I think everything you say about the value of memorizing scripture is true, and our family has tried to practice this at various points, but I think the confusion of translations is a serious obstacle to it ever becoming a common Catholic cultural practice. Which version do you learn? The obvious answer would be what's used at Mass, exce…
I think everything you say about the value of memorizing scripture is true, and our family has tried to practice this at various points, but I think the confusion of translations is a serious obstacle to it ever becoming a common Catholic cultural practice. Which version do you learn? The obvious answer would be what's used at Mass, except that it's one of the worst translations out there, plus they keep changing it, anyway. That's one thing the Anglicans did brilliantly - making a translation so good everybody took it as the standard for centuries.
I don't think the KJV is actually good. But it is beautiful, and became the standard for many reasons. One of them being that it was translated in order to match mainstream Anglican belief and practice, so most people would not have had objections, and another that it was required for use in the legally obligatory Sunday services.
I've given up on choosing a translation and just learn from several versions as I please, but it does rotate around what I use practically. Latin Vulgate and Douay-Rheims matches Mass and the Divine Office, while RSVCE is one of the best translations from an accuracy point of view, and I use it for lectio and study, but I don't think it captures the music of the psalms and canticles well. I don't do a lot of deliberate memorization though.
This is my big issue too. The translation at Mass is different from the translation in the LOTH, which is different than my study Bible (Ignatius Bible, super excited for the full version to be released soon). And the LOTH and Mass translations might change again soon-ish. Hearing so many slightly different version makes remembering exact word for word memorization difficult. As long as we get the gist and learn the message I think we're in good shape.
I would just ask the Holy Spirit. But he is going to give different people different answers according to circumstances (I would also, if I were going to memorize something on purpose, ask him what to memorize.)... I suppose another fine option would be to ask one's guardian angel because they are probably keen to see us spend more time on figuratively eating healthy food.
A guy on Youtube who promotes ancient languages was doing a "memorize the first 100 lines of Homer in the original" challenge earlier this year, which I had zero interest in, but since the challenge was described as memorizing "poetry" it seemed to me that John 1 would be a pretty fine thing. I have memorized one (1) line since then. I am not a very fast learner (he did have some stellar tips on how to do memorization, pragmatically, and maybe during the break I will give it a shot and acquire another verse or two.)
Such a good point - I've started to have some psalms close to memorized through praying Liturgy of the Hours, but then no other source has the same translation and I'm thrown off balance! Not to mention they are apparently changing the LOH translation soon anyway... I know it's not an excuse not to memorize Scripture, but it sure would be nice for one really great standard translation everyone knows.
I think everything you say about the value of memorizing scripture is true, and our family has tried to practice this at various points, but I think the confusion of translations is a serious obstacle to it ever becoming a common Catholic cultural practice. Which version do you learn? The obvious answer would be what's used at Mass, except that it's one of the worst translations out there, plus they keep changing it, anyway. That's one thing the Anglicans did brilliantly - making a translation so good everybody took it as the standard for centuries.
I don't think the KJV is actually good. But it is beautiful, and became the standard for many reasons. One of them being that it was translated in order to match mainstream Anglican belief and practice, so most people would not have had objections, and another that it was required for use in the legally obligatory Sunday services.
I've given up on choosing a translation and just learn from several versions as I please, but it does rotate around what I use practically. Latin Vulgate and Douay-Rheims matches Mass and the Divine Office, while RSVCE is one of the best translations from an accuracy point of view, and I use it for lectio and study, but I don't think it captures the music of the psalms and canticles well. I don't do a lot of deliberate memorization though.
In Canada, fortunately, we use the NRSVCE for liturgical purposes. Personally, I would prefer the RSVCE but you don't always get what you want.
I've long envied Canada's use of any version of the RSV. That family of translations in general is very good, even given the variants.
Maybe we should memorize canon law instead. I think there's only one translation of that... :S
actually, the CLSA and the CLSGBI use different translations!
This is enough to make a person convert to KJV-onlyism! ... I suppose you'll tell me there are different translations by that name too...
This is my big issue too. The translation at Mass is different from the translation in the LOTH, which is different than my study Bible (Ignatius Bible, super excited for the full version to be released soon). And the LOTH and Mass translations might change again soon-ish. Hearing so many slightly different version makes remembering exact word for word memorization difficult. As long as we get the gist and learn the message I think we're in good shape.
> Which version do you learn?
I would just ask the Holy Spirit. But he is going to give different people different answers according to circumstances (I would also, if I were going to memorize something on purpose, ask him what to memorize.)... I suppose another fine option would be to ask one's guardian angel because they are probably keen to see us spend more time on figuratively eating healthy food.
A guy on Youtube who promotes ancient languages was doing a "memorize the first 100 lines of Homer in the original" challenge earlier this year, which I had zero interest in, but since the challenge was described as memorizing "poetry" it seemed to me that John 1 would be a pretty fine thing. I have memorized one (1) line since then. I am not a very fast learner (he did have some stellar tips on how to do memorization, pragmatically, and maybe during the break I will give it a shot and acquire another verse or two.)
Such a good point - I've started to have some psalms close to memorized through praying Liturgy of the Hours, but then no other source has the same translation and I'm thrown off balance! Not to mention they are apparently changing the LOH translation soon anyway... I know it's not an excuse not to memorize Scripture, but it sure would be nice for one really great standard translation everyone knows.