TodayÁ-?s readings are very complex, and hard to understand in their entirety. This should
not keep us from the Á-°take homeÁ-? message.
When you read the scripture, you must be able to deal with the frustration of not
understanding much of what you are reading. Understanding the scripture in its entirety
is reserved only for the pure in heart, however, the act of prayerfully, consistently,
expectantly reading the scripture will in time bring you great understanding.
Many do not read the Scripture because of frustration. Many things are Á-°dark sayingsÁ-?
benefiting. Secular literature, television and the Internet are easy to understand, but this
is precisely because they do not speak of wisdom. These things may give us some
satisfaction, since we do not labor to understand them, but they are time wasters. Á-°Better
and hour with little understanding reading the scripture, than a thousand days of worldly
pursuits with understandingÁ-?
The writings of the Fathers are filled with admonitions to read the scriptures. One of my
most important pastoral goals (and the reason I write these small commentaries and
reflections) is to convince and enable my flock to love the scriptures, and read them
daily, and benefit from them. How am I doing?
What is the Á-°take homeÁ-? from The Apostle PeterÁ-?s words today?
This will differ according to our personality, and stage of spiritual development,
however, for each of us, it is a personal message.
For me, as is often the case, the scripture is at once comforting and frightening. There is
here a warm promise, but mixed with it a warning and a reminder of the great
expectations placed upon me because I say I am a believer.
The world is full of evil. So much is difficult to understand, and demoralizing. What
really matters about our place in the world? There will be an end to evil, and no matter
what happens, the believer will be protected. Also, we need not worry about what will
happen to the evil; it is a monstrous distraction to concern ourselves with them. This my
soul understand and rejoices in because of the words of the Apostle: