A pastor proposed the Gospel Challenge

Pope Francis instituted “The Sunday of the Word of God” to be held every year on the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, which this year is Jan. 24. Clearly, the Holy Father seeks for us to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the Word of God in our life. 

In Scripture we encounter the living God. In Sacred Scripture God speaks to us, comforts us, and inspires us. I was blest to grow up in a Catholic home where our Catholic faith was in the air we breathed. The Mass and parish and private devotions formed our family life. However, to be honest, opening the Bible as a family was not part of my upbringing.

It was not until I entered the seminary that I began to appreciate and love God’s Word. That is why I initiated in my previous parish, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Lindenwold, and now in my current Parish of Sacred Heart, Camden, the Parish Gospel Challenge.

Be honest with yourself. Have you read all the Gospels? Have you ever sat down and read the entire Gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke or John?

I know many have not, and if that is you, please do not feel bad. To sit down and read the Bible, at least for my generation of Catholics, was not part of our faith and prayer routine. Of course, Sacred Scripture was part of the Mass and all the sacraments, and we learned about the Bible and Bible stories in Catholic school and faith formation classes, but to read and pray with God’s Word was not too common. 

That is why I am presenting to my parish, beginning Sunday, Jan. 24, “The Gospel Challenge.” The Gospels are a wonderful place to start your Scripture reading because there we encounter Jesus. We need to encounter Christ and his teachings, we need to place ourselves in the scene with Our Lord as he heals, forgives and casts out demons. We need to walk with Jesus as he endures his passion and crucifixion. We need to experience the joy of the Resurrection. We need to hear him give to us the Holy Spirit, and commission us to “go and make disciples.” All this and more happens when we encounter Jesus in the Gospels.

There are four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. In all the Gospels there are a total 89 chapters. (Matthew has 28; Mark has 16; Luke has 24; and John has 21.)

This is the challenge: Can you commit to reading one chapter of a Gospel every day for the 89 days? On average, each chapter only has two or three pages, so this should be very easy. If you begin on Sunday, Jan. 24, you will have read all the Gospels by April 22, in about three months. For those who are visually impaired I encourage a family member or friend to read the chapter. Perhaps couples can read the chapter together, and parents can read the chapter with their children.

Each week I will publish in our bulletin and social media forums questions and reflections that pertain to the seven chapters to be read that particular week. That can be found at www.sacredheartcamden.net. Perhaps pastors throughout the diocese can develop their own reflection questions and initiate a zoom conference meeting once a week for parishioners to share their thoughts.

I encourage you to pick up a notebook and write down what moves you as you read the chapter each day. Place yourself with our Lord as you read. Quiet your heart and soul and walk with Jesus and encounter his saving love for you. The next time you are asked if you have read all the Gospels, I pray you can respond: “Yes, I have, and this experience changed me forever.”    

Father Vincent Guest is pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Camden.