,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
( Luke 1:78-79 NAB)
If I had to pick a passage of Scripture as my favorite, I would go with a single line, Ephesians 2:8. This line was quoted to me by an Air Force chaplain while I was going through a tough time. I was also unsure at the time how I felt about religion. This line of Scripture stuck with me and was ultimately the catalyst for my journey of conversion. 9 years after hearing that line of Scripture I received my Sacraments of Initiation, and went from being an atheist to a Catholic. Scripture is powerful, even one line at a time!
ReplyDeleteRaymond
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scriptural passage(s) tend to change with time and circumstances. During the last five years, I've been dealing with a chronic pain situation and during that time, I have often found myself falling back on:
Philippians 1:21 "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain," and: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness"
I also love the opening of Psalm 19
The heavens proclaim the glory of God,
and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.
Day unto day takes up the story
and night unto night makes known the message.
No speech, no word, no voice is heard
yet their span extends through all the earth,
their words to the utmost bounds of the world
Pax,
John
For several years, Ephesians 3:14-21 has been one of my favorite passages. Here it is in the REB:
ReplyDelete"With this in mind, then, I kneel in prayer to the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name, that out of the treasures of his glory he may grant you inward strength and power through his Spirit, that through faith Christ may dwell in your hearts in love. With deep roots and firm foundations may you, in company with all God's people, be strong to grasp what is the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ's love, and to know it, though it is beyond knowledge. So may you be filled with the very fullness of God. Now to him who is able through the power which is at work among us to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or conceive, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus from generation to generation for evermore! Amen"
I love the opening lines of John's gospel for obvious reasons. Two other favorite verses are Sirach 38:34 (particularly in the RSV-2CE) and Revelation 14:13.
ReplyDeleteMax
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command?" - Lk 6:46 (NABRE)
ReplyDeleteKind of nails the whole thing down in one breath, doesn't it?