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During Wednesday’s audience at the Pope’s summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, Benedict XVI reminded the faithful to read the sacred text over the summer holidays

by Vatican insider staff | Source: La Stampa

Why not use the summer holidays a san opportunity to “discover some of the Bible’s less known books, which we may have heard cited during the liturgy but we have never read in full?” This was the invitation Benedict XVI sent out to the faithful during the General Audience in Castel Gandolfo square, defining the reading of the Old and New Testament as “spiritually enriching” and a “nourishment of the spirit."

 

“Many Christians never read the Bible, the Pope said, and have a very limited and superficial knowledge of it.” The Pope reminded that the Bible is “a collection of books, a library created over one millennium,” and that some books composing it still remain “unknown to most people and good Christians.” Some of these, such as the book of Tobias, that of Ester and that of Ruth, are “mini volumes” that can be read in one hour.” Among the books which Pope Ratzinger cited as being most demanding in terms of reading”, and which are “real masterpieces”, are: the Book of Job, the Qohelet and the Song of Songs, “a wonderfully symbolic poem about human love.”

Going on to speak about the New Testament, he invited worshippers to discover “the beauty of reading a Gospel back to back”, as well as the Acts of the Apostles.