The Final Message of the Synod of Bishops on the Word of God: part 3

Herewith the notes for the third of the allocutios on the Final Message of the Synod.

7. Final Message Section 3: The Church - The House of the Word

This section of the message identifies four “pillars” upon which the Church builds her living of the life of Scripture. A model is suggested for this in the “mother community
of Jerusalem”[1].

Scripture and evangelisation/catechesis: the figure of St Peter preaching, as described in the Acts of the Apostles

Preaching, catechesis and the homily therefore presuppose a reading and understanding, an explaining and interpreting, an involvement of the mind and of the heart. Thus in preaching a dual movement is achieved. With the first, one goes back to the roots of the sacred texts, the events, the first words of the history of salvation, to understand them in their meaning and in their message. With the second movement, one returns to the present, to the today lived by those who hear and read, always with Christ in mind, who is the guiding light destined to unite the Scriptures. This is what Jesus himself did - as has already been said - in his journey to Jerusalem in Emmaus with two of his disciples. This is what the deacon Phillip would do on the way from Jerusalem to Gaza, when he spoke this emblematic dialogue with the Ethiopian official: "Do you understand what you are reading? ... How could I, unless I have someone to guide me?" (Ac 8:30-31). And the finality will be the full encounter with Christ in the sacrament.[2]

The Eucharist: the figure of the Eucharistic Presence of Jesus on the road to Emmaus

The scene at Emmaus (cf. Lk 24:13-35) is once again exemplary, and reproduces what happens every day in our churches: the homily by Jesus about Moses and the prophets gives way to the breaking of the Eucharistic Bread at the table. This is the moment of God's personal dialogue with His people. It is the act of the new covenant sealed in the blood of Christ (cf. Lk 22:20). It is the supreme work of the Word who offers himself as food in his immolated body, it is the source and summit of the life and mission of the Church….."The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures just as she venerates the body of the Lord, since, especially in the sacred liturgy, she unceasingly receives and offers to the faithful the bread of life from the table both of God's word and of Christ's body" (DV 21). Therefore, "the liturgy of the word and the Eucharistic liturgy, are so closely connected with each other that they form but one single act of worship" (SC 56), and this must be brought back to the centre of Christian life.[3]

Prayerful reading of Scripture: the figure of Mary who “keeps these things in her heart” and who is united with the Apostles in prayer in the upper room

A privileged place is naturally taken by the Liturgy of the Hours, the prayer of the Church par excellence, destined to give rhythm to the days and times of the Christian year, offering, above all with the Psalmody, the daily spiritual food of the faithful. Alongside this and the community celebrations of the word, tradition has introduced the practice of Lectio divina, the prayerful reading in the Holy Spirit that is able to open to the faithful the treasure of the word of God, and also to create the encounter with Christ, the living divine Word.[4]

The Church as communion of love, agape: the figure of St John, “the disciple whom Jesus loved”

As Jesus mentioned, to become his brothers and his sisters one must be like "those who hear the word of God and put it into practice" (Lk 8:21). Authentic hearing is obeying and acting. It means making justice and love blossom in life. It is offering, in
life and in society, a witness like the call of the prophets, which continuously united the word of God and life, faith and rectitude, worship and social commitment…. Therefore this must already be visible and legible on the face and in the hands of the faithful, as suggested by Saint Gregory the Great who saw in Saint Benedict, and in other great men of God, witnesses of communion with God and with the sisters and brothers, the word of God come to life. The just and faithful man not only "explains" the Scriptures, but also "unfolds" them before all as a living and practiced reality.[5]


POINTS TO NOTE:

St Peter
1. Scripture and catechesis: when reading a passage of Scripture, use the index of citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church to look up how that passage is used by the Church in teaching doctrine.

2. We should live an affection, not for the person of the individual Pope, but for his
office as teacher. We can do this, for example, by co-operating with an initiative such as the Year of St Paul.

The Eucharistic presence of Jesus
3. We can take part in times of Eucharistic Adoration, which will help us grow in our participation in the celebration of the Eucharist itself.

Spiritual reading of Scripture
4. We could pray the Liturgy of the Hours, or part thereof, each day. The texts are mostly Scriptural - the psalms, the short reading, the Canticles. The Rosary is also a prayer based on Gospel events and images.

5. We could practice the steps of “lectio divina”:

This begins with the reading (lectio) of the text, which provokes the question of true knowledge of its real content: what does the biblical text say in itself? Then follows meditation (meditatio) where the question is: what does the Biblical text say to us? In this manner, one arrives at prayer (oratio), which presupposes this other question: what do we say to the Lord in answer to his word? And one ends with contemplation (contemplatio) during which we assume, as God's gift, the same gaze in judging reality and ask ourselves: what conversion of the mind, the heart and life does the Lord ask of us?[6]

St John
6. We must be witnesses to our faith in our daily lives. Either as witnesses through charity - eg visiting the sick - or witnesses through explicit teaching.

[1] Final Message of the Synod n.6. Theologically, a lot could be made of this model in terms of seeing particular individuals (eg St Peter, the Virgin Mary, St John) as representing permanent offices in the Church.
[2] Final Message of the Synod n.7.
[3] Final Message of the Synod n.8.
[4] Final Message of the Synod n.9
[5] Final Message of the Synod n.10.
[6] Final Message of the Synod n.9.