For the human person, religion is not a compartment of life, a hobby, or a sideline from secular concerns. God made us in His image and likeness and in every age He provides food for the soul with supreme authority as our creator, redeemer and sanctifier.

The Bible is not therefore simply a holy book to be put alongside other “Great Books” of human culture. It is the record of the dealings of God with men, especially through those whom He chose to inspire with His word. The Old Testament is shot through with a messianic hope, looking forward to the fulfilment of the People of God in the Church founded by Christ who is with us to the end of time.

The Christian reads the Old Testament in the light of Christ. As an ancient saying has it, “The new is hidden in the old, and the old is made clear in the new.” The great scholar Origen spoke of Christ leaping from every page of the sacred text. When we listen devoutly to the word of God, we open ourselves to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, but always in submission to the authority of God who makes His meaning known concretely in the living teaching of Christ in the Church.

It is of course good for us to read the scriptures as part of our devotions, but we must not forget that the scriptures form the major part of the Liturgy that we celebrate in the Mass, the divine office and the sacraments. We read the scriptures with reverence as part of our worship, giving glory to the Father through Christ in the unity of the Holy Spirit. The word of God is not a dead letter but something alive and active, bringing us face to face with the living God. (Heb 4.12)