MEDITATION TIPS (No. 274)
— 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time,
October 19, 2025

“Beloved, remain faithful to what you have learned and believed.” (2 Timothy 3:14)

　“I was able to see farther because I stood on the shoulders of giants.” These are the words of Isaac Newton, famous for discovering the law of universal gravitation. He likened the achievements of great predecessors to giants, acknowledging that his own discoveries were made possible thanks to the efforts and accomplishments of those who came before him. There is a simple yet profound criterion for discerning what is truly valuable: What is valuable endures. The wisdom, knowledge, and faith we possess today have survived because they are valuable—they continue to support and guide us.

　We too can liken the classics, their authors, and the faith of our predecessors to “giants.” By standing on the shoulders of these giants, we who live today can see far more. Classics, especially, have been read for hundreds or even thousands of years across the world. Their content touches on the essence of life, and the more we read them, the more they become an infinite source of nourishment for us living now. When we encounter the noble spirit of our predecessors through such classics, we strangely feel as if we are always with them, realizing we are never truly alone.

　At the same time, reading great classics becomes a vicarious experience of meeting and conversing directly with their authors. Reading their works means understanding their way of thinking—equivalent to meeting them and hearing their words. For us, the Bible is the quintessential example. For over two thousand years, the Bible has withstood the storms of history and sustained the hearts of countless people. Reading the Bible, especially the Gospels, allows us to have this vicarious experience of meeting its author, Christ, directly. As we read the Bible, we simultaneously hear the voice of Christ speaking. When we realize that the Bible, having weathered the turbulent waves of history, is supporting us, we can feel as secure as being aboard a great ship. Paraphrasing Newton, we can say, “I am able to see eternity because I stand on the shoulders of Christ.”

　Jesus did not write books intending to leave a legacy for posterity; rather, His disciples recorded His words because they recognized their importance and wanted to preserve them. Moreover, the text is never obscure; even children can understand it to some degree. The Bible’s defining feature is that, though preserved in words, it has never been altered or rewritten. To think that I stand on the shoulders of this unchanging giant—the Bible—which has endured history’s storms, brings a profound sense of security. That is why Paul admonishes us through Timothy: “Beloved, remain faithful to what you have learned and believed. You know from whom you learned it, and you know that from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:14-15)

 　　　　　(Contributed by Father Yutaka Akabae)