Made clear
I went on an unexpected quest this week. It started as a simple, though humbling, task. I needed a larger print bible. Yes, age is creeping up and those words I cherish were getting smaller and smaller. Easy enough, right? Just order a large print. Which is exactly what I did. But did you know (I did not) that a “large print” bible is only a 10 pt font? Yep. Much to my chagrin, that clearly wasn’t enough. So, I started my search. Now to be totally honest, I’m a little bit picky when it comes to the Bible translation I will spend money on. I want all the books (including the Apocrypha). I want one that’s known for being close to the Greek. I want one that includes the “sisters” with the “brothers”. And, now, I want a 14 pt font:)
Needless to say, this is not a combination that is easily found. I went to St Pat’s Guild, Luther Seminary Bookstore (which, unbeknownst to me, had closed a while ago), and I ended up at Barnes and Noble. I was feeling pretty hopeful as I found the Bible section, it was an entire row….How quickly things change. Half the row was the King James Version, and the New King James Version. I’m not into formal language. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, it’s just not my vernacular. There were also shelves of bibles that were written in “modern” language, but to me to so far from the original it felt less than truthful and pushed certain viewpoints. Most of the bibles on those shelves didn’t contain the “extra” books that is my catholic tradition. I was pretty frustrated. It shouldn’t have been this hard. But, low and behold, I found the 1/2 shelf that was promising. I did walk out with a 14 pt NAB bible - for future reference it’s called “super giant print”, but it is square. Yep, not rectangle, but square. I see the words clearly, but it feels strange in my hands. It was different. Oh my goodness, I was sad. But what good is a rectangle shaped book if you can’t see the print? This quest took four frustrating hours of my life that I’ll never get back, but I will say it made me think.
How fortunate are we, to have row of varied translated bibles for sale in a public store? How blessed are we to be able to worship without the fear of being killed? How clever is God, to make the way to the truth available in ways so all my hear in their own language?
On the other hand, I also pondered how sad it was to see the world I am apart of, choosing to put it’s marketing dollars into a return to the language that sometimes makes the truth unachievable - - patriarchy, hierarchy, leaving of certain people to the side. As we celebrate Pride Month, I watch the world walking back to a place of fear of those who are different. I watch the world not accepting all of God’s beloved children, because they don’t understand, or are threatened by it, or simply are arrogant enough to believe theirs is the only definition for God.
If I’m honest, my bible quest really didn’t begin this week. It started when I went to seminary to learn Hebrew and Greek because I didn’t believe the love of the God I knew in my heart, would ever set a human aside. I didn’t believe my call to priesthood was wrong, because God only called men. I didn’t believe that love was only allowed between men and women. I didn’t believe the rich were rich because God blessed them, and paid no attention to - or worse - was punishing - those of us who were poor.
Praise be to God my eyesight got worse. This quest for 14 pt font reminded me of the gift that is God’s Word. The living document reminding us the truth of this creation. The Word reminding us or even teaching us for the first time, that we are Beloved children of a loving God. We are not only known by God, we are created by God, sustained by God, redeemed by God, and will NEVER be separated from God’s love - - ALL of us. The truth will indeed set us free. Work for freedom with me, would you? We still have far to go?
Thanks for walking this journey with me. I guess I needn’t have fretted so much trying to find a bible - eventually, God makes everything clear.
Rev. Joan
