杏MAP导航

By Thaddeus Jones

杏MAP导航 Francis presided over the Mass celebrating this year鈥檚 Sunday of the Word of God marking the theme from John鈥檚 Letter, 鈥淲e proclaim to you what we have seen鈥� (1 Jn 1:3). The celebration took place in St. Peter鈥檚 Basilica and included the conferral of the Ministries of Lector and Catechist on lay men and women from Italy, Congo, the Philippines, Mexico, and the UK. 杏MAP导航 Francis instituted the annual celebration in 2019, calling for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time to be devoted to the celebration, study, and dissemination of the Word of God.

, the 杏MAP导航 recalled that in today鈥檚 Gospel we see how Jesus enters into His public ministry after a quiet life in Nazareth: He invites everyone to conversion, calls His first disciples, and gives the mission to spread the Good News of God鈥檚 boundless love for all. This 鈥渄ynamism鈥� shows us how 鈥�the Word is for everyone, the Word calls everyone to conversion, the Word makes us heralds.鈥�

Word of God for all

Jesus is always on the move, an itinerant and pilgrim, visiting towns and villages, meeting and healing people, the 杏MAP导航 explained, saying 鈥淗is feet are those of the messenger announcing the good news of God鈥檚 love.鈥� The area by the Sea of Galilee where He began His preaching was a cultural crossroads of peoples of traditions, he observed, and this shows how Jesus 鈥渆nlarges the boundaries鈥� of proclaiming the Word of God not only to the righteous of Israel, but to all.

Proclamation priority

If the Word is 鈥渁 gift addressed to everyone,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 explained then it must become a 鈥渕ain priority鈥� of believers as it was for Jesus. And may our preaching be with an open and 鈥渁n expansive heart鈥� to all, and not as a Church with a closed heart, "may this never happen." 

Transforming hearts

The Word of God then calls everyone to conversion, to change our lives, as we cannot remain the same after hearing its life-giving message, the 杏MAP导航 went on to say. The Word can even put us into crisis, he added, as it helps us see the light of God鈥檚 goodness and how to make room for it in our lives, whereas the inner darkness of vices and sins can struggle against it, something we must resist.

The 杏MAP导航 said we can simply place our life 鈥�under the Word of God,鈥� not under our own tastes and preferences, but under the Word that shapes us, changes our lives, and calls us to unity.

Bearing witness in word and deed

Finally, we are called to bear witness to the Word of God that makes us heralds, the 杏MAP导航 concluded. As Jesus, walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, called Simon and Andrew to be His disciples, to follow Him and become 鈥渇ishers of men,鈥� we are also called now to meet our brothers and sisters in proclaiming the joy of the Gospel.

The 杏MAP导航 added that proclaiming the Word means bearing witness to it in our everyday lives in how we treat and care of each other, giving it flesh in who we are and what we do.

Thank you

At the conclusion of his homily, the 杏MAP导航 expressed his profound gratitude by saying 鈥渢hank you鈥� to all who proclaim the Word of God, putting it at the centre of their lives. He paid tribute to those who deepen their knowledge of the Word, the pastoral workers who spread the Word - including lectors and catechists, and especially those on whom he conferred these ministries at Sunday's liturgy. Finally, he thanked all the deacons and priests who help nourish God鈥檚 holy people with the Word by 鈥渕editating on it, living it, and proclaiming it鈥� through their service and sacrifices.