The Bible is a great gift to our life of faith as Catholics. In reading sacred scripture, we come to a deeper understanding of how wonderful our God is and how he desires to reveal himself to us. God does not want to remain distant from us. Instead, God wants his people to come to a greater knowledge of him. One of the ways that we experience the presence of God and come to know him better is through his sacred word. We see encouragement to this in both the Old and the New Testaments.
Speaking on behalf of God, Moses tells the Israelites, "But the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it" (Deuteronomy 30:14). This is a call to God's chosen people to remain faithful to the Covenant that God made with them at Mount Sinai while they were wandering in the Egyptian desert. Moses encourages them to press on, for they have been given knowledge of God's Law. The Law of God is not a mystery but is knowable. It is in their mouth and their heart. They have only to carry it out.
In his Letter to the Colossians, St. Paul says something similar, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16). The word of Christ brings us wisdom and truth. It builds upon what God already accomplished throughout the Old Testament. When the word of Christ dwells within us, it fills us with the truth that God has revealed, and this brings joy and thanksgiving to our hearts. Mary, the mother of Jesus, can be our model. Luke 2:19 states, "And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart."
Memorization is a habit that helps the word of God come to full stature in our lives. Memorization makes God's word become part of us rather than peripheral to us. There is a difference between recognizing something exteriorly versus knowing something interiorly. When we memorize key scripture passages, we gain the power to have immediate access to God's Word at work within us. With memorization, the appropriate scripture can arise spontaneously within us when we need it. It dwells within us richly at work. Having particular verses memorized gives us a sense of consolation when we find ourselves in a difficult spot or the courage to do right. In sum, memorizing scripture allows Christ to live within us in a uniquely powerful way.
The passages above are simply a beginning for us because they are associated with our parish mission this year. Our first two passages come from the Old Testament and help us understand St. Paul's mindset before he experienced the risen Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus. The God of Israel is the one true God of the entire world. This is what made Israel a distinctive people. The one true God was rescuing the people of Israel so that they might be a blessing to the entire world. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 was their rallying cry.
The following four passages are all from the New Testament.
It takes a little discipline but is fun after some initial work. Today we do not appreciate memorization as much as we should. Because of this, it might seem overwhelming. However, be not afraid! It is very doable with a bit of initial work. Many methods can accomplish memorization. One suggestion is to write out the passage by hand several times. I have also found that technology can help. The website below has been beneficial for me to memorize many things quickly. Give it a try!
https://memorytyper.com/
As the Lord constantly reminds us, "Be Not Afraid! Cast out into the Deep!"