I come from a Catholic background, but I never took the time to read the Bible until this semester when I was placed in a Bible Study course. The course’s unexpected difficulty frightened me at first, but I learned that with effort, the possibility of both doing well and enjoying the course was promising. One thing I learned is to get the most out of a Bible Study course one has to read for understanding, not for the grade. One might be able to google the notes of the readings and still do well, but one will not grow, learn, and get something out of the class without devoting time to fully understand the readings. (I spend hours on the readings and I still sometimes do not fully comprehend the material). I approach the Old Testament more as a history/literature piece rather than a religious piece so I can get a direct grasp of the material before factoring in my beliefs.

To start off, the Old Testament is AWESOME. The story of Genesis, amazed me because God strategically created the world in an order where the first three days matched perfectly with 4^th ,5^th, and 6^th days. The first day, “Let there be light,” coincides with the creation of the moon and stars on the fourth day. Genesis even had an influence on our standard seven day week. God’s irony with the character’s names shows the wit and intelligence with which the events happened. For example, Isaac (Sarah’s son), in Hebrew, means “laughter,” and Sarah laughed at God so he gave her a child literally named laughter. Also, the context and perspective in which the Old Testament was compiled/written adds more meaning to the stories. The Old Testament was compiled to give the people hope in exile. The stories told the readers in exile that their God was all powerful and always kept his promises. He promised their ancestors that they and their descendants will get the land of Canaan in peace despite their wrongdoings and this showed the exiled that God will get them out of exile.

It was not until I started to read the Old Testament that I noticed the abundance of biblical references in the world. It feels enlightening when I understand the references. Especially in songs, Hozier’s “From Eden” and a TON of The Mountain Goats’ songs have biblical references. The Mountain Goats even have an album titled “The Life of the World to Come” (Yes, a line from the Nicene Creed) in which every song is titled after a specific bible verse. Many of their songs have biblical references and they are not a religious band in any way. The subtle references make their songs so much more meaningful and interesting. Serpents are mentioned a lot in pop culture also. Before taking this course, I did not attach a biblical meaning to anything.

Lastly, the psalms still maintain their relevancy today. I adore poetry and the psalms are just that. One of my favorites, Psalm 51:1, states, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” This is a psalm of King David’s repentance and I fancy it because the people wanted the law to be in their hearts. They wanted to desire to follow the law. Once I find a steadfast love for something/someone, my life will be full and enlightened and I cannot wait until that type of unconditional, natural love is inscribed in my heart. In Psalm 138:8, “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me,” gives me hope during times of uncertainty. It incited me to question if God has a purpose for me and to try and understand what that purpose could be. God is a man of his words, and he will fulfill my purpose.

I seldom write or talk about the Bible or my religion but attending a Jesuit school has opened my mind to the Bible and what it has to offer. Even if one is not religious, the Bible offers a new perspective and it is a different piece of literature to read. I never thought I would actually enjoy my Bible Study course but despite its ranking as my most difficult class, I learn and grow spiritually, connect concepts I never thought I could, and realize the power of The Word.