Tired of COVID cramping our style and wanting to give ourselves something to look forward to in 2022, a close friend and I were excited to find a weekly activity we could begin in January and continue throughout the year.
Over the Christmas break, I noticed an intriguing Instagram post by author Emily Stimpson Chapman. Chapman said that she planned to re-read the book To Know Christ Jesus by F.J. Sheed during 2022 and invited her followers to join her. Since the book has 46 chapters including the forward, Chapman – appealing to those busy with families and careers – proposed reading just one chapter per week. She also offered to write and post weekly reflections and to share discussion questions to create something like a virtual book club.
Having never read the book, I was interested in the concept. I shared the post with my friend, asking the simple question, “Want to do this?” Her instant response was, “Yes!”
We each ordered copies of the book which arrived in early January, just when we needed a post-Christmas perk the most. We began our journey with Chapman’s first post, which appeared Jan. 17.
We are still in the beginning stages of our project, learning about the society and family into which Jesus was born. Frank Sheed sets the stage for relationship by introducing Jesus and giving readers insights into the world he lived in. In his forward, Sheed stresses, “if we do not know [Jesus] as he lived among us, acted and reacted and suffered among us, we risk not knowing him at all.” To me, this statement was particularly inspiring. I call Jesus my friend, but do I really know him?
The book is divided into three sections and Chapman’s idea of reading a chapter per week is not only reasonable in terms of time commitment, it also takes us through to the end of this liturgical year.
Currently we are reading “Part One: The First Thirty Years.” This section of eleven chapters discussing Jesus’ history and his early days of earthly life will take us to the end of March. Then we will begin the longest section of the book, entitled “Part Two: The Public Life” which will outline his better-known actions and ministry. These 28 chapters will take us almost through to the fall when we will begin the final section, “Part Three: Redemption.” The last six chapters will explore Jesus’ final days, his crucifixion, resurrection, and return, completing the book just in time for Advent and the beginning of a new liturgical year.
This journey is realistic in terms of time, and it is also an easy, COVID-friendly activity. My friend and I read the chapters on our own schedules and then talk on the phone each week to discuss what we have read. We use Chapman’s prepared questions as starting points, but our conversations tend to evolve based on our own experiences and insights.
In the first two chapters, I was particularly struck by Sheed’s reminders to focus intently on Jesus’ actions. He acknowledges that the Gospel writers do not write everything in the same way or in the same order and suggests that “we should concentrate upon each thing Jesus did and said.”
He also acknowledges, “There will be words and acts in which we cannot see meaning, but the evangelists did not write them idly, nor the Holy Ghost idly inspire them to. We must read intently, growing in knowledge of his words and acts, building our intimacy with himself.”
These words stood out to me because I realized how often I have glossed over things I didn’t fully understand, overlooking the fact that the words remaining after several gospel writers and editors pored over them all have significance. They tell us something of who Jesus is, and we must not dismiss them.
Jesus is our saviour, and to know him we need to read and reflect. I have grown up knowing about Jesus and this book challenges me to “meet” him. To Know Christ Jesus is only 46 chapters long; there’s still time to make it your project for 2022 as well.
