God's Word Is Alive

Alice Camille, author, retreat leader, and Bible study facilitator, has produced an imminently useful resource for those wishing to deepen their understanding of Scripture. This edition of God's Word Is Alive covers the Sunday readings for all three lectionary cycles and the feast days and solemnities. In her introduction Camille tells of her own discoveries as a student of Scripture. "When we come to know ourselves as simply the most recent participants in this ongoing story, Scripture becomes alive for us," she writes. Reading the Bible is not about learning history, she adds, but about "finding our place in the story." Her reflections, questions, and suggested actions to accompany the lectionary readings will help us to do that. The 29th Sunday of ordinary time in Cycle A is a good example. The first reading (Isaiah 45:1, 4-6) recounts a prophecy in which the Babylonian conqueror is acknowledged as God's anointed. "God's will can be achieved through an evil czar as much as through the pope," writes Camille. She suggests we recall this message around election time, especially if our candidate loses. In the second reading (1 Thessalonians 1:1-5) Paul credits the Holy Spirit with conversion of the Thessalonians. What grace might enter the world through us, Camille asks, if we could surrender ourselves completely to the Holy Spirit? The Gospel reading (Matthew 22:15-21) deals with rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's. "Most of us carry the coins of many realms through our days," Camille writes, "It is not always clear where our allegiance lies." The reflection questions address examples of God's working through "enemy" sources, human weakness used to God's advantage, and realms we serve other than the reign of God. The action response urges us to let the Holy Spirit guide us in our encounters and give to God what is God's, our human hearts.