'You look marvelous'

[The refugees at the New York Public Library are burning books to stay warm, but Elsa notices Jeremy holding something]

Elsa: What have you got there?

Jeremy: A Gutenberg Bible. It was in the rare books room.

Elsa: You think God's gonna save you?

Jeremy: No, I don't believe in God.

Elsa: You're holding onto that Bible pretty tight.

Jeremy: I'm protecting it. [glares at Sam] This Bible is the first book ever printed. It represents the dawn of the Age of Reason. As far as I'm concerned, the written word is mankind's most significant achievement. You can laugh. But if Western civilization is finished, I'm gonna save at least one little bit of it.
Hate to burst your bubble, Jeremy, but the Gutenberg Bible wasn’t the first book ever printed.  Moveable type as fired clay was first used for printing in China by a gentleman named Bi Sheng (970-1051 A.D.) However, the Gutenberg has pride of place in Europe.

So Happy Anniversary! You really do look marvelous for being 562 years young. Marvelous meaning that annual book sales of the Bible hover between 425-650 million dollars and it is available all or in part in some 2,426 languages which equal 95% of the world’s population. Marvelous also of how copies are still around. Of the 180 originals that were printed, 49 copies are known to exist. Of that number, 21 are complete, and 11 of those copies reside here in the United States. Finally, a super bit of marvelous is that your value as an entire Bible today would be a tidy sum of 25-35 million dollars.

As for Johannes Gutenberg himself; there is little known outside legal and financial documents.  In fact, Johann Fust, his business partner, took him to court over repayment of a loan offered to support the project.  Gutenberg lost and was forced to give up his printing press, supplies and one-half of the Bibles that were printed.  As a result, the creator of the most critical invention in world history (The authors of the most sources I read made this statement.) died as a pauper. 

Gutenberg’s legacy continues in the Catholic Church with such official documents on the Bible as:

• Providentiss Deus “On the Study of Scripture” Pope Leo XIII 1893
• Divino Afflante Spiritu “inspired by the Holy Spirit” Pope Pius XII 1943
• Dei Verbum “On Divine Revelation” Vatican II documents/Pope Paul VI 1965
• Verbum Domini Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of the Word God in the Life and Mission of the Church 2010

As well as the Pontifical Biblical Commission and the American Catholic Biblical Society. 

Yet his legacy should be more than just for scholars.  While the Bible may be a best seller, it is often the least read much less prayed with.  Yes, the Bible has its hurdles, but there are ways “to finish the race” as St. Paul once wrote. Below are some suggestions for using the Bible for prayer:

1. Lectio Divina
2. St. Ignatius’ method of contemplation
3. Start on August 24 reading a one-year Bible (original printing date)
4. Join a Bible study group in your parish
5. Memorize a Bible verse every day
6. Read and discuss Sunday’s readings with a friend or family members
7. Pray for people in countries where it is a crime to own a Bible
8. Learn to pray the Liturgy of the Hours (This comes in a four-volume set, one volume and a Shorter Version of Christian Prayer. Also consider using a tablet or cell phone app.)
9. For long trips, consider listening to a CD collection of the Bible. Option: listen to a CD with Bible passages set to music such as popular hymns or such classical pieces such as “Worthy is the Lamb” as well as other parts from Handel’s Messiah. Please note:  His music isn’t just for the Christmas season.
10. Read along with an Echo®.
11. Invest in a commentary.  Collegeville publishes a series of individual paperbacks on the different books of the Bible.  The paperback includes both a commentary and the Biblical text. The Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament sisters in Victoria, Texas published a review and text paperback for use during Lent, ideal for parish study groups.  (See below for details.)

Disciples on the Journey
Sister Digna Vela, IWBS
1101 N E Water Street
Victoria, Texas 77901-9298
361-575-2266