In this bonus leap year episode, Fr. Mike shares three profound excerpts from early saints—St. John Chrysostom, St. Jerome, and St. Vincent of Lérins—that highlight the importance of keeping God's Word close to our hearts. Fr. Mike invites us to take the next step in our faith journey by continuing to delve into Scripture and deepen our understanding of it. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.
Chapter 1: What is the significance of day 366?
Today is day 366. because this year is a leap year. And so we have a little bonus episode. You were like, wait a second, I got done with the Bible in a year yesterday. What is happening today? Well, as I said, today's day 366. We're still another day left in this year. And if you are on your own reading plan, it might not be December 31st right now for you, but it could be any time of the year.
Praise God for that. Because we have, again, day 366. You know, it's been a number of years since we first recorded the Bible in a year. And it's remarkable the ways we've seen this podcast change people's lives. And the first question people asked him, how's it changed your life? I realized, well, I'm going to read some things today.
Chapter 2: How has the Bible in a Year podcast impacted lives?
And today, as I'm reading things, I need to put on some readers. So there's a little change there. But in other ways, I'm just so grateful for, because I go back and I listen. I listen on a regular basis to this podcast. I have to listen at two times speed. And I know people think that's crazy, but I listen at two times speed for at least two reasons.
One is that, you know, when you listen to your own voice, you just are like, oh my goodness, that's what I sound like. If I go at two times speed, I can't hear myself. And then secondly, if I do listen at the normal speed, I am sitting there the entire time thinking, bro, you gotta talk faster. You're going so slow, which I know is maybe news for some people.
But the deeper reality of how has this podcast changed my life is the more and more I come into contact with God's Word as a whole, because of course, as a priest, we read the Bible multiple times a day, every single day. But there's something about coming into contact with God's Word as a whole that just roots me even more deeply in the heart of the Father.
And I don't know what I mean by that, other than there's something about, here as Catholics, we have liturgical seasons. And so we have kind of the same readings over the course of, on Sundays, over the course of a three-year plan. And when it comes to weekday masses, over the course of a two-year plan. And so we have the same readings regularly, which is fantastic and really, really good.
But there's something about those readings that we seldom encounter. That is just so good for me. I love the fact that, you know, even when we get to the names, we get to just, here is a bunch of names that could strike us as very random. There's something about those less read parts of scripture that are just really, really good for me. Beyond that, it's changed the lives of many, many people.
And I'm so grateful for that. The number of times I hear families saying that they have done the Bible in a year podcast, or we even have freshmen who show up on campus and they say, hey, my parents and I, we did the Bible in a year podcast, or I did this as a senior. I did this as a junior in high school. And I think that is amazing and so remarkable. And it just impacts my heart every time.
But today for this bonus episode, one of the things that I thought I wanted to reflect on was I wanted to read three excerpts from three different saints going back to the first centuries of Christianity. And they're all about why Bible reading is essential.
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Chapter 3: What insights do early saints provide about Bible reading?
That what you have done in concluding this Bible in Ear podcast, and maybe even starting next tomorrow, starting again tomorrow, is so essential. So the first reading is from a man named St. John Chrysostom. St. John Chrysostom lived in the 4th century, lived briefly into the 5th century, died in the year 407. But St.
John Chrysostom has important words to say how lay people, you know, people who aren't just preachers or aren't just priests or religious sisters or brothers, must read scripture more regularly than monks. Here's what St. John Chrysostom said.
I'm always encouraging you to pay attention not only to what is said here in church, but also when you are at home to continue constantly in the practice of reading the divine scriptures. For let not anyone say to me those silly contemptible words. I'm stuck at the courthouse all day. I'm tied up in political affairs. I'm in an apprentice program. I've got a wife. I'm raising kids.
I'm responsible for a household. I'm a businessman. Reading the Bible isn't my thing. That's for those who are set apart, for those who have made the mountaintops their homes, who have a way of life without interruption. What are you saying, man? It's not your business to pay attention to the Bible because you are distracted by thousands of concerns?
Then Bible reading belongs more to you than to the monks. For they do not make as much use of the help of the divine scriptures as those who always have a great many things to do. but you are always standing in the line of battle and are constantly being hit, so you need more medicine.
For not only does your spouse irritate you, but your son annoys you, your servant makes you lose your temper, an enemy schemes against you, a friend envies you, a neighbor insults you, a colleague trips you up. Often, a lawsuit impends, poverty distresses, loss of possessions brings sorrow. At one moment, success puffs you up. At another, failure deflates you.
Numerous powerful inducements to anger and anxiety, to discouragements and grief, to vanity and loss of sense surround us on every side. A thousand missiles rain down from every direction. And so we constantly need the whole range of equipment supplied by Scripture.
Since many things of this kind besiege our soul, we need the divine medicines so that we might treat the wounds we already have and so that we might check beforehand the wounds that are not yet, but are going to be, from afar extinguishing the missiles of the devil and repelling them through the constant reading of the divine scriptures.
For it is not possible, not possible, for anyone to be saved who does not constantly have the benefit of spiritual reading. That's a reading again from St. John Chrysostom. And just that remarkable sense that he has about the fact is the more busy I am, the more you are on the front lines.
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Chapter 4: Why is reading the Bible essential for everyone?
Yes, Bible reading is for the monks, but actually Bible reading is for those of us who find ourselves on the front lines, those who find ourselves in the midst of a battle. The next little excerpt is from a man named St. Jerome. Now, you probably know St. Jerome as the one who translated the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into Latin.
Chapter 5: What does St. John Chrysostom say about scripture?
So he's the translator of the Latin, what they called the Vulgate translation or the translation that was in the tongue of the people. Now, St. Jerome here again, once again, in the fourth century died in the early fifth century. St. Jerome talks about how we need a guide to the Bible. And in order to interpret scripture correctly, we need to have a guide. Here's what St.
Jerome says about needing a guide to the Bible. In the apocalypse, a book is shown sealed with seven seals, which if you hand to an educated person saying, read this, he will answer, I can't because it's sealed.
Today, many people claim to be educated, yet the scriptures are a sealed book to them, one which they cannot open through him who has the key of David, he that opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens. See Revelation chapter 3 verse 7. In the Acts of the Apostles, Philip asked the holy eunuch who was reading Isaiah, Do you understand what you are reading?
He answered, How could I unless I have someone to guide me? Yet although he had the book in his hand and took the words of the Lord into his mind, and even had them on his tongue and pronounced them with his lips, he still did not know the one he unknowingly worshipped in the book. Then Philip came and showed him Jesus, who was concealed beneath the letter. What a wonderful teacher!
In the same hour, the eunuch both believed and was baptized. He became one of the faithful and a saint. He was no longer a pupil, but a master. I have touched on this instance to convince you that you can make no progress in the Holy Scriptures unless you have a guide to show you the way. Once again, that was from St. Jerome. Again, just remarkable.
And this reality, of course, is that we have a guide. It's called the Magisterium of the Church. You know, if you have not yet read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, if you have not yet been a part of the Catechism in a year, my invitation is, you know, tomorrow you might pick up Bible in a year again. Also, you might consider picking up the Catechism in a year.
Now there's one last quote that I'd like to read to you. It's once again from a man who died roughly somewhere in the fifth century. His name is St. Vincent of Laran. And he talks about how scripture and tradition are necessary. Both of them are needed.
You know, what's one of the reasons why we not only have the Bible in your podcast, we have the catechism in your podcast because both scripture and tradition are absolutely essential. Here's what St. Vincent said back in the fifth century.
I have often inquired most earnestly and attentively from very many experts in sanctity and learning how and by what definite and universal rule I might distinguish the truth of the Catholic faith from the falsity of heretical perversion.
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Chapter 6: How can busy lives benefit from scripture reading?
First, by the authority of the divine law, and secondly, by the tradition of the Catholic Church. Here, perhaps, someone will ask, since the canon of Scripture is complete and is in itself sufficient and more than sufficient on all points, what need is there to join to it the authority of ecclesiastical interpretation?
The answer, of course, is that, owing to the very depth of Holy Scripture itself, all do not receive it in one and the same sense, but in one way and another, in another interpret the declarations of the same writer, so that it seems possible to elicit from it as many opinions as there are men. for Novation expounds it in one way, Donatus another, and quite lately Nestorius another.
So, it is most necessary, on account of the great intricacies of such various errors, that the rule for the interpretation of the prophets and apostles should be laid down in accordance with the standard of the ecclesiastical and Catholic understanding of them. Also, in the Catholic Church itself, we take great care that we hold that which has been believed everywhere, always, by all.
for that is truly and properly Catholic, as the very force and meaning of the words show, which comprehends everything almost universally. And we shall observe this rule if we follow universality, antiquity, consent. We shall follow universality if we confess that one faith to be true, which the whole church throughout the world confesses.
Antiquity, if we in no wise depart from those interpretations, which it is plain that our ancestors and fathers proclaimed. consent, if in antiquity itself, we eagerly followed the definitions and beliefs of all, or certainly nearly all, priests and doctors alike. That was St. Vincent of Laron back in the year, well, year 450, he died around the year 450. But all of these teachers from St.
Jerome to St. John Chrysostom to St. Vincent, all of them pointing back to not only the need to know scripture, but the reality, of course, is we need to continue to defend ourselves against the onslaught of the evil one, of the world, and even of our own broken hearts. So that's my prayer, my prayer for everyone who's joining us today on this day 366. My invitation, how about this?
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Chapter 7: What spiritual benefits come from constant Bible reading?
How about let's not let this be the last day. Let's just let this be day 366, but not the final day. Let it maybe be the final time around the sun. Let it be the final time through this podcast. But let tomorrow be day 367. If you want to call it day one, that would be fantastic. But my invitation is keep going. There's no need to stop and there's no reason to stop.
You guys, it has been an incredible honor, an incredible joy, an incredible grace to be able to be with you every single day. This has been a gift to me. I hope that it has been a gift to you. I'm praying for you. Please pray for me. My name is Father Mike, and I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.