Episode Transcript
[00:00:05] Greetings and welcome. My name is Sally Moriarty-Flask and I am thrilled to share with you a new Bible study I'm offering called From His Word to Our Hearts. This Bible study podcast is for anyone. It will be presented from a Catholic perspective, since that is my own personal point of view. But it is for anyone, regardless of your faith background, whether Catholic, Christian or non Christian. Anyone who is searching for more, even though you may not yet know what that is. Anyone longing to develop or deepen a relationship with the one who created us and loves us.
[00:00:43] Everyone is invited to join me on this exciting new journey of knowledge and discovery. Each week I will break down the scriptures that will be proclaimed at the Catholic Mass on the upcoming Sunday, sometimes by paragraph, sometimes line by line, and sometimes word by word, so that we can discover what God is telling us about himself and about each other.
[00:01:07] While the Catholic Church uses the NAB or new American Bible translation for the Sunday readings, I will be using the RSV, which is revised standard version, since I feel it more accurately captures the meaning of the original Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek languages in which the scriptures were recorded. But I will also introduce other translations wherever and whenever I think they might be helpful.
[00:01:33] As we dive into the scriptures, we will explore what they meant in the context of their time, what they can mean for us now, how we can apply those lessons to situations in our own lives, and how we can use that knowledge to live every day as faithful, loving disciples.
[00:01:53] Every episode will begin with prayer, which is of course, listening and talking to God. But if you're anything like me, you spend more time talking than listening. So together we'll learn how to talk less and listen more. Because after all, reading and studying scripture is the easiest way to listen to God, spend time with him, and get to know him better. Well, break open the Gospel passage first, then look at the First Reading, typically from the Old Testament, and always having a connection to the Gospel, which is why I like to put them together.
[00:02:28] After that, we'll look at the Responsorial Psalm, which may actually be from the Book of Psalms, or it may be another Old Testament passage called a canticle. And then finish by exploring the Second Reading, usually one of the letters, sometimes called epistles, from the New Testament.
[00:02:46] Now, you may be asking yourself, why should you listen to me? That's a very good question. So let me tell you a bit about myself.
[00:02:55] I am what is often called a cradle Catholic, which means I was baptized as an infant and raised in the church.
[00:03:02] Like many Catholics, there were years when I was an active participant in the life of the church and years spent away from it, which taught me that faith is a precious and fragile gift that must be constantly fed and nurtured.
[00:03:18] I am a professional woman, a friend, daughter, sister, wife of 41 years to a wonderful husband, biological mom of two amazing sons whom I love to distraction, an adoptive mom to one young woman who, though she came to us as an adult, is nevertheless a daughter of the heart. Through all of that, I learned the importance of love, laughter, kindness, strength, and forgiveness.
[00:03:50] I am a layperson, not a member of the clergy, so I study the scriptures for the sheer joy of knowledge rather than as a way to prepare a homily.
[00:04:00] I earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Akron and a Master's degree in Theology from the University of Notre Dame, which allows me to approach the study of scripture with the logic and discipline of a scientist and the faith and devotion of a theologian.
[00:04:18] I have lived and worked in the real world, but I've also worked for the church, which gives me both an outsider's and an insider's perspective on matters of faith and reason.
[00:04:31] And finally, I have studied scripture extensively for over 20 years and taught a Bible study with the pastor of my church for the past several years.
[00:04:43] I firmly believe that all of this allows me to offer you a unique perspective on the scriptures and how we can live them as loving, faithful Christians.
[00:04:53] I am launching this podcast now upon my pastor's retirement, and with his blessing and endorsement, because I am passionate about the study of sacred scripture, I love sharing what I've learned with others, and I'm eager to embark on a project that will allow me to continue the work my pastor and I shared for so many years. So please join me on Thursday, July 11, 2024, for the first official episode of From His Word to Our Hearts. And until next we meet, may God shower his blessings upon you like a soft and gentle rain, and may he hold you, safe and secure, in the palm of his hand.
