Date: 21/02/2023
Category: News
Study is one leg of the Cursillo tripod. Do study and formation look like a desk piled with worthy books, spiritual readings and notes? Or does study look like a comfy chair with a pile of books nearby? There is another way to study and grow in faith – while walking the dog, commuting or even driving a car. Podcasts are free and readily available to aid study and reflection.
You may already follow podcasts. True crime is an especially popular category. In the past two years a surprising podcast rose to the top of the podcast charts and to #1 for religious podcasts. This 20-minute daily podcast is called The Bible in a Year with Fr Mike Schmitz with over 300 million downloads and growing. The podcast is a daily excerpt from scripture and a short reflection, discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today. As a university chaplain, Fr Mike aims the podcast at university students, explaining God’s word in a practical, easy to access way. He is also positive and very enthusiastic.
It is a new experience to listen to every word of the Bible – not just the familiar readings from the lectionary. You don’t have to finish in a year and many people listen when they can. God is still present no matter how long it takes to listen to 365 episodes.
I have listened for two years in a row, beginning again for the second time last January (2022). In 2021 I listened during a year that was especially tumultuous for me personally. When I finished, I resolved to see if anyone else wanted to join me in a second year to share the experience. A small group formed in my parish and among friends where people spoke honestly and freely over Zoom once a month about the parts of scripture they had never heard before, the parts where God had a clear message for them, and even the strange and disturbing parts of the Bible. For every single person who listened to the episodes there was a time God spoke to them through his word which they shared with the group. I would call the podcast spiritual enrichment, study and a challenge! Starting again on January 1st you may wish to consider the Bible in a Year and the free, daily episodes for yourself.
You will need a phone, tablet or access to a computer. There are podcast apps to choose from and The Bible in a Year is available on all of them and on YouTube. You simply subscribe and a new episode is delivered every day to your device for 365 days in a row with a handful of explanatory episodes to introduce new eras of biblical history. Even if this podcast is not for you, why not explore the world of podcasts and how they can help you study and grow in faith?
Eleanor Lalley, Liverpool