discipline

The twelfth chapter in the Letter to the Hebrews (NABRE) reminds us that God disciplines or chastises his followers. It’s easy to read into this translation a connotation of punishment, though the Greek text presents an entirely different picture of discipline and suggests a warmer characterization of God’s corrective actions.

The Greek word παιδεία (paideia) comes from a word that means “child” and refers to the raising or rearing of children. This context brings with it the warmth of a parent along with the strong desire for the child’s own best interest. God raises or rears us and disciplines us as a part of that relationship. Most importantly, he does so because he sees us as his children.

As a child, how did you respond to your parents’ discipline? How does this color how you view God’s care toward you and your response to it?

you also may like our two-part study of the psalms
Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church provides an in-depth look at all 150 psalms based on The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, a translation prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and endorsed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). This translation is being included in new Liturgy of the Hours books. Volume I currently is available only in a digital format. Click on these links to view a sample first lesson from Volume I and another from Volume II.

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