• "For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting."

—John 3:16

Truly, this passage captures the spirit and love of the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ.

• "…Jesus spoke to them, saying: I am the light of the world: he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

—John 8:12

In a world often swallowed in darkness, sin and confusion, we often have no where to turn. Jesus is the ray of light, the dawn of hope, that can bring our life from the darkness of sin into the light of everlasting truth and life.

• "Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me."

—John 14:6

Time and again Jesus reminds us that he is our personal, human link to the Father. As true man and true God, Christ unites us to God the Father in a very personal, intimate and loving way. Jesus Christ is the truth and life of the world.

• "…If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink."

—John 7:37

Water is the refreshing, life-giving element of the world. Our bodies are mostly composed of water, and without it we would surely die. Jesus tells us that if any man thirst for true life let him come to Christ, the life-giving Son of God, who refreshes our hearts and souls. We cannot survive without water, and likewise we cannot survive eternally without Christ.

• "Amen, amen, I say to you: If any man keep my word, he shall not see death for ever."

—John 8:51

Christ gives us one of the conditions for salvation. He says that we must keep his word and follow his teachings to receive everlasting life in heaven and at the resurrection.

• "Then Jesus said to those Jews, who believed in him: If you continue in my word, you shall be my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

—John 8:31-32

True freedom, wisdom and truth can only be found in Christ. Those who follow his teachings are his true disciples.

• "Then he saith to Thomas: Put in thy finger hither, and see my hands; and bring hither thy hand, and put it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing. Thomas answered, and said to him: My Lord, and my God. Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen and have believed."

—John 20:27-29

Like doubting Thomas, we sometimes find it hard to believe in Jesus as our Lord and our God. Thomas had the benefit of touching our Lord after the resurrection, but we do not. Nevertheless, God has granted us the gift of faith through grace, and blessed those who believe without seeing.

• "…He who honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father, who hath sent him."

—John 5:23

We must remember that God the Father has given us life as well as God the Son. Jesus is our personal link between man and the divine, loving God.

• "And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

—Matthew 16:18

The Bible clearly points to Peter as the foundation stone of the Catholic Church. Jesus changes Simon’s name to Peter, which means rock, to show the disciples and the world that Peter and his successors are the visible leaders of the one true church.

• "Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

—John 3:5

Jesus teaches us that Baptism of water and the Spirit is necessary for our salvation.

• "Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and, drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him."

—John 6:54-56

Jesus Christ has given us his body and blood in the Eucharistic bread and wine. Through the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ’s intimate presence in the Eucharist, we receive everlasting life.

• "And whilst they were eating, Jesus took bread; and blessing, broke, and gave to them, and said: Take ye. This is my body. And having taken the chalice, giving thanks, he gave it to them. And they all drank of it. And he said to them: This is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many."

—Mark 14:22-24

Jesus gives the disciples his body and blood through the Eucharistic banquet. Jesus is the paschal lamb, the true sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. Happy are those who are called to his supper.

• "For from the rising of the sun even to the going down, my name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to my name a clean oblation: for my name is great among the Gentiles, saith the Lord of hosts."

—Malachias 1:11

The Jewish prophet Malachias (or Malachi as he is sometimes called) prophesies the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass, which occurs every day throughout the Catholic Church. The offering up of the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharistic sacrifice for forgiveness of sin, is truly the most perfect and clean oblation to the Lord.

• "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep."

—John 10:11

Jesus is the good shepherd who watches over his children, and laid down his life for the forgiveness of sin and redemption of his flock.

• "Search the scriptures, for you think in them to have life everlasting; and the same are they that give testimony of me. And you will not come to me that you may have life."

—John 5:39-40

Here, Christ teaches us a very important truth. Sometimes it is tempting to follow the "rules" of the Bible and give hollow testimony to Christ to try to get salvation. But, if a person is not honest and truthful with themselves and Christ, how can true faith be borne? Hollow faith, shallow testimony, and superfluous biblical study can save no one.

• "Understanding this first, that no prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation."

—2 Peter 1:20

Our first pope, St. Peter, expounds the cardinal rule of Catholic bible study. Sacred Scripture is of tremendous advantage to the faithful as long as it is not abused. Those who seek to interpret the bible’s theology without the guidance of the Church read the Bible to their own destruction. The Holy Spirit can only guarantee proper interpretation to the Church as a whole. Guided by the Spirit, the Catholic Church outlines the theology and doctrine of the Bible along with Sacred Tradition. By familiarizing ourselves with the teachings of the Catholic Church, we can better read Sacred Scripture to our advantage.

• "As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction."

—2 Peter 3:16

Again St. Peter warns us not to seek self-interpretation of the scriptures, without the guidance of the Catholic Church. Christ’s doctrines and teachings are sacred and should not be altered or misinterpreted. In fact, the Protestant and Orthodox churches have attempted to interpret Sacred Scripture without the guidance of the Church. To their destruction, they assume that the Holy Spirit will guide them to proper interpretation of the Bible’s teachings. Yet, the thousands of denominations (which continue to grow at an ever-increasing rate) preach conflicting doctrine and often change their doctrines with the changing winds of the time. St. Peter forewarned us of these consequences. A true Christian would heed his word and follow the teachings of the ancient, universal Catholic Church.

• "But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."

—1 Timothy 3:15

Here, St. Paul tells Timothy to trust in the Church as the pillar and foundation of truth. Without the Church there is no pillar of truth. This teaching collaborates with St. Peter’s teaching that the Church is the foundation of doctrine, theology and morals. The Church guides its members, and instructs them on matters of faith and morals. Sacred Scripture, when read within the doctrine of the Church, can then assist us on matters of faith, morals and teaching.

• "Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle."

—2 Thessalonians 2:14

St. Paul tells us that the source of Christian doctrine and Church teachings comes from the verbal words of the apostles and the written word contained in scripture. These two sources, Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, comprise the deposit of faith of the Catholic Church. When apostolic Tradition is combined with Sacred Scripture, the full meaning and interpretation of Christ’s teachings are in harmony. St. Paul refers to apostolic Tradition and not the vain tradition of men (such as that of the Pharisees) condemned by Christ. Sacred Tradition is passed down within the Catholic Church, and can be found in the writings of the Church Fathers.

• "What shall it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but hath not works? Shall faith be able to save him? …Do you see that by works a man is justified; and not by faith only?

—James 2:14,24

St. James’ epistle was probably written to the general Church (as opposed to previous letters, which were written to individual parishes) as a response to the misinterpretation of St. Paul’s letter to the Romans. In today’s modern times, many Protestant denominations feel that faith alone is sufficient to achieve justification and salvation. St. James’ epistle clearly indicates that both faith and good works accomplish justification of the believer. The epistle of St. James is a testimony against the folly of those who interpret Scripture without submission to the holy Catholic Church.

• "And now there remain faith, hope and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity."

—1 Corinthians 13:13

St. Paul tells us that the three supernatural virtues are faith, hope and charity. The Catholic Church teaches that these three supernatural virtues are borne from the gift of grace given by the Holy Spirit at a believer’s baptism. St. Paul holds that charity is superior to faith and hope because charity is the essence of love, upon which faith and hope rest.

• "The whisperer and the double tongued is accursed: for he hath troubled many that were at peace. The tongue of the third person hath disquieted many, and scattered them from nation to nation. It hath destroyed the strong cities of the rich, and hath overthrown the houses of great men. It hat cut in pieces the forces of people, and undone strong nations. The tongue of a third person hath cast out valiant women, and deprived them of their labours. He that hearkeneth to it, shall never have rest, neither shall he have a friend in whom he may repose. The stroke of a whip maketh a blue mark: but the stroke of the tongue will break the bones."

—Ecclesiasticus 28:15-21

At some time in our life, the tongue has victimized us all. The old axiom that, "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me," is completely false. Evil words of friends, family and enemies can truly hurt and offend. The wisdom of Ben Sirach warns us to bite our tongues! (Incidentally, the book of Ecclesiasticus is missing from most Protestant translations. Protestants feel that this book is an apocryphal book and has no place within the canon of the Bible; consequently they removed it shortly after the Protestant Reformation. The Catholic Church has ruled that Ecclesiasitcus is an inspired book of the Bible and has been part of the canon for nearly 2000 years.)

Bibliography

Holy Bible. Douay-Rheims Version. Rockford, Illinois: TAN Books and Publishers Inc, 1989.

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