On my recent trip to Honduras, the children and staff of the children’s home put on an end of week performance of skits and dances and music. This time, we the North Americans were involved in several of the parts including one activity that involved balloons filled with flour. This was a Bible trivia game where the winning team got to pick out a member of the losing team a burst a balloon over some poor soul’s head. Oh, the good fortune to have a priest on your team, or at least someone who knows their Bible. Here is what is was like. Imagine being told the consequence of winning and losing, and then being told the question in Spanish knowing that some members of the other team understand Spanish and that others like me had to wait for the English interpretation. Get competitive, get anxious, and Go! “Name 5 disciples.” Members of the other team and some of mine jump on “Matthew, Mark, Luke, John ...Uh?” How about “Peter, James, John, Andrew and Philip?” It is good to be a priest. So I am wondering how we would do? 

According to Genesis, in how many days did God create the heavens and the earth and all things? How many sons did Adam and Eve have? How old was Moses when he led the Israelites into the promised land? Was King David was the first, second, or third king of Israel? Now a couple true or false questions. True or false: “God helps those who help themselves” is found in the Old Testament book Third Hezekiah? True or false: “Jesus’ mom Mary had a sister named Martha who lived in Bethany.” Here is one on the ministry of Jesus. In the miracle of multiplying the loaves and fish, were there seven or twelve baskets of leftovers? Last one. “What kind of car did all the disciples ride in to the Pentecost gathering?”

So, how did you do? I have much still to learn about the Bible and the more I learn the more I realize I still do not know. Fortunately for me, that just encourages me to keep learning. Perhaps on these warm summer days, when it sometimes gets too hot to do much else, you will take time to read and study a part of the Bible with which you are not that familiar. I know God will honor that with some revelation to gladden your spirit. 

Blessed be those who read and study the word of God,

Fr Bill+ 

Answers: 6 days; 3 sons; 2nd king; false - not in the bible and there is no book 3rd Hezekiah; false; both 7 and 12 are correct; the King James version says they were “all in one accord.”