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| Every day is a holiday when I live God’s good life He meant for me. |
The Bible is all around us guiding men, women and children to lead a moral, decent and joyful life through God’s word.
People
hear Scripture readings in church. We have Good Samaritan (Luke 10)
laws, welcome home the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), and look for the Promised
Land (Exodus 3, Hebrews 11).
Some biblical passages have become
popular maxims, such as "Do unto others as you would have them do unto
you (Matthew 7:12)," "Thou shalt not steal (Exodus 20:15), and "love thy
neighbor" (Matthew 22:39).
Today's Catholic is called to take an
intelligent, spiritual approach to reading the bible. It’s essential to
know what the Bible is – and what it isn't.
First, the Holy Bible is not the same as turning the pages of a novel. In fact, the Bible isn't a book at all. It's a library.
The Holy Catholic Bible is a collection of 73 books written over the course of many centuries. The books include religious history, prophecy, challenging letters to struggling faithful and historic believers' accounts of the preaching and passion of Jesus.
What's the difference between a "Catholic Bible" and a "Protestant Bible"?
Catholic and Protestant Bibles both include 27 books in the New Testament. Protestant Bibles have only 39 books in the Old Testament, however, while Catholic Bibles have 46.
The seven books included in Catholic Bibles are Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, and Baruch. Catholic Bibles also include sections in the Books of Esther and Daniel which are not found in Protestant Bibles.
These books are called the deuterocanonical books. The Catholic Church believes these books to be inspired by the Holy Spirit.
When selecting a Bible, look for a Catholic edition. A Catholic edition will include the Church's complete list of sacred books along with introductions and notes for understanding the text. A Catholic edition will have an imprimatur notice on the back of the title page. An imprimatur indicates that the book is free of errors in Catholic doctrine. — Source: USCCB