VATICAN
NEWS:
THE UPCOMING SYNOD
OF BISHOPS ON SCRIPTURE-2008 [“THE WORD OF GOD IN THE LIFE
AND MISSION OF THE CHURCH.]
The 12th world synod of Bishops is being convoked
by his holiness pope Benedict XVI, to be held on 5-26 of
Oct.2008. Pope Benedict XVI decided to dedicate this synod
to reflect the mystery of the Word of God in the life and
mission of the Church. This theme has been considered a
priority by the universal Church. In Europe and Asian countries,
the preparations for the World synod of Bishops in various
levels of the Church are found underway. National, Regional
and in the Local levels of the Church and in the various
forums, an organized preparation is called for and carried
out, in order to make the world synod of Bishop on Bible
a grant success. I don’t find so for any organized way of
preparation is done any of the parishes in the diocese of
Los Angeles or in any dioceses in USA as it was done for
year of the Eucharist, in 2005. “I have no idea about it,”
said, a parishioner in Corpus Christi Parish at Pacific
Palisades, in L.A.
People today display a great need to listen
to God and speak with him. At present, Christians are eagerly
seeking the Word of God as the source of life and as a means
of encountering the Lord in a personal manner. As we read
in Dei Verbum-2, the unseen God interacts in this personal
encounter, “out of the abundance of his love; [he] speaks
to humankind as friends and lives among them, so that he
may invite and take them into fellowship with himself.”
In the continuing process of God’s breathing
forth his Word, this 12th synod Assembly is being convoked
by the Catholic Church in connection with preceding synods
of Bishops [1965-2006]. The upcoming synod of Bishops on
Scripture is going to reflect on the need to inculcate in
the minds of the Catholic faithful to live and breathe the
richness of the Bible. The main theme of the synod would
be “The Word of God in the life and mission of the Church.”
The synod wishes to reverently contemplate this mystery
of the Word, God’s greatest gift, to render thanks for it,
to meditate upon it and to proclaim it to all members of
the Church and all people of good will.
2. More specifically, this synod wishes to
set forth the intrinsic connection between the Eucharist
and the Word of God and to insist the need that the Church
must receive its nourishment from the one “bread of life
from the table of both God’s Word and Christ’s body. This
is the synod’s underlining purpose and primary goal, namely,
to fully encounter the Word of God in Jesus the Lord, present
in the Sacred Scripture and in the Eucharist. St. Jerome
states that the Lord’s flesh is real food and his blood
is real drink. To nourish ourselves with his flesh and drink
with his blood means both the Eucharist and the reading
of Sacred Scripture. In fact, the Word of God, drawn from
the knowledge of the Scriptures is the real food and real
drink. Do you believe it?
Forty years after the historical Vatican council,
questions arise as to what are the fruits of the conciliar
document, ‘DEI VERBUM’, in our Catholic communities and
whether this Dogmatic constitution has really been taken
to heart. With regard to Word of God, many positive things
have clearly taken place in the lives of the people of God;
for example, Biblical renewal in the liturgy, theology and
catechesis, the distribution and practice of the Bible by
the biblical apostolate and efforts of communities and ecclesial
movements and the increased use of the instruments of today’s
communication media.
However, something still poses problems or
still remains an open question. The lack of knowledge and
uncertainty regarding the teachings of the Revelation are
deep concern. Many Catholics still remain without any contact
with Bible. Without the truth of God’s Word, relativism
becomes alluring in people’s lives and thinking. This situation
in the Catholic Church urgently warrants a total and complete
knowledge of the Church’s teaching concerning the Word of
God. It also requires employing suitable methods in providing
all Christians with opportunities to encounter Sacred Scripture.
Today, the Church must take up the new ways suggested by
the Spirit through this world synod of Bishops in order
to become the Word of truth and Love for all people.
We have all sorts of books with us and we
don’t hesitate to buy them however they are costly if they
are interesting and informative. But it is a great shock
to know that some of the Catholic families don’t have
Bible with them. Why don’t the Catholics have
not realized that the proper approach to the Word of God
develop a dynamic knowledge of belonging to
the Church, the body of Christ and prompt
a genuine participation in the
mission of the Church? Do we insist that our
Sunday catechesis and school catechism should be based on
the Word of God? Do American Catholics like
Biblical sermons and bible based liturgical
programs? What does the Church do for the ongoing formation
of the laity to make them to realize that the Word of God
is the source of life?
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly;
teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; with gratitude
in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to
God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything
in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the
father through him.” [col3; 16-17].
The primary purpose of this upcoming synod
is pastoral, namely, spreading and strengthening the encounters
with Word of God; Leading to experience the Word of God
as source of life in everyday circumstances and devising
true and available ways in which Christians and people of
good will can listen to God and speak with him. The synod
desires to give the Word of God as food to the people of
God. And it aims to foster a proper approach to Biblical
hermeneutics. It also intends and desires to encourage ecumenical
dialogue, which is closely linked to listening to the Word
of God and to promote an encounter and dialogue, not only
with Christians and Jews but also those engaged in inter-religious
and inter-cultural dialogue.
The secretary-general of the synod of Bishops,
Archbishop Eterovic suggested that theme of Scripture needs
deepening 40 years after the Vatican Council dogmatic constitution
“Dei Verbum.”
“The synod’s date is a happy coincidence with
Benedict’s call for a year of St. Paul. And with St. Paul,
also we are invited to rediscover and proclaim the Word
of God.” said Eterovic.
As Catholics are concerned, the only point
of contact with Sacred Scripture is in the Sunday liturgy.
This is positive but a lot more is needed in order to drive
the people of God to breathe the richness of Scripture.
The faithful have to be guided and taught to know how to
translate the biblical implications into their personal,
family and social life. Thus the Word of God will have a
more evident impact.
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