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Last October, when the twelfth worldwide synod of bishops opened in Rome, I was really excited. If you have read my letters over the past year, you know that we began The Word Among Us out of a desire to follow Jesus’ words: “You give them something to eat” (Mark 6:37, RSV). The “something” that we wanted to give was the relationship with the Lord that comes as we read, study, and meditate on his word in Scripture.
Some of my most favorite Bible passages are the ones that point to the power that Scripture can have on our lives. For example, Ezekiel was told to “eat this scroll,” which held God’s word to Israel. And when Ezekiel did eat, the word became sweet as honey to him (Ezekiel 3:1-3). There are also those passages in which Jesus used Scripture to show how he was the fulfillment of everything God had promised in the past. When Jesus gave these Bible studies, his words lit a spark in his listeners’ hearts, and by the time he was finished, their hearts were burning with love for the Lord (Luke 24:13-47). This is what we want all of our readers to experience as they take of the word of God.
A Man of the Word. This month also happens to be the end of the “Year of St. Paul,” which Pope Benedict XVI declared last June. What could be a better way to honor Paul than to shine a light on the power of the word of God? After all, Paul is responsible for thirteen of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament, and his story takes up one half of the Book of Acts. Paul was a man of the Scriptures. He was trained in the Hebrew Bible by the great rabbi Gamaliel. All his preaching, all his letters, even the way he cared for the churches he founded—all of it flowed from his love for the word of God and his desire to see the promises in that word fulfilled in his people.
It was St. Paul who wrote that “all Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). This is what the bishops had in mind when they presented their proposals to the Holy Father at the close of the synod. God’s word testifies to Jesus, it teaches us, and it inspires us. The Bible makes us wise because the Holy Spirit takes these words and uses them to reveal the mysteries of God to us. It can help us stand firm against the philosophies in the world that are opposed to Jesus. And because it lifts our hearts up to the Lord, it helps us meditate on all that is true, noble, pure, lovely, and praiseworthy—that is, on God and his wonderful creation (Philippians 4:8).
I hope that this issue of The Word Among Us helps you to dedicate yourself to reading the Scriptures every day. I hope it inspires you to a deeper study of the word. And above all, I hope it helps you grow in your faith—which comes from hearing, which comes from the word of God (Romans 10:17).
Joe Difato, Publisher | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
it takes a lot of openness to dwell in the words of the scriptures.
you need to be calm sometimes in pain, to start the search for healing.
it always seep deep in our hearts to light up our readings… it draws me nearer to truth and love!
I heard someone tell me that scripture is God’s way of speaking to us. That has helped me see scripture in a different light. It certainly looks like that is what motivated St. Paul
Let’s pray that the many veils that might inhibit our fuller understanding of scripture be lifted so that we may truly be transformed by scripture’s power over our falleness. Scripture is very simple on the one hand and very complex on the other. Too many times it has been taken as a sword in the hand rather than as balm offered to the soul of humanity. There are many advances inscholarship that would help lift these veils such as an improving historical criticism, richer allegorical interpretations within a single text and among the various NT texts, and a more refined exegesis that would help us avoid a too literal, verbatm view of scripture that would cause us to miss scripture’s intent should we embark on our own reading alone and without good commentary.
God’s Word during the mass and daily praying with the scriptures has truly been the transforming power, strength, and wisdom in my life. Using The Word Among Us since 1986 as a tool for prayer and meditation has brought me closer in my personal relationship with Jesus. Missing out in daily praying with the scripture and weekly mass is no different from missing out our daily meals and weekly family dinners or banquets. It does starve the spirit and put our souls weak and malnourished. As a mother of 5 and being a full time working mother and wife, the scriptures have strengthened and nourished me each day to manage my workload and to be focused on the journey with Jesus each day. Challenges, trials, and difficulties become opportunities to becoming and living the Divine love and mercy of God. Yes, the word of God can truly transform and empower our daily lives if we but choose to have it as our daily nourishment—-breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in-between.
Yes, it is the most incredible gift; a life tranformed by what He mparts to us very day if we simply seek.
somebody told MR. AND MRS. MICHAEL B.that scripture is God’s way of speaking to us. I say scripture is a love letter from God to Human race. i have answers to all my question to my daily problems and today’ s day to day difficulties in the bible even though it is written 2000 years back.