Opening Prayer
I ponder the mystery of your Word, which is simple enough for the mouse to wade in yet deep enough for the elephant to drown. I acknowledge that I cannot navigate these depths by my own cleverness alone, nor devise my own conscience based on my fantasies.
Help me to walk with the staff of faith in my hand and the holy teachers of the Church as my guides. Give me the humility to follow the ancient teachers who led heavenly lives, that I may reach the destination of my journey.
Amen.
Matthew 19:27-29
27Then Peter answering, said to him: Behold we have left all things, and have followed thee: what therefore shall we have? 28And Jesus said to them: Amen, I say to you, that you, who have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the seat of his majesty, you also shall sit on twelve seats judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And every one that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting.
St. Thomas More
St. Thomas More provides the metaphor: “Scriptures are so marvelously made that even though a mouse can wade in them, an elephant can also drown”. St. Benedict, the father of Western monasticism, built his entire Rule on this “wading” through the Word. More instructs us to approach the Word with “the staff of faith”, “reason”, and the “holy teachers of the Church”. This narrative of grace evaluates Benedict’s Lectio Divina as the clinical application of More’s advice—searching out the way with a “lowly heart”.
St. More warns that the reader must call upon God for grace and use reason as a tool while following the “ancient teachers” as guides. This balanced approach ensures the reader reaches the intended end of their journey without falling into the perils of private misinterpretation.
“Walk through the Word with the “staff of faith” and the guidance of ancient teachers to avoid falling into danger.”
— St. Thomas More
Mary and the Magisterium
To navigate the “lofty and difficult” depths of Scripture, where an “elephant might drown”, St. Thomas More advises us to take up the “staff of faith” and maintain a “lowly heart.” Mary utilized these exact traits to navigate the mystery of the Incarnate Word. She did not succumb to the deep waters of revelation but “waded surely” through them. Her example remains the guide for modern scriptural study, proving that “God’s special help” is the primary instrument for true understanding.
- Do I approach the Scripture with a "lowly heart", or do I try to master it like an "elephant"?
- Am I using the "holy teachers" of the Church (like St. Benedict) to guide my understanding?
Closing Prayer
Lord, help me to follow Your good guides so that I may come to the end of my journey at the place I am searching for.
Amen.
