The Word of God is meant to be read humbly. It is not meant to be consumed and manipulated. Rather it is meant to be received by those who desire to be conformed to God. If you take the time to read your Bible frequently in this manner, you will find yourself being challenged almost as much as you read it.
For me, one of the books in the Bible that challenges me is the Psalms. Written by multiple authors throughout the history of Israel, the Psalms are meant to convey the various aspects of a person’s relationship with God, and convey to us dispositions that Jesus experienced during His earthly ministry. If we are to take on Jesus’ disposition in our daily lives, then reading the Psalms and allowing ourselves to be conformed to them is an excellent daily practice.
The longest Psalm, 119 in the Catholic tradition, talks about many things, but the main theme is the love of God’s guidance and law. With phrases like “I am seized with indignation for those who forsake your law” and “Your commands have become my song in exile,” the author of the Psalm shows a deep trust in God. However, the Psalmists’ continued superfluous praise of God’s law in some instances can lead a reader to become almost skeptical of the authenticity of the author’s emotion.
When I read these phrases like, “This has been my blessing, that I have kept your precepts,” I also am challenged and can become skeptical. While there are many times that I have benefitted from having God’s laws governing my life, I also know that there are times that I question if God’s laws are truly a blessing. Many times I can see God’s more difficult laws as depriving me of living the life that I want to live. I can view the road to sainthood as a burden rather than a joy. So much so that I can relate with the line, “I have done your will, let me not be disappointed” found elsewhere in Psalm 119.
As a sinner, I can have the skepticism of a sinner which forms my reading of sacred scripture. But Jesus came to be like us in all ways but sin. So if these Psalms are supposed to reveal to us His disposition, that means I have to let the Psalms change me. It is easy for me to believe that this is Jesus’ disposition because I know that Jesus’ one mission was to please His Father. But some days it is hard to believe that I can have this same disposition. Which I suppose is the answer: I can’t. Only Jesus was able to, and He can give me this disposition if I humbly allow him to through receiving sacramental graces and willing virtuous actions.
These moments of challenge and reflection are the purpose of the Word of God. We who are sinners need a guide to lead us to perfection. And the Word of God provides this for us in the scriptures and the sacraments. It is up to us whether or not we humbly submit to these gifts that God provides for us.
