This third Sunday in Ordinary time has been declared Sunday
of the Word of God. One question we could ask ourselves is: what is my
relationship with the Word of God and what is the impact the Word has on my
life? St. Jerome in his famous dictum says “ignorance of scripture is ignorance
of Christ”. If you agree that this is true, then I want to suggest five things we could do in
order that we grow in the knowledge of scripture, and thus in the knowledge of
Christ.
1.
READ the scripture! Everything begins with our
encounter with the Word of God. To do so, we must read it. But how do we learn to
read our bible? Let me offer three quick suggestions. First, set a specific time
to read your bible. Procrastination is one of the greatest enemies of bible
reading. And certainly, early in the morning is better than late at night when
you are worn out. Second, have a fixed place. Lying on your bed is hardly the
ideal place for reading your bible, and we both know why. Third, read with a
friend or with a group. When we read alone, we easily get discouraged. Get some
company and you might read longer.
2.
MEDITATE on the scripture! In the parable of the
sower, Jesus explains how some seed fall on the path and how the birds quickly
come and eat them. The great danger of reading the bible is to read it
mindlessly. No! We must keep the Word in our hearts like Mary, long enough for
it to begin to bear fruit. It is by meditating on the scriptures that we learn
to recognize the voice of God speaking to us through it. Don’t just read it;
meditate on it.
3.
PRAY with the scripture! The bible is replete
with several examples of prayer. The psalms are perhaps the densest collection
of biblical prayers. We must pray with the Word in order that we learn to align
our wills to that of the Father. Praying with scripture also helps us not to be
easily discouraged, since the scripture lifts us out of despair. Moreover,
prayer is a two-way street. We should not only speak when we pray; we must also
listen. In order for our prayer to be a true communication with God we must
pray with the scripture.
4.
ACT on the scripture! It is needless only to be
a hearer of the Word. We must also be doers of the same. When God created the world
(Gen 1:1-3) he spoke everything came to be. The Word is endowed with creative power.
That is why it is a contradiction to hear the Word and to remain sterile in inaction.
The Word must necessarily bear fruit in good works of every kind.
5.
SPREAD the Word! As Christians, we are also
missionaries by default. We must bring the message of the Gospel to the ends of
the earth. We have an urgent mission to make God’s Word known and loved. Every
baptized person is also a prophet, commissioned to spread the Gospel of the
Kingdom. We must be courageous, in our homes, in our places of work and
everywhere we are to spread the Word. Share the word with someone today; give a
bible to someone who does not have one. Spend time to read the Word to someone
who cannot read it. Be aflame with the Word! Spread the Word!
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