Friedrich Nietzche was reported to have said that if Christians wanted him to believe, they had to “sing him better hymns”. Whether Nietzche would have converted if he had the opportunity of hearing Mass in B minor conducted by Karl Richter is of course a debatable question. Nevertheless, the point which Nietzsche is making, whether mockingly or not, is a valid one. If Christians believe that they are indeed approaching the mysterium fascinitas, then surely the form of their worship, whether in the singing of hymns or the proclamation of scripture, should reflect that.
Indeed, that seems to me at the heart of the Church’s teaching on divine inspiration, that the human authors of sacred scripture experienced when they encountered the living God, as a mysterium fascinitas. Having encountered Him, they struggled to put that encounter into human language, using their limited human understanding/cultural formation.
In other words, the reading of scripture should evoke a sense that one is indeed approaching the Great mystery that is God. One may find the truths of scripture echoing deeply in one’s experience. One could also find oneself challenged and disturbed by the Word of God. As such, the correct disposition and method of approaching the word of God is through the practice of lectio divina, or the prayerful and meditative reading of scriptures as a dialogue with God.
In my catechetical craft, I would want to introduce my students first to the reality of this great mystery. Hence my catechetical actions should reflect that. Using prayer spaces, setting up the altar prayerfully, reverencing the words of sacred scripture. What should not happen is to attempt to make the lesson so informal in an effort to “relate” that it becomes banal. The students are here to encounter Christ, not meet Barney the dinosaur.
I would also like to introduce to them lectio divina, the prayerful reading of scripture so that they may hopefully be inspired by the word of God. I think the best way to introduce them to this is to share how I have been similarly touched while doing lectio divina. Words which challenge, comfort at the right time. Most of the time, nothing spectacular, but because I have read it, it becomes part of my memory and the phrases come at the right time in speaking with people or when I am struggling with a difficulty.
Finally, my own lesson preparation, since I too am begging for divine inspiration, should be prepared in a similar mode of prayer. What I tend to do is to take the ideas I initially have to my lectio divina time. And in a mysterious way, the words of scripture would very often be suitable for the lesson I am going to prepare. I remembered one lesson where I was preparing a lesson on Adam and Eve and trying to develop a proper response to the question from some of my pupils that the God of the Old Testament seems vengeful and cruel. Then I read the first reading from the prophet Ezekiel during the course of the Lenten season: “I take no pleasure in the death of a wicked man, rather that they turn away from their wicked ways and live.” (Ez 33:11) It seemed that I received my answer.
