Bible translation, a possible task?Mark Giszczak on the Bible, truthfulness and inclusive languageA museum to learn about and enjoy the Bible in the heart of Washington, D.C.The Old Testament is complicated to understand. Normally, those who know the most about these matters recommend that the Bible The New Testament should be read first, and the Old Testament should be left for later. This does not mean, however, that no benefit can be derived from this "first part" of Sacred Scripture. In fact, young people can benefit greatly from reading it. He explains in a article of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Therese Brown, director of operations and project management for publications.
In the note written by Brown, entitled "Does the Old Testament speak to young people?", the author answers this question with a resounding yes. While it is true that it is easier "when adults help them identify and articulate where and how the Old Testament answers basic questions such as who is God, what is evil, why do people suffer, and what is the right way to live."
Old is not the same as outdated
Parents need to look for the connection between their children's questions and all the truths revealed by God in Scripture. However, it is easy for young people to be tempted to think that the Old Testament is outdated.
To highlight the timeliness of the text, Brown recommends emphasizing the "Old Testament issues and experiences that are part of the lives of teenagers today-with parents, friends, conflicts, facing the future-and how key characters dealt with them."
Gaining habits
Get into the habit of reading from time to time the Bible is important to become familiar with the Old Testament. Taking advantage of Internet resources, young people can follow accounts on social networks with Catholic content. They can also use their cell phone notes to jot down Scripture verses or Psalms, so they can keep them in mind and memorize them little by little.
Another method of involving the whole family is to have joint prayer times with Bible texts. Little by little, young people will get into the habit of approaching the Old and New Testaments on a regular basis.
Open perspectives
Among the benefits mentioned by Therese Brown, she speaks explicitly that "the Old Testament theme of covenant and its emphasis on relationship with God and community can be a potent antidote to the cultural message of consumerism, individualism and self-centeredness."
In addition, the Old Testament tells the story of the covenant with God, it speaks of a journey toward Him. "Today's teenagers travel a similar path," says the author. The Bible characters differ only in appearance, but the similarity of their life journey makes them "good companions for today's young people".
Perhaps the holiday break is a good time to encourage young people to read the Bible, taking advantage of their free time to get closer to God and His revealed Word.
