Literally unlimited

A friend of mine was going through the RCIA program at our church, preparing for baptism and confirmation in the Catholic faith. She left one Wednesday night meeting troubled. They had been talking about the bible, and she grew up fervently believing that every word of the bible was literally true.

She heard a statement from our priest that evening along the lines of, "Roman Catholics do not limit the bible to a literal interpretation." She felt he was saying that the bible wasn't literally true. This may be an unfair restatement, but I think he was saying it doesn't matter if particular portions of the Bible are literally true.

To be clear, the Church teaches that the whole bible is the word of God, written in by humans but inspired by the Holy Spirit. The bible is true - every word of the Word - there is no question. But, what does "true" mean?

For example, we know that Jesus is God. We know that Jesus spoke in parables. It follows, then, that God spoke in parables. We know that parables are stories Jesus told to convey a certain message.

Consider the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. A young man asked his father for his share of the inheritance, then ran off and squandered it. Realizing his father treated his workers better than he was treated far from home and out of money, the son returned to be a worker on his father's farm. His father threw a lavish party for him, slaughtering the calf, enrobing him in fine clothes and celebrating.

Is it literally true that Jesus told this story? I believe it is. Is it literally true that there really was such a son? Well, if every word of God must be literally true, then yes...there was such a son. And all the other parables...the Good Samaritan, the tenants killing the landowner's son, etc, all actually happened, in addition to actually being told aloud by Jesus.

This concept of truth: that there must have been such a prodigal son, is what I think the priest was referring to when he said the Catholic Church is not limited to a literal interpretation. I can't know that there absolutely 100% must have been such a prodigal son, but don't deny the possibility that there was such a son. The Church does say there is truth in this story, and the message of God's patience and forgiveness is one as one we need to hear.

So, too, with the whole bible. Is it literally true that God created the world and everything in it? Undeniably. Is it literally true that it only took six days, as we currently understand time? I doubt it...but that doesn't make Genesis untrue; the truth is found in the message God sends through the writers; the message we learn through the teaching of the Church.

Jesus even said his parables needed to be understood at a deeper level. See the Gospel of Mark, chapter 4, verses 10-12:

"And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables. He answered them, 'The mystery of the kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that 'they may look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but not understand, in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.’”

The parables' messages, taught by countless deacons, priests, and bishops through the centuries forms part of the Magisterium-the teachings of our faith, guided by the Holy Spirit. Catholics, we rely on both scripture and the Magisterium to understand what God wants us to know.

My friend was baptized and confirmed that following Easter. She may still hold to a literal-truth belief of the bible. I think that's ok...but I hope she, as I hope all, can see that there is more than just literal truth to the Word.