Scriptures: Inspiration, energy for the work ahead

		Living the Scriptures  with St. Paul University  Catholic Center  Fr. Randy Timmerman, D. Min

According to the Constitution on Divine Revelation from Vatican II, "The Church has always venerated the Divine Scriptures as she venerates the body of the Lord."

Do you see this as true in your life and that of your fellow Catholics? Do we venerate the Divine Scriptures as we venerate the body of the Lord? How do we as believers hold true to this truth of our Tradition? For many, the Scriptures are not a daily part of the life of faith.

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Oct. 17, 2004) Ex 17:8-13 Ps 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 2 Tm 3:14--4:2 Lk 18:1-8

And yet the Scriptures are the Word of God spoken to us. When we read, study, memorize, and pray the Scriptures we can be assured that our relationship with God is strengthened.

As this relationship grows stronger, we gain a deeper sense of peace and true joy in Christ. This joy then leads to living as Jesus lived.

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work" (2 Tim 3:16).

In our zeal for the truth of Scripture, we must not forget its purpose - "to equip us for good work." Scripture becomes the energy source for motivating us to do the work of God on earth.

	Reflection questions • Do you incorporate Scripture study into your daily prayer routine? How might you better address the need to equip yourself with Scripture to do "good work"? • Share with others some of your favorite Scripture passages and discuss the power they hold for you.

Resolve to strengthen your daily commitment to the study of Scripture. My favorites are the Wisdom Books - Proverbs, the Psalms, and in particular the Book of Sirach - as well as the Gospel of Luke.

Like the camel who chews its food some 40 times before swallowing, so too should we chew regularly and often upon the Word of God.

Fr. Randy J. Timmerman is pastor of St. Paul University Catholic Center on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.

St. Paul's Web site is www.stpaulscc.org

Faith Alive!

In a Nutshell A parishioner's death calls forth a complete parish ministry. A death is a key moment in the life of a family and in the parish family too. At this time, the strength of others often must be shared with those overwhelmed by loss. Ministry to the dying and bereaved serves those who suffer and brings out the best in all the parish's members. Catholic News Service 3211 Fourth St NE Washington DC 20017 202.541.3250 cns@catholicnews.com	Food for Thought   What do people who recently have buried a loved one want or need from others? For a long time I've felt that the church is at its best when serving the sick, the dying or a deceased person's survivors. This sense is based simply on my observations of the desire so many in these situations have for parish community members to be present, to affirm and respect the sacredness of the one they have loved, to give care, to offer companionship. Naturally, I note that Jesus did these things; he cared for the sick, the dying and their survivors. To do this is to be like him. I've noticed that a unique challenge over time, however, is to know what a survivor wants from others, to grasp the particular form that his or her grief will take over the weeks and months ahead. In my experience, others cannot tell a survivor how he feels or should feel. full story   A Death in the Family: How Parishes Respond By Father Herbert Weber Catholic News Service The clock in my car read 4:15 a.m. as I returned to the rectory from Jim's house. A young man and father of four, Jim had died suddenly in the middle of the night. I came to his home to be with his wife Darcy and family, to lead them in prayer and to help them deal with those first moments of shock. One thought I had driving home was that in the next few days many parish members would respond to the family's tragic loss. Sister Angie would meet with the family to help plan the funeral liturgy and begin the bereavement process. One of the parish deacons would lead the family in the vigil service. Servers and the parish sacristan would prepare the church for the funeral. The funeral choir would be alerted and ready to sing at the Mass. Members of one of the funeral luncheon teams would ready a meal. Other parishioners would attend the funeral to pray with the family. full story  The Story of Nathan and His Family By Renee M. LaReau Catholic News Service When Elliott Bujan and Angela Scaperlanda Bujan of Round Lake, Ill., agreed to serve on a parish retreat team in 1999, they knew they would be asked to give talks about their faith. What they did not know was how the impending death of their infant son, Nathan, would shape those talks. The couple did not know that their fellow retreatants at Holy Family Parish in the Chicago suburb of Inverness eventually would grieve with them and at the same time celebrate the gift of Nathan's life. full story  Help for the Journey of Grief By Father Lawrence E. Mick Catholic News Service When loved ones die, we often say they are taking their final journey. This language reflects the faith that death is not really the end of life but a transition to another experience of life that lasts forever. Those left behind when a loved one dies also undertake a journey -- a journey through the experience of grief. It is a journey that the bereaved travel, each in his or her own way, over an extended period of time. full story
	Faith in the Marketplace   This Week's Discussion Point: How does your parish/diocese serve people grieving the loss of a loved one?     Selected Response From Readers:
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