Value of the Bible: The Pope Tells Young People: You Want to Make Me Happy? Read the Bible

Pope wrote preface to an edition of the Bible aimed at young people; Francisco tells how reads his “old Bible”

CN News, with Vatican Radio

Papa encoraja jovens à leitura da Bíblia / Foto: L'Osservatore Romano

The Bible is not a “work of literary art”, but a book in which God speaks. These are words of Pope Francis in the preface to an edition of the Bible for young people and for them he commented. The published version in German is the result of a project that had diverse collaboration, as some Austrian Jesuits, Old testament Teachers.

The preface written by the Pope in Italian was published in the latest issue of the journal Civiltà Cattolica, this week. Francisco explains to young people the meaning of the Bible, the word of God by which light came into the world and can never be erased. He emphasizes that this is not a book to be put on the shelf, but to always be in hands and be read every day.

Even Mahatma Gandhi, who was not Christian, recognized the value of the Bible. The Pope reminds the young one speaks of pacifist leader: “you been entrusted to a text that has itself a quantity of dynamite enough to explode in 1000 pieces all civilization, for putting the world upside down and bring peace to a war-torn planet. You treat him, however, as if it were simply a literary work, nothing else. “

The Pope and his old Bible

Francis talks to young people about his “old Bible”, longtime companion that he wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. “If you saw my Bible … They would say: ‘ what? This is the Bible of the Pope? A book so old, so worn out! ‘, “quipped the Pope. But even if they wanted to give him a new one, he would not accept it, because his Bible, although old, saw his joys and sorrows, is his “great treasure”.

And how will the Pope read the Bible? He even responded to young in the Preface: take the book, read it, then put it aside and look for God, who is present there. He leaves to observe and understand what God says.

“Sometimes He doesn’t speak, so I feel nothing, just empty, empty, empty. But, be patient, remain there and I wait so, reading and praying. Pray sitting, because it makes me ill be on my knees.Sometimes, praying, until I fall asleep, but never mind: I am like a child next to his father and that’s what counts. You want to make me happy? Read the Bible, “says the Pope.

Persecuted Christians for having the Bible

Francis also talks to young people that, once read, the Bible should not be on the shelves filling up with dust. He recalled that today, more than at the beginning of the Church, Christians have been persecuted because they give witness to Christ, and are doomed for having a Bible.

“Of course the Bible is an extremely dangerous book , so much so that in certain countries whoever has a Bible is treated as if he hid grenades in the closet”, the Pope said alluding to the persecution that Christians suffer in so many places in the world.

Portuguese version