Our Study of the Psalms
Catholic Scripture Study
Offered by St James the Greater Catholic Parish, Eau Claire
All Are Welcome who are interest in studying the Psalms
On seven selected Mondays, September 2017 to December 2017
7:00 – 8:45 PM in St James the Greater Gathering Room
2502 Eleventh St, Eau Claire
The Psalms are the original songs of men who knew who God was.
They are the expressions in which the ancient peoples voiced their adoration for the God of Israel. They are the perfect prayer as they are words which God himself likes to hear as He has heard them sung for so many thousands of years. When we finally realize who God is and realize that he is the almighty and infinitely holy then we cannot help but want to give God glory and praise. And the Psalms provide the perfect tried and true language which pleases God the most. St Augustine says that when we praise God in the words of the Psalms we can come to know Him better, then love Him better and in loving Him better we find happiness in Him.
In addition to praise the Psalms provide us the opportunity to pray with and through all our emotions, joy, sorrow, expectation, fear, anguish, desperation, triumph and peace.
As we learn to pray the Psalms we should use them as a prayer that enables us to surrender ourselves to God. We are joining ourselves with the heart of the church and the countless others when we pray the Psalms.
The seven classes of this course will teach us about the Psalms of Praise, Trust and Confidence, Wisdom, and the Royal Psalms. It would be our hope that with these classes we will give you the opportunity to learn and thus better understand and pray with God’s favorite prayers.
( Many of these thoughts have been paraphrased from “Praying the Psalms” by Thomas Merton)
Scripture Study Details
Each meeting will have a presentation by a speaker. Beginning with the second meeting the talk will be followed by a small group discussion of questions from the study guide, Psalms for all Season. Meetings will be in the St James Gathering Room which is fully handicapped accessible. There is no obligation to come to all the meetings and no previous scripture study is necessary as background for the course. Bring a Bible and a notebook.
The course is approved by the Diocese of La Crosse for teacher certification. The only cost is $18 for the entire course, which includes seven excellent speakers plus the textbooks Psalms for all Seasons and the Little Rock Scripture Study Guide. If a couple wishes to share the books between them, then the cost for the couple is $25. If you need to have the fee waived due to financial necessity, please contact
Jacky Miller. Call Jacky Miller at 715-835-5887 ext 3 to register
For more information or to register, contact:Jacky Miller at 715-835-5887 ext 3,
Sharon Bussard 715-839-8762