The Light that Shines in the Darkness

As we in New England find ourselves enmeshed in the depths of winter, let us keep Christ, the light of Christmas, burning warmly in our hearts. As the Gospel of John witnesses:

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

...

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:1, 9-12, New International Version)

The Christian preacher we honor this week, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., reminded us that "darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction – the chain reaction of evil ... must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation." (Strength to Love, 1963)

Jesus himself refused to return violence with violence, and so was executed by human authorities. He gave his own life in witness to the perspective that turning the other cheek has "power to transform conflict into mutual understanding, to transform injustice into justice," to transform darkness into light.

(Inspiration for this blog, as well as the final quote, comes from Dr. Margaret Benefiel, author of Executive Soul Newsletter. For more information, click here.)

NAB Revised Edition

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops announced last week that long-awaited revisions to the New American Bible Old Testament texts have been approved. The USCCB Office of Media Relations posted this announcement on the USCCB website on January 6, 2011:

"The New American Bible, revised edition (NABRE), the first major update to the New American Bible (NAB) translation in 20 years, has been approved for publication. Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, then president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), signed the canonical rescript approving publication on September 30, 2010. The NABRE will be available in a variety of print, audio and electronic formats on March 9, Ash Wednesday."

The announcement continues by saying that "The revision aimed at making use of the best manuscript traditions available, translating as accurately as possible, and rendering the result in good contemporary English. In many ways it is a more literal translation than the original New American Bible and has attempted to be more consistent in rendering Hebrew (or Greek) words and idioms...."

This revision is the latest in a series of revisions begun in 1986 (Revised New Testament) and 1991 (Revised Psalms). To see the full press release regarding the new revisions, check out the USCCB website at http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2011/11-003.shtml


If you're thinking about investing in a new Bible (particularly, if you're thinking about the New American Bible) we recommend you wait until March, when you'll have access to the NABRE.

CBS Recommends—Lectio Divina: An Encounter with the Bible

Do you want to learn how to pray with Scripture?  Do you want greater intimacy in your conversations with God?  Do you want to discover God’s will for your life?  Do you want to live out the Gospel message and be authentically happy?  Then Lectio Divina is for you!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

8:30am- 4:00pm
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church Hall
63 Old Norwich Road
Quaker Hill, CT  

This workshop is sponsored by the Office of Faith Events of the Diocese of Norwich, in collaboration with the American Bible Society. For more information, please contact: Marge Vanner, Office of Faith Events, Phone: 860-848-2237, E-mail: faithevents@norwichdiocese.net

This event is not sponsored by the Catholic Biblical School, but is authorized as a "make-up" for certain missed requirements.

Feast of the Lord's Baptism—Scripture Learning Tools

As this Sunday's Feast of the Baptism of the Lord approaches, you are invited to delve into the four gospel accounts of Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist.

Ave Maria Press's "Engaging Faith" blog this week provides a wonderful activity for Bible enthusiasts and teachers of Sacred Scripture. Click here for more.

And click here to find some Old Testament timeline activities on the same blogsite.