“If one does not feed oneself with the Word of God, one cannot remain alive.” (Jerome)
Of course you do not always think about it. Year after year life passes in its usual way.
But sooner or later everyone arrives at a point where questions arise like: Why is there a world and not nothing? Why do I exist? Questions like this makes one dizzy. No human being can answer them from within him or herself.
For Christians, it is clear: God answers these most profound human questions in the Scriptures (in the Bible). He shows us the way for our lives. That is why we also call the Scriptures ‘Word of God’.
The Scriptures tell us of the genesis of heaven and earth and of how the people of Israel become the people of God. This the Scriptures do rather through literature and poetic writings than by historical description. The culmination of the Scriptures is the good news of Jesus Christ. The authors of the Gospels witness with powerful words how God became human in Jesus of Nazareth. In him God makes Himself known to us for ever.
Monks read the Scriptures daily – for their entire lifespan – in a meditative, prayerful manner. The Word ‘hurts’ hearts. If you feed yourself with the word of God and allow yourself to be inspired by it, you are transformed through it little by little. You come to life and find the peace that the world cannot give from within itself.