The famous 4th/5th century bishop and translator of the Bible, Saint Jerome, once said, “Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ.” These are haunting words for Christians and maybe for Catholics in particular, as we are (sadly) not always known for our familiarity with the sacred texts of our tradition. To be fair, Catholics often know their Bible better than they give themselves credit for, as they are exposed to it constantly in the liturgy. There are three biblical readings at every daily Mass (1st reading, psalm and gospel) and four on Sunday (1st reading, 2nd reading, psalm and gospel). By actively participating at Mass and listening attentively to the proclaimed word, Catholics get a lot more of the Bible than they think The fact that we have so much more exposure to the Bible in the liturgy is, to my mind, one of the greatest gifts of the reform of the liturgy following the Second Vatican Council. And so, we may not always be so good with chapter and verse, but we know “it’s in there somewhere,” and certainly the ideas soak in like drops of water on a sponge over the course of our lifetime. Still, there is a need for more intentional, dedicated study of scripture among all Christians. For this reason, Pope Francis recently announced that there should be a special “Sunday of the Word of God” to highlight this need and to encourage the faithful in their reading and study of the Bible. This will be observed in Catholic churches across the globe this Sunday, including here at Christ the King Chapel. Students, faculty, staff and any of our guests are encouraged to bring their own personal Bibles from home with them to Mass. We will bless these Bibles and encourage people to find a place of prominence for them in their home or dorm room, and most importantly, to read them daily. I remember hearing a Catholic speaker several years ago talk about his own particular routine for reading the Bible: “No Bible, no breakfast. No Bible, no bed.” Whether it was just a single passage or a whole chapter, he would read the scriptures daily in the morning and in the evening. Perhaps this is something we should consider. Also, I especially encourage our students to take advantage of the various small group faith sharing and Bible study opportunities led by our Peer Campus Ministers or to take part in Bridge, an interdenominational Bible study that meets weekly in our chapel on Tuesday nights. Whatever form it takes, let’s take this Sunday to rededicate ourselves to our reading and study of God’s inspired word. --Fr. Thom
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There was a day over the break that I came in to do a little work. Between the walk over, the time I spent in my office and elsewhere on campus and my walk back home, I don’t think I saw another soul. On the one hand, it was peaceful and quiet and I could concentrate on some projects I had been wanting to get to. On the other hand, it was very eerie, like something out of a post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie or “The Twilight Zone.” It was definitely a reminder that above all St. Ambrose University is its students! It is not the same without you and you are the whole reason we exist. As students started to make their way back to campus, even in the depths of winter, it felt like spring. It is good to have everyone back and to be up and running again, even if we don’t feel fully prepared for the new semester. I hope the break was restful and that classes and activities are off to a good start. My impression from most every student I have spoken with is that they were happy and excited to return. That is a good sign. We must be doing something right. As you ease into the new semester, I hope you will find ways to stay involved without taking away from your studies -- in fact, in ways that may enhance your studies. As we look to Civil Rights Week here on campus, there are many opportunities to remind ourselves of the values that we hold dear as Ambrosians and then to make the connection as to how we are called to live those values now and in the future. I hope you will take full advantage. Welcome back to all! It is great to have you back and many blessings to you in the new year! --Fr. Thom
March to Remember
Tuesday, January 21st 3-4 p.m. Starting location is Christ the King Chapel
Join the St. Ambrose community as we participate in a silent march to commemorate the Civil Rights Movement.
Have a question about a program or event going on in Campus Ministry? Got an idea for something you'd like to see happen? EMAIL US at ministry@sau.edu.
Follow us online for news, events, prayer and spiritual resources, plus much more:
The famous 4th/5th century bishop and translator of the Bible, Saint Jerome, once said, “Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ.” These are haunting words for Christians and maybe for Catholics in particular, as we are (sadly) not always known for our familiarity with the sacred texts of our tradition. To be fair, Catholics often know their Bible better than they give themselves credit for, as they are exposed to it constantly in the liturgy. There are three biblical readings at every daily Mass (1st reading, psalm and gospel) and four on Sunday (1st reading, 2nd reading, psalm and gospel). By actively participating at Mass and listening attentively to the proclaimed word, Catholics get a lot more of the Bible than they think The fact that we have so much more exposure to the Bible in the liturgy is, to my mind, one of the greatest gifts of the reform of the liturgy following the Second Vatican Council. And so, we may not always be so good with chapter and verse, but we know “it’s in there somewhere,” and certainly the ideas soak in like drops of water on a sponge over the course of our lifetime. Still, there is a need for more intentional, dedicated study of scripture among all Christians. For this reason, Pope Francis recently announced that there should be a special “Sunday of the Word of God” to highlight this need and to encourage the faithful in their reading and study of the Bible. This will be observed in Catholic churches across the globe this Sunday, including here at Christ the King Chapel. Students, faculty, staff and any of our guests are encouraged to bring their own personal Bibles from home with them to Mass. We will bless these Bibles and encourage people to find a place of prominence for them in their home or dorm room, and most importantly, to read them daily. I remember hearing a Catholic speaker several years ago talk about his own particular routine for reading the Bible: “No Bible, no breakfast. No Bible, no bed.” Whether it was just a single passage or a whole chapter, he would read the scriptures daily in the morning and in the evening. Perhaps this is something we should consider. Also, I especially encourage our students to take advantage of the various small group faith sharing and Bible study opportunities led by our Peer Campus Ministers or to take part in Bridge, an interdenominational Bible study that meets weekly in our chapel on Tuesday nights. Whatever form it takes, let’s take this Sunday to rededicate ourselves to our reading and study of God’s inspired word. --Fr. Thom
