SYNOD OF BISHOPS

XII ORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY

VATICAN CITY
2008

PREFACE
INTRODUCTION

I. A comprehensible, well-received proclamation
The Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod

II. The instrumentum laboris and its use
Points of Reference
Shared Expectations
The Synod’s Purpose

FORWARD: Historical Overview
A Season of Plentiful Fruits
Uncertainties and Questions
Varied and Demanding Circumstances of Faith
The Structure of the Instrumentum Laboris

PART I
THE MYSTERY OF GOD WHO SPEAKS TO US

CHAPTER I

A. God who speaks to us, the meaning of the word of god
The Word of God as a Hymn with Many Voices
Pastoral Implications

B. At the centre, the mystery of christ and the church
At the Heart of the Word of God, the Mystery of Christ
In the Heart of the Word of God, the Mystery of the Church
Pastoral Implications

A. The bible as the inspired word of god and its truth
Questions
Sacred Scripture, the Inspired Word of God
Tradition, Scripture and the Magisterium
The Old and New Testament, a Sole Economy of Salvation
Pastoral Implications

B. Interpreting the Bible according to the faith of the Church
The Hermeneutic Problem from a Pastoral Perspective
Listening to Experience
The Meaning of the Word of God and How to Find It
Pastoral Implications

CHAPTER III
The disposition required to hear the word
An Efficacious Word
The Believer: One Who Hears the Word of God in Faith
Mary: Every Believer’s Model for Receiving the Word
Pastoral Implications

PART II
THE WORD OF GOD IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH

CHAPTER IV

The Word of God gives life to the Church
The Church is born and lives by the Word of God
The Word of God Sustains the Church through her History
The Word of God Permeates and Animates Every Aspect of the Church’s Life Through the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Pastoral Implications

CHAPTER V
The Word of God in the many services of the Church
Ministry of the Word
An Experience in Liturgy and Prayer
The Theological-Pastoral Foundation: Word, Spirit, Liturgy and Church
The Word of God and the Eucharist
The Word and the Economy of the Sacraments
Pastoral Implications
Lectio Divina
The Word of God and the Service of Charity
Exegesis of Sacred Scripture and Theology
The Word of God in the Life of the Believer

PART III
THE WORD OF GOD IN THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH

The Mission of the Church

CHAPTER VI
Towards a "wide access to sacred scripture" (DV 22)
The Mission of the Church is to Proclaim the Word and Build the Kingdom of God.
The Mission of the Church is Fulfilled in Evangelization and Catechesis

CHAPTER VII
The Word of God in serving and forming the People of God
Holding Fast to Scripture (cf. DV 25)
The Hunger and Thirst for the Word of God (cf. Am 8:11): Attention to the Needs of the People of God
"In Sacred Scripture, the marvellous ‘condescension’ of eternal wisdom is clearly shown" (DV 13).
Bishops in the Ministry of the Word
The Task of Priests and Deacons
Various Ministries of the Word of God
The Task of the Laity
The Service of Consecrated Persons
Everyone Should Have Access to the Word of God at All Times.

CHAPTER VIII
The Word of God and the grace of communion
The Word of God: The Bond of Ecumenism
The Word of God: Source of Dialogue
between Christians and Jews
Interreligious Dialogue
The Word of God: Leaven in Modern Cultures
The Word of God and Human History

CONCLUSION

The Word of God: Gift to the Church

The Word of God par excellence is Jesus Christ, God and Man. The Son is the Eternal Word, ever-present in God, because he himself is God: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (Jn 1:1). The Word reveals the Mystery of the Triune God. Eternally spoken by God the Father through the love of the Holy Spirit, the Word carries on a dialogue which expresses communion and leads a person into the depths of the divine life of the Most Blessed Trinity. In Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word, God chose us before the creation of the world, destining us to be his adoptive children (cf. Eph 1: 4,5). While the Spirit hovered over the waters and darkness covered the abyss (cf. Gen 1:2), God the Father created heaven and earth through his Word, through which everything came to be (cf. Jn 1:3). Consequently, traces of the Word can be found in the created world: "The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork" (Ps 18:2). The human person, made to the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen 1:26-27) is the masterpiece of creation, capable of entering into dialogue with the Creator, perceiving in creation the seal of its Author, the Creator-Word, and, through the Spirit, living in communion with the one who is (cf. Ex 3:14), the Living and True God (cf. Jer 10:10).

This friendship was broken by the sin of our first parents (cf. Gen 3: 1-24), a sin which also hindered access to God through creation. But, the kind and merciful God (cf. 2 Cor 30:9), in his goodness, did not abandon humankind. He chose a people from the nations (cf. Gen 22:18) and continually spoke over the centuries through the patriarchs and prophets, men chosen beforehand to keep alive the hope which offered comfort, especially in the dramatic events of salvation history. The books of the Old Testament record their inspired words which kept alive the hope of the coming of the Messiah, the Son of David (cf. Mt 22:42), the shoot from the root of Jesse (cf. Is 11:1).

In the fullness of time (cf. Gal 4:4), God wished to reveal to humanity the mystery of his life, hidden for centuries and generations (cf. Col 1:26). To do this, the Only begotten Son of God became man; "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn 1:14). Like us in everything except sin (cf. Heb 2:17; 4:15), the Word of God had to express himself in a human way, through words and deeds, which are recorded in the New Testament, especially in the Gospels. The language employed is human in every way, except for error. With the eyes of faith, the believer discovers the splendour of divine glory in the fragility of the human nature of Jesus Christ, "as the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" (Jn 1:14). In a similar way, every Christian is invited through the words of Sacred Scripture to discover the Word of God, the splendour of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the likeness of God (cf. 2 Cor 4:4). This takes place through a demanding, patient and ongoing process, involving historical-critical study (even diachronic), the application of every scientific and literary method available (intended for a synchronic understanding) and research from the vantage point of literature. Illuminated by the Holy Spirit, the gift of the Risen Christ, and guided by the Magisterium, the faithful attentively read the Scriptures and draw out their full meaning in encountering the Word of God, the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, who has the words of eternal life (cf. Jn 6:68).

The topic of the XII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church can be understood in its christological sense, namely, Jesus Christ in the Life and Mission of the Church. This christological approach, linked by necessity to the pnuematological one, leads to the discovery of the Trinitarian dimension of revelation. Looking at the subject in this way ensures the unity of revelation. All the words and deeds, recorded in Sacred Scripture by the inspired authors and faithfully guarded in Tradition, come together in the Person of the Lord Jesus, the Word of God. This is seen in the New Testament, which narrates and proclaims the mystery of his death, resurrection and presence in the midst of the Church, the community of his disciples called to celebrate these sacred mysteries. Because of the grace which leads to the destruction of sin (cf. Rm 6:6), his followers seek to conform themselves to their Master so that each might live Christ (cf. Gal 2:20). Such is also the case in the Old Testament which, according to Jesus’ own words, refers to himself (cf. Jn 5:39; Lk 24:27). Reading the Scriptures from a christological and pneumatological perspective leads from the letter to the spirit and from the words to the Word of God. Indeed, the words often conceal their true meaning, especially when considered from the literary and cultural point of view of the inspired authors and their way of understanding the world and its laws. Doing so leads to rediscovering the unity the Word of God in the many words of Scripture. After this necessary and ardent process, the Word of God shines with a surprising splendour, more than making up for the labour expended.

This Instrumentum Laboris, presenting the agenda for the upcoming synodal assembly, employs this dual, complementary approach to the Word of God and represents the contents of the responses to the questions in the Lineamenta, coming from the synods of the Eastern Churches sui iuris, the episcopal conferences, the dicasteries of the Roman Curia, the Union of Superiors General and others who wanted to offer their observations on such an important subject. The reflection process was guided by the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, the Universal Pastor of the Church, who has often made reference to the topic of the synod in his discourses. In doing so, he, together with others, has voiced his desire that by rediscovering the Word of God, which is always timely and never out-of-date, the Church might rejuvenate herself and experience a new springtime. She will then be able to undertake with renewed vigour her mission of evangelization and human promotion in the today’s world, which thirsts for God and his words of faith, hope and charity.

In a positive sense, the Instrumentum Laboris recounts a generally-held consciousness of the importance of the Word of God in the life and mission of the Church. However, it also contains aspects on the subject which need to be addressed and improved, in particular, a greater access to Scripture and a better understanding of it in the Church. This will happen by necessity in the course of proclaiming the Good News with renewed apostolic and pastoral zeal to those near and far and breathing life into every aspect of human life, thereby contributing to the construction of a more just and peaceful world.

The XI Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, who drafted the Instrumentum Laboris with the assistance of experts, hopes that this document might truly assist synod discussion and serve as a guide for the synod fathers in their ascent and descent in rediscovering the Word of God, that is, Jesus Christ, God and Man. This process will take place in a particular way at the liturgical celebrations which have their summit in the Eucharist, where the word manifests its wondrous efficacy. Indeed, through the expressed wish of Jesus Christ, "Do this in memory of me" (Lk 22:19), the words pronounced by the priest in the person of Christ the Head—"Take; this is my body" (Mk 14:22), "this is my blood" (Mk 14:24)—transform, through the power of the Father’s gift of the Holy Spirit, bread into the Body of Christ and wine into his Blood. From this enduring font of grace and charity, the Church constantly draws the vital sap and strength for her mission in today’s world, whose inhabitants are called to discover the Word of God in the Person of Jesus Christ, who is "the way, the truth and the life" (Jn 14:6) for each person and for the whole of humanity.

Nikola ETEROVIC
Tit. Archbishop of Sisak
General Secretary

Vatican City, The Solemnity of Pentecost, 11 May 2008

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life -- the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us -- that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing this that our joy may be complete" (1 Jn 1:1-4).

Responses to the questions in the Lineamenta came from the Eastern Catholic Churches sui iuris, the episcopal conferences, the dicasteries of the Roman Curia and the Union of Superiors General. Observations were also made by individual bishops, priests, consecrated persons, theologians and members of the lay faithful. A serious, attentive effort took place in the particular Churches on every continent, manifesting the extensiveness of the Word of God throughout the world. The contents of these submissions were routinely summarized and are now presented in this Instrumentum Laboris.

2. The times again call for an obedient hearing of the Word of God in union with the Church’s Tradition, in light of the Second Vatican Council, specifically, taking up the contents of the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum (DV), and other conciliar documents, notably the Dogmatic Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium (SC), the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen gentium (LG) and the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World Gaudium et spes (GS) (1). The two Notes of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church and The Jewish People and Their Sacred Scriptures in the Christian Bible are also directly related to the synod topic. In addition, The Catechism of the Catholic Church and its Compendium, as well as The General Directory for Catechesis also have an authoritative character in the subject.

The teachings of Pope Pius XII, Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II and the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI are part of the Magisterium on the Word of God, as well as the documents published by the dicasteries of the Roman Curia, over the past 40 years since the Second Vatican Council. The particular Churches and other Church bodies on the continental, regional and national levels have also produced documentation on the subject. This Synod, however, has two additional points of reference. The first comes from the preceding synod on the Eucharist, which, together with the Word of God, constitutes a single table of the Bread of Life (cf. DV 21). Another important, grace-filled event inspiring the work of the synod is the Pauline Year which celebrates the memory of the Apostle Paul, who bore witness to the Word of God, proclaimed it to an exemplary degree and remains forever in the Church its masterful teacher.

Shared Expectations

3. The submissions from the Pastors communally share the following expectations for the synod:

— the Word of God needs to be given greater priority in the life and mission of the Church; this will require courage and creativity in a pedagogy of communicating, adapted to the times (culture, real-life situations, communication);

— the faithful need to know that the Word of God is Jesus Christ, an awareness which lends a sense of mystery to the reading of every word in the Bible, particularly during liturgical celebrations, first and foremost at the Sunday Eucharist;

— the Word of God can only be fully understood through the action of the Holy Spirit, who gives it meaning and inspires the reading of the Bible in the Church, within the context of her living Tradition of proclamation and charity. In this way, hearing the Word of God and reading the Bible are seen to require participation in the community of the Church in a spirit of communion and service;

— the Bible needs to be seen as the Word of God who continues to reveal, despite the many difficulties in understanding certain passages, especially those in Old Testament;

— Christ’s faithful exhibit a great desire to hear the Word of God, which has resulted in many noteworthy pastoral initiatives. In this regard, however, urgent attention needs to be given to a sense of indifference, lack of knowledge and confusion about the truths of the faith concerning the Word of God, as well as to due preparation and necessary biblical supports;

— pastoral programs on the Bible need to be developed. Indeed, all pastoral activity, including the teaching of the truths of the faith, should be based on the Word of God and continually inspired by it;

— communion in the faith necessarily requires putting the Word of God into practice; each particular Church must commit itself to receiving the Word and applying it to every local situation;

— the different approaches to the Bible in the Latin and Eastern Traditions need to be known and their richness appreciated;

— the competency and responsibility of Pastors to proclaim the Word of God demands continual updating in the formation process;

— the laity urgently need to be aware that they are not passive subjects in relation to the Word of God; rather they are to become both hearers of the Word of God and, after due preparation and support from the community, proclaimers of it; and

— the faithful need to be convinced that God addresses his Word of salvation to every person without exception; consequently, he wants his Word to be a part of the Church’s mission, in what people come to know as the Good News of liberation, consolation and salvation. The Word seeks a dialogue within the Church, with Christian communities, with other religions, and even with culture, always mindful of the many seeds of the truth which God’s providence has placed in them.

a. Concretely, the Synod wishes to give greater clarity to the basic truths of Revelation, such as, the Word of God, faith, Tradition, the Bible and the Magisterium, all of which underlie and ensure a truly effective journey of faith. It also wants to bring about a deep love for Sacred Scripture, so that "the faithful, by having greater access" to the Bible (cf. DV 22), might come to know the unity between the bread of the Word and the Body of Christ so as to fully nourish the Christian life (2). Furthermore, the Synod is to consider the dynamic relation between the Word of God and the liturgy; to encourage a widespread practice of Lectio Divina which is duly adapted to various circumstances; and to address a message of comfort and hope to the poor. The Synod also aims to assist in the proper application of hermeneutics in Scripture, well geared towards the process of evangelization and inculturation and to promote an ecumenical dialogue which is closely bound to the hearing of the Word of God. Finally, the Synod wishes to promote Jewish-Christian dialogue and in a wider sense, inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue.

b. Many Pastors voiced a desire that the Synod be not only informative, but actually touch lives and lead people to greater participation in the Church’s life and mission. Communicated in a language which is simple and understandable to the people, the Word of God is seen as vital, effective and penetrating (cf. Heb 4:12). In this regard, we recall that "Bible", "Sacred Scripture" and "Holy Book" are equal terms. However, in a specific context, the expression "Word of God" can also mean "Sacred Scripture".

— A renewed appreciation of the Bible in the liturgy, catechesis, and more importantly in exegetical and theological studies;

— a growing, fruitful practice of Lectio Divina in its various forms;

— the extensive distribution of the Holy Bible through biblical apostolates and the endeavours of communities, groups and ecclesial movements;

— an ever-increasing number of new readers and ministers of the Word of God;

— a greater availability of ways and means of modern communication; and

— an interest in the Bible in the field of culture.

— a lack of familiarity with Dei Verbum;

— many more people are reading the Bible; however, it is being done without sufficient knowledge of the entire deposit of faith to which the Bible belongs;

— some experience difficulty in taking up and understanding Old Testament passages with the risk of their being incorrectly used;

— the liturgical approach to the Word of God at Mass is oftentimes still to be put into effect;

— the relation of the Bible to science is strained and difficult in interpreting the world and human life;

— a certain detachment from the Bible exists among the faithful; the Bible is generally not taken up and read;

— consideration needs to be given to the close bond existing between the Church’s overall moral teaching and Sacred Scripture, particularly in the Ten Commandments, the precepts of love of God and neighbour, the Sermon on the Mount and the Pauline teaching on life in the Spirit; and

— finally, the need for not only material resources in propagating the Bible but also the means for communicating it, which oftentimes are inadequate.

a. On the personal level, too many of the faithful are reluctant to open the Bible for various reasons, especially because they feel it might be too difficult to understand. Many Christians have an intense desire to hear the Word of God which is based more on emotion than conviction, because of a scarce knowledge of doctrine. This separation of the truths of the faith and everyday life is seen primarily in encountering the Word of God in the Liturgy. In addition, a similar separation sometimes exists between biblical scholars and the Pastors and everyday people of the Christian community. Secondly, the responses acknowledge that many people are in the initial stages of direct contact with Sacred Scripture. In this regard, credit needs to be given to the various movements and the compelling example of consecrated persons.

b. Since the Word of God has fervent listeners throughout the world, it is understandable that, on the communal level, significant differences exist within the Church. In younger local Churches or those in situations where Christians are in the minority, Bible usage among the faithful is more extensive than in other places. The forms of approach vary according to the context. Today, we can speak of different approaches to the Bible in Europe, Africa, Asia, America and Oceania. The differences in the use of the Word of God, however, are always complementary, whether it be in the Latin or Eastern Churches or in relation to other Churches and ecclesial communities.

c. On the social level, the rapidly increasing process of globalization also has effects on the Church. The responses generally referred to three factors which affect the encounter with Sacred Scripture:

— secularization is influencing people’s lives, leaving them easily exposed to consumerism, relativism and religious indifference. This is particularly the case among younger generations;

— religious and cultural pluralism is leading to a rise in gnostic and esoteric forms of interpreting Sacred Scripture and the proliferation within the Church of isolated religious groups. Furthermore, the use of the Bible is increasingly causing uneasy confrontations and painful conflicts, especially for Christian minorities in non-Christian settings; and

— some strongly wish to see the Word of God as a person’s source of liberation from degrading conditions and as a real consolation to the poor and suffering.

In the programme of the new evangelization, passing on the faith ought to go hand-in-hand with an in-depth discovery of the Word of God. The Word of God should be presented as the sustenance of the Church’s faith throughout the ages.

For clarity and easy reading, each part is further subdivided into chapters. In general, the aim of the Synod is to meditate upon, present and render thanks for the great mystery of the Word of God as the supreme divine gift.

"In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world" (Heb 1:1-2).

The Pastors made reference in their reports to some theological subjects which are very important in their pastoral activity: e.g., the meaning of the Word of God, the mystery of Christ and the Church, the centrality of the Word of God; the Bible as the inspired Word and its truth; the interpretation of the Bible according to the faith of the Church; and the proper disposition for hearing the Word of God.

Dei Verbum presents the theology of revelation as a dialogue, which entails the following three closely-entwined aspects: the broad meaning of the term "Word of God" in Divine Revelation; the mystery of Christ, the full and perfect expression of the Word of God; and the mystery of the Church and the Sacrament of the Word of God.

a. The Word of God abides in the Trinity, from which it comes, by which it is sustained and to which it returns. The Word of God is the enduring testament to the love of the Father, to the work of salvation of the Son Jesus Christ and to the fruitful activity of the Holy Spirit. In Revelation, the Word is the Eternal Word of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Son of the Father, the foundation of communication within and outside the Trinity: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made" (Jn 1: 1-3; cf. Col 1:16).

b. Consequently, all creation tells of the glory of God (cf. Ps 19:1). At the beginning of time, God created the cosmos with his Word (cf. Gn 1:1) and sealed creation with his wisdom for which everything is his voice (cf. Sir 46:17; Ps 68:34). In a special way, the human person, because created to the image and likeness of God (cf. Gn 1:26), remains for all time the sure sign and wise interpreter of his Word. Indeed, through the Word, humanity is made capable of entering into dialogue with God and creation. God thus made all creation and the human person in primis, "an enduring witness to himself" (DV 3). Given that "all things were created through him [Christ] and for him...and in him all things hold together" (Col 1:16-17), the "’seeds of the Word,’ (AG 11, 15) a ‘ray of that truth which enlightens all men’ (NA 2); these are found in individuals and in the religious traditions of mankind (3).

c. "The Word was made flesh" (Jn 1:14): the ultimate and definitive Word of God is Jesus Christ. His Person, mission and life on earth are intimately united, according to the Father’s plan, which culminates in Easter. But that plan will not reach fulfilment until the Lord Jesus consigns the Kingdom to the Father (cf. 1 Cor 15:24). He is God’s Good News to every human person (cf. Mk 1:1).

d. In view of the Word of God who is the Son-Incarnate, the Father spoke in times past through the prophets (cf. Heb 1:1). Through the power of the Spirit, the Apostles continue to proclaim Jesus and his Gospel. Thus, the Word of God is expressed in human words in the proclamation of the prophets and Apostles.

e. Sacred Scripture is the message of revelation written down under divine inspiration. As such, it can truly be said to be the Word of God (cf. DV 24) which is entirely focussed on Jesus, because "it is they [the Scriptures] that bear witness to me" (Jn 5:39). Through the charism of divine inspiration, the Books of Sacred Scripture have a direct, concrete power of appeal not possessed by other texts or human discourses.

f. But the Word of God is not locked away in writing. Even though Revelation ended with the death of the last apostle(cf. DV 4), the Word-Revealed continues to be proclaimed and heeded throughout Church history. The Church has the responsibility to proclaim the Word to the whole world as a response to its need of salvation. In this way, the Word continues its course through vibrant preaching and its many forms of evangelization, where proclamation, catechesis, liturgical celebrations and the service of charity hold a high place. Preaching, in this sense, under the power of the Holy Spirit, is the Word of the living God communicated to living persons.

g. Like fruit coming forth from its roots, the truths of the Church’s faith, in the fields of dogma and morality, fall within the sphere of the Word of God.

From this vantage point, when God’s Revelation is proclaimed in faith, it becomes a real moment of Revelation, which can truly be called the "Word of God" in the Church.

— The Word of God displays all the qualities of true communication between persons, which the Bible often calls a covenant dialogue, in which God and the person speak to each other as members of the same family.

— From this vantage point, the Christian religion cannot be defined as a "religion of the Book" in an absolute sense, in that the inspired book has a vital link to the entire body of Revelation (4).

— The created world manifests the Word of God, the seed of which is found in human life and history. Consequently, many reports raise relevant questions for today concerning the natural law, the origin of the world and ecology.

— The idea of the "history of salvation" (historia salutis), so dear to the Church Fathers, as "sacred history" merits treatment within the context of Tradition. The implications from the "religion of the Incarnate Word" need to be understood, namely that the Word of God is not encased in abstract or static formulas, but has a dynamic power in history which is made up of persons and events, words and actions, developments and tensions, as the Bible clearly illustrates. The historia salutis, having completed its constitutive phase, continues its effects through time in the Church.

— The fullness of the Word of God is seen by all its manifestations, according to the role of each person. Because of its nature, Sacred Scripture immediately comes to mind as a vital force for the Church. At the same time, every act in the ministry of the Word of God must interact in a mutually beneficial and harmonic fashion. Proclamation, catechesis, the liturgy and service in charity (diaconia) have an essential role in manifesting the Word of God.

— The Pastors have the responsibility to help the faithful in acquiring a true, complete and proper understanding of the harmonious workings of the ministry of the Word, enabling them to become attentive hearers of the Word wherever it is proclaimed and to appreciate even the simplest expressions in the Bible.

The following are a few theological points on this relation, which are clearly applicable in pastoral activity.

— According to Dei Verbum, God realized his plan in an entirely gratuitous manner: "He sent His Son,...the Eternal Word, who enlightens all men, so that He might dwell among men and tell them of the innermost being of God (cf. Jn 1:1-18). Jesus Christ, therefore, the Word made flesh...’speaks the words of God’ (Jn 3:34), and completes the work of salvation which his Father gave him to do (cf. Jn 5:36; 17:4)" (DV 4). Jesus took up and completely fulfilled the purpose, meaning, history and plan of the Word of God in his earthly life and, presently, from his place in heaven, because, as St. Irenaeus states, Christ "has brought us everything new in bringing himself to us (5).

— God’s plan presumes that revelation has a history. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews states: "in many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son" (Heb 1:1-2). It follows then that Jesus as the Word of God derives his meaning from his mission, namely, his purpose is bringing others to the Kingdom of God (cf. Mt 13:1-9); he manifests himself in his words and deeds; he expresses his power in miracles; his task is breathing life into the mission of his disciples, sustaining them in the love of God and neighbour and in the care of the poor; he reveals the fullness of his truth in the Paschal mystery, awaiting its total revelation at the end of history; until then, he guides the life of the Church in time.

— At the same time, the Word of Jesus must be understood, as he himself says, according to the Scriptures (cf. Lk 24: 44-49), namely, in the history of the People of God in the Old Testament, who awaited him as Messiah, and now, in the history of the Christian community, which proclaims him through preaching, meditates upon him in the Bible, experiences his friendship and lives under his guidance. According to St. Bernard: In the plan of the Incarnation of the Word, Christ is the centre of the Scriptures. The Word of God, already audible in the first covenant, has become visible in Christ (6).

— We must not forget that "all things were created through him and for him" (Col 1:16). Jesus is central to the cosmos, the King of the Universe and the one who gives ultimate meaning to all reality. If the Word of God is likened to a hymn with many voices, the key to interpretation, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is Christ in the universal character of his mystery. "The Word of God, who in the beginning was with God, is not, in his fullness, a multiplicity of words; it is not many words but a single Word that embraces a great number of ideas of which each is a part of the Word in its totality....and if Christ sends us to the ‘Scriptures’, as the written word which renders testimony to him, he considers the books of Scripture as one book only, because all that was written of him is recapitulated in a single whole (7).

12. Since the Church is the mystery of the Body of Christ, the Word of God is the proclamation of who she is, the grace of her conversion, the mandate of her mission, the source of her prophecy and the reason for her hope. She is constituted through an intimate dialogue with the Spouse and is made the recipient and privileged witness of the loving, salvific Word of God. To belong more and more to this "mystery" which constitutes the Church rightly results from hearing the Word of God. In this way, the continuous encounter with the Word is the source of her renewal and the font of "a new spiritual Spring" (8). 

A keen awareness of belonging to the Church, the Body of Christ, will be effective only to the extent that these different relations to the Word of God are coherently followed, that is, the Word proclaimed, the Word meditated upon and studied, the Word prayed and celebrated and the Word lived and propagated. Consequently, the Word of God in the Church is not an inert deposit but the supreme rule of faith and the power of life which goes forth with the assistance of the Holy Spirit. In virtue of the Spirit, it grows with the reflection and study of Christ’s faithful into a deeply personal experience in the spiritual life. Bishops (cf. DV 8), as men of God who live the Word, bear witness to this in a particular way (9). Clearly, the primary mission of the Church is transmitting the Divine Word to everyone. History attests that this has taken place over the centuries and continues today with much success and vitality, despite various obstacles.

The opening words of Dei Verbum merit continual reflection and must be faithfully put into practice: "Hearing the Word of God with reverence and proclaiming it with a firm faith" (DV 1). The dual aspects of hearing and proclaiming the Word of God sum up the Church’s essential character. Undoubtedly, the first place is given to the Word of God. Only through the Word of God are we able to understand the Church. The Church defines herself as a "Church that hears". Only to the extent that she hears, can she also be a Church that proclaims. According to the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI: "The Church does not live on herself but on the Gospel, and in the Gospel always and ever anew finds the directions for her journey (10)".

Pastoral Implications

13. Drawing upon the Word of God, the Christian community is stirred and renewed through discovering the face of Christ. Consequently, St. Jerome’s words take on a clear, compelling character: "Ignoratio enim Scripturarum, ignoratio Christi est (11)" ("Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ"). In this regard, some pressing pastoral implications are mentioned in the responses to the Lineamenta:

— to work out a programme which considers Jesus’ own rapport with Sacred Scripture, how he read the Scriptures and how they assist in understanding him; — to present simple criteria for reading the Bible with Christ in mind, thereby resolving difficulties in the Old Testament;

— to help Christ’s faithful see the Church, under the guidance of her Magisterium, as the essential place for a vital and ongoing proclamation of the Word of God;

— to provide proper instruction to those Christians who say they don’t read the Bible, because they prefer a direct, personal relationship with Jesus;

— to consider the liturgy as the primary place of encounter with the Word of God, because the Risen Lord is really present in sacramental signs;

— to emphasize continually in teaching the reading of the Bible, the priority of the Gospels, which are to be read in conjunction with the other books of the Old and New Testaments and the documents of the Church’s Magisterium.

— some questions concern the Bible itself: "What does inspiration mean?", "What is the canon of Scripture?", "What kind of truth is attributed to the Scriptures?" and "What is the Bible’s historic character?";

— other questions regard the relation of Sacred Scripture to Divine Tradition and the Church’s Magisterium;

— still others touch upon difficult parts of the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. In this case, the subject of the Word of God needs to be treated in catechesis.

a. The Bible is singularly united to the Word of God. The Bible itself attests to the intentional identification of the Word of God with Scripture. The Word of God is a living, effective reality (cf. Heb 4: 12-13); it is eternal (cf. Is 40:8), "all-powerful" (Wis 18:15), a creative force (cf. Gn 1:3ff) and originator of history. In the New Testament, this Word is the very Son of God, the Word made flesh (cf. Jn 1:1ff; Heb 1:2). Scripture also attests to the relationship between God and humankind, casting light upon it and guiding it in a certain way. At the same time, the Word of God extends beyond the Book, reaching humanity through the living Tradition of the Church. This understanding of the Word of God works against a private interpretation of the Bible and one confined to Scripture only. Instead, the Bible is read in a wider, unending procession of the Word of God, as shown in the fact that the Word continues to nourish generation after generation in always new and different times. With this understanding, the Christian community then becomes the agent for transmitting the Word of God, and, at the same time, the privileged place for understanding the deep meaning of Sacred Scripture in a progression of expressing the faith and, thereby, in a development of dogma. Because of this prerogative, the Church, from the very beginning, has held the books of the Bible in veneration and established with certainty a definitive list through precepts in the canon of Divine Books: 73 books, 46 of which comprise the Old Testament and 27, the New Testament (12).

b. The Spirit breathes life into the written word, placing the Book in the wider mystery of the Incarnation and the Church. The Spirit makes the Word of God a liturgical and prophetic reality, which is a proclamation (kerygma) before it is a Book and a testimonial of the Holy Spirit to the presence of Christ.

c. In summary, the following can be said with certainty:

— the charism of inspiration allows God to be the author of the Bible in a way that does not exclude humankind itself from being its true author. In fact, inspiration is different from dictation; it leaves the freedom and personal capacity of the writer in tact, while enlightening and inspiring both;

— with regards to what might be inspired in the many parts of Sacred Scripture, inerrancy applies only to "that truth which God wanted put into sacred writings for the sake of salvation" (DV 11);

— in virtue of the charism of inspiration, the Holy Spirit constitutes the books of the Bible as the Word of God and entrusts them to the Church, so that they might be received in the obedience of faith;

— the totality and organic unity of the Canon of Sacred Scripture constitutes the criterion for interpreting the Sacred Book; and

— since the Bible is the Word of God recorded in human language, its interpretation is consonant with literary, philosophic and theological criteria, always subject, however, to the unifying force of faith and the guidance of the Magisterium (13).

— primarily through the current of a living Tradition manifested by "all that she [the Church] herself is, all that she believes" (DV 8), as in worship, teaching, charity, holiness and martyrdom; and

— then, through Sacred Scripture, this living Tradition is conserved, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in the unchanging written word, where those elements from which it comes and those which make it up are recorded. "This Sacred Tradition, therefore, and Sacred Scripture of both the Old and New Testaments are like a mirror in which the pilgrim Church on earth looks at God, from whom she has received everything, until she is brought in the end to see him as he is, face to face (cf. 1 Jn 3:2)" (DV 7).

Finally, the Magisterium of the Church, which is not above the Word of God, has the responsibility "to authentically interpret the Word of God, whether written or handed down", by "listening to it devoutly, guarding it scrupulously and explaining it faithfully" (DV 10). In summary, a true reading of the Scriptures as the Word of God cannot be done except in Ecclesia, in accord with her teaching.

17. Knowledge of the Old Testament as the Word of God seems to be a real problem among Catholics, particularly as it relates to the mystery of Christ and the Church. Because of unresolved exegetical difficulties, many are reluctant to take up passages from the Old Testament which appear incomprehensible, leading to their being arbitrarily selected or never read at all. The faith of the Church considers the Old Testament a part of the one Christian Bible and an integral part of Revelation and, hence, the Word of God. This situation urgently requires a formation centred on a reading of the Old Testament with Christ in mind, which acknowledges the bond between the two testaments and the permanent value of the Old Testament (cf. DV 15-16) (14). This task can be assisted by liturgical practice which always proclaims the Sacred Text of the Old Testament as essential for understanding the New Testament, as witnessed by Jesus himself in the episode of Emmaus, in which the Master "beginning with Moses and all the prophets, interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself" (Lk 24:27). In this matter, St. Augustine’s statement is certainly applicable: "Novum in Vetere latet et in Novo Vetus Patet (15)" ("The New is in the Old concealed and the Old is in the New revealed"). St. Gregory the Great maintains: "what the Old Testament promised is brought to light in the New Testament; what was proclaimed in a hidden manner in the past, is proclaimed openly as present. Thus, the Old Testament announces the New Testament; and the New Testament is the best commentary on the Old (16)". This understanding has many important practical implications.

Pastoral Implications

18. People are becoming increasingly aware that the Bible cannot be read in a casual manner. In discovering the Scriptures, certain Bible groups begin with an enthusiasm which progressively declines, because of the want of fertile ground, namely, an understanding of the Word of God in the mystery of grace, as Jesus taught in the parable of the sower (cf. Mt 13:20-21). This situation has the following pastoral implications:

a. Because Scripture is intimately bound to the Church, the Christian community exercises an essential role in approaching the Word of God and gives the Word its authentic character. The Church becomes the criterion for the proper understanding of Tradition, since both the liturgy and catechesis draw their nourishment from the Bible. As previously mentioned, the Books of Sacred Scripture have a direct, concrete power of appeal not possessed by other Church texts.

b. Consideration needs to be given to the practical implications of the distinction between Apostolic Tradition and Church traditions. While the former comes from the apostles and transmits what they received from Jesus and the Holy Spirit, Church traditions arise from time to time in the local Churches and are adaptions of the "great Traditions (17)". The Church’s definitive listing of the canonical books of the Bible needs to be appreciated as guaranteeing the Bible’s authenticity, given the proliferation of spurious and apocryphal books. Gnostic interpretations today, based on a popularization of truths at the beginning of Christianity, require an explanation on what the Canon of Sacred Books is and how it was compiled. This will give a proper orientation to the practice and diffusion of Sacred Scripture and show why the Church’s recognition was necessary. Study needs to be done on Scripture, Tradition and the signs of the Word of God in the created world, especially humankind and its history, because every created thing is the Word of God, since all creation proclaims God (18).

c. In giving directives and defining dogma, the Magisterium does not intend to set limits on the personal reading of Scripture. Rather, the Church’s teaching provides a sure context in which research takes place. Unfortunately, the teaching of the Magisterium and an understanding of the various levels of its pronouncements are oftentimes not well-known or accepted. The Synod is providing the occasion to rediscover Dei Verbum and later pontifical documents. The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI’s different magisterial discourses on the understanding and use of the Word of God in the Bible are particularly applicable.

d. In the context of the living Tradition of the Church and, thus, as a genuine service to the Word of God, catechisms also need to be taken into consideration, from the first symbol of the faith, the nucleus of every catechism, to the various expressions of the faith promoted throughout the Church’s history, among which are, more recently, The Catechism of the Catholic Church and the respective catechisms of the local Churches.

e. At this point, a fundamental distinction needs to be made, which will have serious repercussions in pastoral practice, namely, the primary encounter with Scripture takes place in the Church’s great actions of the liturgy and catechesis, where the Bible itself is placed in the context of public ministry. In addition, Lectio Divina, Bible courses and Bible groups are also means for an immediate encounter. These are being promoted today to counteract a certain distancing of the People of God from the direct, personal use of Sacred Scripture.

f. The Old Testament is to be understood as a stage in the development of the faith and coming to know God. Its figurative character and its relationship to the scientific and historical mentality of our times need clarification. At the same time, numerous Old Testament passages have a spiritual, acute and uniquely cultural force. They provide a rich catechesis on human realities and illustrate stages in the journey of faith of the People of God. Knowing and reading the Gospels do not exclude a greater understanding of the Old Testament; instead the Old Testament gives a greater depth to the reading and understanding of the New Testament.

g. Finally, a practical pastoral vision requires some observations which can help the faithful better discern their relation to the teaching of the faith. General speaking, the faithful set the Bible apart from other religious texts and give it great importance in living the faith. However, in practice, many prefer to read easily understood spiritual books, edifying talks or writings and various other works associated with popular piety. Some hold that people encounter the Word of God in a practical way by living it in their lives more than by knowing its origin or reasoning, thus creating a tenuous situation. Speaking in an understandable manner is needed. Pastoral activity then must devise ways to help the faithful come to know what the Bible is, why it exists, its value in the life of faith and how to use it.

19. Hermeneutics, in which the Word of God and inculturation (19) are realized, is an important yet delicate subject. God’s communicating with a person is not a transmission of some kind of more or less interesting information, and even less purely of the human or academic order. Instead, his communication is his word of truth and salvation, which, on the part of the one who hears, requires an intelligent, vital and real response. This involves a dual movement, one coming from a person’s having a proper sense of the spoken or written Word, just as the Lord communicates it through the sacred authors, and another coming from the Word itself, having a real significance for the person who hears it today.

Listening to Experience

20. The bishops’ responses mention that Christ's faithful are dedicating themselves to interpreting the Word, notwithstanding apparent contradictions. Many Christians, individually or in groups, intently read the Word of God with a readiness to understand what God says and to faithfully obey it. The Church sees a valuable opportunity in this faithful willingness to provide assistance in understanding the Sacred Text properly and applying it to everyday life. In a certain way, this is especially true today (kair s), because Scripture reading can provide a fresh encounter of the Word of God with human learning, particularly in philosophical, scientific and historical research. This contact between the Word and culture can help people come to a knowledge of the truth and values concerning God, humanity and things. In the process, reason seeks faith, resulting in people working together for truth and life in accordance with God’s Revelation and the aspirations of humankind.

At the same time, this phenomenon is not without the risk that the Scriptures will be interpreted arbitrarily or literally, as in fundamentalism. On the one hand, this approach shows a desire to remain faithful to the text, but on the other hand, it displays a lack of knowledge of the texts themselves. In this way, it falls into serious errors and also creates useless controversy (20). Another danger in Bible reading can come from viewing the Scriptures with a certain "ideology" or simply as human words apart from faith (cf. 2 Pt 1:19-20; 3:16), resulting in opposing opinions or different versions of the Bible. The Bible powerfully proclaims the Word and is the source of life for believers. Generally speaking, the reports speak of a scarce or imprecise knowledge of the hermeneutical rules of the Word.

21. Today, other aspects of the teachings of the Second Vatican Council and subsequent documents of the Magisterium require detailed examination so that the Word can be properly communicated in the Church’s pastoral activity (21). The Bible, the Book of God and man, has to be read with a correct blending of its historical-literal sense and the theological-spiritual sense, or more simply, its spiritual sense (22). The Note cited by the Pontifical Biblical Commission on the subject states: "As a general rule, the spiritual sense, as defined by the Christian faith, is the meaning expressed by the biblical texts, when they are read under the influence of the Holy Spirit in the context of the Paschal Mystery of Christ and the new life which comes from it. This context effectively exists. The New Testament recognizes in it the fulfilment of the Scriptures. Therefore, the Scriptures are customarily re-read in light of this new context, that of life in the Spirit (23)".

A proper exegesis of the text, therefore, must be based on the historical-critical method, enriched by other approaches (24). This is the basis for interpreting Scripture. However, to arrive at its complete and total sense, the theological criteria, set forth in Dei Verbum, need to be considered and attention given to: "the content and unity of the whole of Scripture...the living tradition of the whole Church...along with the harmony which exists between elements of the faith" (DV 12) (25).

Today, thorough theological and pastoral reflection is necessary in forming Church communities in a proper and fruitful knowledge of Sacred Scripture as the Word of God. Pope Benedict XVI observed in the matter: "I would very much like to see theologians learn to interpret and love Scripture as the Council desired, in accordance with Dei Verbum: may they experience the inner unity of Scripture—something that today is helped by "canonical exegesis" (still to be found, of course, in its timid first stages)—and then make a spiritual interpretation of it that is not externally edifying but rather an inner immersion in the presence of the Word. It seems to me a very important task to do something in this regard, to contribute to providing an introduction to living Scripture as an up-to-date Word of God beside, with and in historical-critical exegesis "(26).

Pastoral Implications

22. As the Church leads the People of God to discover the great prospects of the Word of God, she attempts to avoid making Bible reading sound too complicated. Surely, the most important matters in the Bible are those most directly linked to daily life, as was the case with Jesus. The following are some key points in properly interpreting the Holy Book.

a. First of all, the interpretation of the Word of God is accomplished each time the Church comes together for the celebration of the Sacred Mysteries. The Introduction to the Lectionary containing the readings proclaimed during the Eucharist has the following to say on the subject: "Since, by the will of Christ himself, the new People of God is unique in the wonderful variety of its members and also in the diversity of tasks and offices which each has in relation to the Word of God: the faithful have the responsibility to listen to and meditate on it; but to explain it is the responsibility only of those who by right of sacred ordination have the task of teaching or those who have been entrusted with the exercise of this ministry. Thus, in her teaching, life and worship, the Church carries on and transmits to all generations all that she herself is and all that she believes. In this way, she constantly ensures that the Word of God, in the fullness of divine truth, is realized in her throughout the ages" (27).

b. We should remember that "the spiritual sense is not to be confused with subjective interpretations dictated by the imagination or from intellectual speculation. It arises from three levels of reality: the Biblical text (in its literal sense), the Paschal Mystery and the circumstances present in the life in the Spirit (28)". In every case, the biblical text is the indispensable starting point in interpretation as it is in pastoral activity.

c. Since the Note of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, entitled The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church, does not seem to have been read outside the circle of experts, the faithful should be encouraged to read it to help them know the basic rules on how to approach a biblical text. Aids provided for this purpose are of great value.

d. In this matter, the outstanding exegesis of the Church Fathers (29) should be taken up again and properly understood as well as the great medieval institutions of the "four senses of Scripture", and interest in them kept alive. Not to be overlooked are the various biblical practices and traditions which have sprung up in the People of God through the saints, spiritual masters and confessors. In this regard, theological and human learning can also serve a purpose as well as the "history of effects" (Wirkungsgeschichte), especially in art, which abounds with examples of a spiritual reading of the Bible. Since the reading of the Bible by non-believers today shows its anthropological value, an interpretation of this aspect might prove enriching. Sacred Scripture is read in union with the Church, in all places and times, in the company of the great cloud of witnesses to the Word, from the very first of the Church Fathers, the many lives of the saints over the centuries to the Magisterium of today (30).

e. In addition to treating the classic questions associated with the Bible, a request was made that the Synod also consider, from the same biblical perspective, the present-day problems posed by bioethics and inculturation. Bible groups have frequently asked: "How do we go from our everyday lives to the Bible text and from the Bible text to our everyday lives?" and "How can we read the Bible with our lives and our lives with the Bible?"

f. A new problem in biblical hermeneutics is emerging in the course of communicating the faith, requiring not only understanding what the Bible says but also a familiarity with the present-day culture, which is less bound to the oral and written word and more oriented towards electronic communication. With people being bombarded by all kinds of information technology, traditional forms of proclaiming the Word might be difficult for the hearer.

The bishops’ responses to the Lineamenta point to the need to cultivate among the people, individually and in groups, the practice of praying with the Word of God, which can prompt and nourish a response in faith.

The passage in Hebrews 4:12-13 together with that of Isaiah 55: 9-11, not to mention many other biblical texts, attest to the unfailing effectiveness of the Word of God. How is this effectiveness understood? Various reports from the bishops indicate that this question still needs to be raised, because, at times, new Christians attribute almost magical powers to reading the Bible, without personal commitment and responsibility. In fact, the parable of the sower (cf. Mk 4: 1-20) teaches that the Word of God shows its effectiveness, when obstacles are removed and the proper conditions exist for the seed of the Word to produce fruit.

The Word’s effectiveness is shown in the Gospel passage in which the seed must die to produce fruit. Christ says that his death was necessary to fulfil the plan of salvation. The cross then is the power and wisdom of God. St. Paul tells the Christians at Corinth that the Gospel is the "word of the cross" (1 Cor 1:18). The Word’s effectiveness then comes from the cross; both the Word and the cross are two aspects of a single plan. Their power is grounded in the dynamism of divine love: "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son" (Jn 3:16; cf. Rm 5:8). The fruits of the Word are obtained by the person who believes in the love of God, who speaks the Word. In this way, the potentiality of the Word of God is activated, realized and made truly personal.

24. "The obedience of faith is owed to the God who reveals." The person is to listen to the One who gives through speaking, "freely surrendering his entire self" (DV 5). In a person’s inner depths, where the Word is heard, God gives the grace to respond in faith. This leads to a disposition in each believer and entire communities to totally accept the invitation of full communion with God and to do his will. (cf. DV 2). This disposition of faith and communion is witnessed in every encounter with the Word in spirited preaching and the reading of the Bible. For this reason, in approaching the Scriptures, Dei Verbum recommends what is universally confirmed about the Word of God: "God...speaks to men and women as to a friend...so that he might invite and take them into fellowship with himself." (DV 2). "In the Sacred Books, the Father who is in heaven meets his children with great love and speaks with them" (DV 21). Revelation is a communion of love, which is oftentimes expressed in Sacred Scripture in terms of covenant. In summary, through a proper disposition in prayer, "God and man talk together; for ‘we speak to Him when we pray; we hear Him, when we read the divine sayings’" (DV 25) (31).

The Word of God transforms the lives of those who approach him in faith. The Word never fails; it is renewed each day. This requires, however, faith in the hearer. In many instances, Scripture attests that hearing is what makes Israel the People of God: "If you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples" (Ex 19:5; cf. Jer 11:4). Hearing leads to belonging; hearing creates a bond and permits entrance into a covenant. In the New Testament, we are directed to hear the Person of Jesus, the Son of God: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him" (Mt 17:5).

The believer is one who hears. The person who hears proclaims the presence of the one who speaks and desires to become involved with him. The person who hears creates a living space in his heart for the other. The person who hears confides in the one who speaks. Therefore, the Gospels call for a discernment of what is heard (cf. Mk 4:24) and how it is heard (cf. Lk 8:18). Indeed, we are what we hear! The human being described in the Bible is a person capable of hearing, having a heart that hears (cf. 1 Kgs 3:9). This kind of hearing is not simply listening to passages from the Bible but a process of discerning the Word of God in the Spirit, which demands faith and must come from the Holy Spirit.

Mary: Every Believer’s Model for Receiving the Word

25. Salvation history has great examples of hearers and evangelizers of the Word of God: Abraham, Moses, the prophets, Sts. Peter and Paul, the other Apostles and the evangelists. In faithfully hearing the Lord’s Word and communicating it to others, these people created a space for the Kingdom of God.

From this vantage point, the Virgin Mary assumes a central role as one who lived, in singular fashion, the encounter with the Word of God, who is Jesus himself. She is then a model of every aspect of hearing and proclaiming. Already possessing a familiarity with the Word of God in her intense experience of the Scriptures of the Chosen People, Mary of Nazareth, from the moment of the Annunciation to her presence at the foot of the Cross, and even to her participation at Pentecost, receives the Word in faith, meditates upon it, interiorizes it and intensely lives it (cf. Lk 1:38; 2:19, 51, Acts 17:11)). Because of her uninterrupted response of "yes" to the Word of God, she knows how to take into account what is happening around her and live the necessities of daily life, fully aware that what she receives as a gift from the Son is a gift meant for everyone: in the service of Elizabeth, at Cana and at the foot of the cross (cf. Lk 1:39; Jn 2:1-12; 19: 25-27). Therefore, the words, uttered by Jesus in her presence, are appropriately applied to her as well, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it" (Lk 8:21). "Since Mary is completely imbued with the Word of God, she is able to become the Mother of the Word Incarnate" (32).

Mary’s way of hearing the Word of God deserves special consideration. The Gospel text, "Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart" (Lk 2:19), means that she heard and knew the Scriptures, meditated upon them in her heart in an interior process of maturation, where the mind is not separated from the heart. Mary sought the spiritual sense of the Scriptures and found it, associating it (symallousa) with the written words, the life of Jesus and the moments of discovery in her personal history. Mary is our model not only for receiving the faith which is the Word, but also for studying it. It is not enough for her to receive it. She reflects on it. She not only possesses it, but values it. She not only gives it her assent, but also develops it. In doing so, Mary becomes an example of faith for all of us, from the most simple soul to the most scholarly of the Doctors of the Church, who seek, consider and set forth how to bear witness to the Gospel.

In receiving the Good News, Mary is the ideal model of the obedience of faith, becoming a living icon of the Church in service to the Word. Isaac of Stella states: "In the inspired Scriptures, what is said in a universal sense of the virgin mother, the Church, is understood in an individual sense of the Virgin Mary.... The Lord’s inheritance is, in a general sense, the Church; in a special sense, Mary; and in an individual sense, the Christian. Christ dwelt for nine months in the tabernacle of Mary’s womb, he dwells until the end of the ages in the tabernacle of the Church’s faith. He will dwell for ever in the knowledge and love of each faithful soul (33)". She teaches us not to stand by as idle spectators before the Word of Life, but to become participants, making our own the "here I am" of the prophet (cf. Is 6:8) and allowing ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit, who abides in us. She "magnifies" the Lord, discovering in her life the mercy of God, who makes her "blessed," because "she believed that there would be a fulfilment of what had been spoken to her from the Lord" (Lk 1:45). St. Ambrose says that every Christian believer conceives and begets the Word of God. According to the flesh, Christ has only one mother; but, according to the faith, everyone gives him birth (34).

a. Faith may not be necessary in reading the Bible. However, Faith is indeed necessary, if a person is to hear the Word of God in the Bible. A Bible group does well if its members, while reading the Bible, also receive instruction in the faith, so they can conform their lives as Christians to the indications offered in the Bible as well as bring faith to bear in difficult times.

b. People today need to hear a positive and encouraging message which offers various ways of approaching the biblical texts in a spiritual reading of the Bible, in prayer, in sharing the Word, etc.... This is done primarily in viewing the Word not so much as a static deposit of dogmatic truth or pastoral reference, but a font of living water, where a person joyously awaits to hear the Lord through the events of everyday life. The complete hermeneutic circle must be followed, namely, to believe so as to understand, and to understand so as to believe; faith seeks understanding and understanding opens the way to faith. The story of Emmaus remains an exemplary model of the believer’s encounter with the Incarnate Word (cf. Lk 24:13-35).

c. "Hear, O Israel!", "Shema Israel", is the first commandment of the People of God (Deut 6:4). "Hear" is also the first word of St. Benedict’s Rule. God invites the faithful to hear with the ears of their heart. In the Bible, the heart is not only the seat of feelings or emotion, but the in-depth core of the person, where decisions are made. Therefore, a prolonged silence, unable to be put into words, must be there, so that the Holy Spirit can reveal the intent and understanding of the Word of God and unite himself silently to our spirit (cf. Rom 8: 26-27).

d. Each person needs to hear like Mary and with Mary, the Mother and Teacher of the Word of God. In the mysteries of the Rosary, Mary provides the simple, universally applicable form to prayerfully hearing the Word. Pope John Paul II has highlighted the richness of this prayer, calling it "the Gospel compendium", where the announcement of the mystery "allows God to speak" and permits "contemplating Christ with Mary" (35). Moreover, the Church, like the Virgin Mary, the Temple of the Spirit, in her silent, humble and hidden life, learns to bear witness to this close relationship between the Word and Silence and the Word and the Spirit of God. In the believer, this causes the hearing of the Word in faith to become understanding, meditation, communion, sharing and fulfilment, which are the components of Lectio Divina, the privileged manner of approaching the Bible with faith.

e. A disposition of faith is linked to the Word of God in all its signs and expressions. Faith receives a communication of truth from the Word through a story or doctrinal formula. Faith recognizes the Word of God to be the initial stimulus towards a fruitful conversion, the light to respond to the many questions of the believer, the guidance in wisely discerning reality and an invitation to do the Word (cf. Lk 8:21) and not simply to read it or speak it; and, finally, the enduring font of consolation and hope. Thus, believers must work towards recognizing and ensuring the primacy of the Word of God in their lives, receiving it as the Church announces it, understands it, explains it and lives it.

f. Finally, methods, employing appropriate means, need to be devised to communicate the Word to the many people who are unable to read.

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it." (Is 55:9-11)

The Word of God gives life to the Church
"The letter which God sent to humanity" (36)

When the Holy Spirit begins his activity in the life of the People, one of the first and most compelling signs of his presence is a love for the Word of God in the Scriptures and a desire to know it more. This is so, because the Word of Scripture is a word personally addressed by God, like a letter, to each one, in the concrete circumstances of life. The communication has an extraordinary immediateness and power of penetrating to the core of the human being. In fact:

– the Church is born from the Word of God and lives by it;

– the Word of God sustains the Church throughout her history;

– the Word of God permeates and animates, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the entire life of the Church.

As happened at Antioch and in the assembly of Jerusalem in the people’s listening to Barnabas and Paul (cf. Acts 15:12), the Synod will surely witness "the miracles and prodigies"of the Word. Indeed, the particular Churches report many experiences of the Word of God: in the Eucharist; in Lectio Divina on the individual and communal level; in days dedicated to the Bible; in Bible courses; in Gospel groups and those which hear the Word of God; in diocesan biblical programmes; in spiritual exercises; in pilgrimages to the Holy Land; in celebrations of the Word; and in music, art, literature and cinema.

The Lineamenta responses provide the following examples:

— After the Second Vatican Council, the Word of God is being read more and more, primarily in reference to the Eucharistic liturgy. Many Churches give the Bible a privileged place, exposing it in a visible way next to the altar or on the altar, as is the case in the Eastern Churches.

— Churches are notably increasing their efforts to make Sacred Scripture accessible to people. Episcopal conferences, dioceses, parishes religious communities, associations and movements are involved in the great undertaking of the Word of God in a totally new manner for the past ten years.

— In response to a growing desire, people are being introduced to a taste for the Word of God; in some cases it is a priority in relation to other demands of pastoral service. Having a taste for the Jesus of the Gospel remains the basic need of people, even those most unawares.

— Familiarity with the Word of God takes many forms. In the ancient Christian world, the Bible was more of a lived experience than a document to be read. Data from one part of the world indicates that a meaningful use of the Bible needs to significantly increase and that the faithful should become better aware of the fundamental, decisive role of the Word of God in their Christian lives.

— In other geographic areas, a problem arises more from a scarcity of means, especially Bible translations. The efforts which our oftentimes poorer brothers and sisters make to come in contact with the Word of God is truly edifying. An important reference to this is found in the Note of the Pontifical Biblical Commission: "there is reason to rejoice in seeing the Bible in the hands of people of lowly condition and the poor; they can bring to its interpretation and to its actualization a more penetrating light, because of their spiritual and existential point of view, than that which comes from a learning that relies upon its own resources alone" (37).

— A paradox is increasingly evident: the faithful’s hunger for the Word of God is not always receiving an adequate response in the preaching of the Church’s Pastors, because of a deficiency in seminary preparation or pastoral practice.

In the patristic era, the Scriptures were the centre and source of theology, spirituality and the pastoral life. The Church Fathers are the unequalled masters of what is called the "spiritual" reading of the Scriptures, which, when done faithfully, does not destroy the "letter," that is, the concrete, historical sense, but allows a reading of the "letter" in the Spirit. In the Middle Ages, Sacred Scripture was also the basis of theological reflection. The approach at the time distinguished four senses of reading Scripture (literal, allegorical, moral and anagogical) (38). The age-old tradition of Lectio Divina is a monastic form of prayer. It serves as a source of artistic inspiration and is transmitted to the faithful through various forms of preaching and popular piety. Today, an increasingly critical spirit, scientific progress and divisions among Christians and the consequent duty of ecumenism, are leading—not without difficulty and debate—to a more proper methodological approach and a better understanding of the mystery of Scripture in the heart of Tradition. At present, the Church is experiencing a renewal based on the centrality of the Word of God, the great plan of the Second Vatican Council, which continues to the time of this Synod.

In the overall picture of the Church’s living Tradition, each particular Church develops its own traditions and proper character over time. In the process, history still shows signs of the possibility of links, influence and exchanges among the Churches. In this case, the responses to the Lineamenta can be divided into two parts. On the one hand, the Word of God can be seen to be spreading through the work of evangelization in the particular Churches of the five continents. The Word is progressively being inculturated in them, thereby becoming a source of animation of the faith of many people, the basis of the Church’s communion, a testimony to the inexhaustible richness of the mystery of the Word and the lasting font of inspiration and transformation of culture and society. On the other hand, the biblical apostolate seems to be encountering difficulties not only because of historical reasons related to when evangelization was begun but also because of real problems in faith, arising from different situations in life or the lack of economic resources.

29. The use of the Bible, the conception of the Church and pastoral practice are all correlated. When the Holy Spirit creates harmony between the Scriptures and the community, this correlation is properly achieved. Consequently, respecting the interior need which moves the community to encounter the Word of God is very important. At the same time, certain tendencies must be held in check, e.g., an exaggerated spontaneity, overly subjective experiences and superstitious practices. Attention also needs to focus on what the scriptural text is saying, reflecting on it so as to understand its literal sense before applying it to life. This is not always easy, because of the risk of fundamentalism. This phenomenon affects anthropology, sociology and psychology, but, it is applied in a particular way to the reading of the Bible and its subsequent interpretation of the world. In Bible reading, fundamentalism takes refuge in literalism and refuses to take into consideration the historical dimension of biblical revelation. It is thus unable to fully accept the Incarnation itself. This kind of interpretation is winning more and more adherents...even among Catholics. It demands an unshakable adherence to rigid doctrinal points of view and imposes, as the only source of teaching for Christian life and salvation, a reading of the Bible which rejects all questioning and any kind of critical research" (39). The extreme form of this type of tendency exists in the sects, where Scripture is isolated from the dynamic and life-giving action of the Spirit. As a result, the community atrophies and is no longer a living body, but becomes a closed group which does not admit inner differences and plurality and displays an aggressive attitude towards ways of thinking differing from its own (40).

Instead, a community needs to keep alive a docility to the Holy Spirit, and avoid the risk of extinguishing the Spirit through an excessive activism or the showy aspects of the life of faith. Likewise, the community should resists the danger of making the Church a bureaucracy, limiting pastoral activity to its institutional aspects and reducing Bible reading to one activity among others.

30. Jesus said that the Spirit guides the Church to the whole truth (cf. Jn 16:13), allowing her to understand the true sense of the Word of God and ultimately leading her to the encounter with the Word itself, the Son of God, Jesus of Nazareth. The Spirit is the soul and interpreter of Sacred Scripture, which, therefore, "must be read and interpreted in the sacred Spirit in which it was written" (DV 12). Guided by the Spirit, the Church seeks to move ahead towards a deeper understanding so as to feed her children. In doing so, she also draws in a special way from the study of the Fathers of the Eastern and Western Churches (cf. DV 23), from theological and exegetical research and from the lives of the saints and witnesses to the faith.

In this regard, the line from the Pr notanda on the subject of the Lectionary is worth quoting: "The working of the Holy Spirit is needed if the Word of God is to make what we hear outwardly have its effect inwardly. Because of the Holy Spirit's inspiration and support, the Word of God becomes the foundation of the liturgical celebration and the rule and support of all our life. The working of the Holy Spirit precedes, accompanies and brings to completion the whole celebration of the Liturgy. But the Spirit also brings home (cf. Jn 14:15-17, 25, 26; 15:26-16:15) to each person individually everything that is spoken in the proclamation of the Word of God for the good of the whole gathering of the faithful. In strengthening the unity of all, the Holy Spirit also fosters a diversity of gifts and furthers their multiform operation" (41).

The Christian community is being built up each day, allowing itself to be guided by the Word of God, under the action of the Holy Spirit, who gives light, conversion and consolation. Indeed, "for whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope" (Rm 15:4). The primary work of Pastors is to assist the faithful in understanding how to encounter the Word of God under the guidance of the Spirit. In a particular way, they are to teach how this process takes place in the spiritual reading of the Bible with a disposition of listening and prayer. In this regard, St. Peter Damascene states: "Whoever has experienced the spiritual sense of the Scriptures knows that the simplest word of Scripture and the most profound are uniquely one, both having the salvation of humankind as their purpose" (42).

a. maintaining a constant check on the effective place the Word of God has in life of the community, on the most constructive experiences and the recurring risks.

b. understanding the history and the diffusion of the Word of God in one’s own community, diocese, nation, continent and the Church in general, in order to recognize the great wonders of God (magnalia Dei), to perceive better what needs are to be addressed and what initiatives must be undertaken and to raise solidarity with communities through material and spiritual resources.

c. realizing, in an incisive manner, a pastoral program animated by the Word of God and recognizing and promoting the unique role of the particular Churches in communion among themselves. Their fruitful initiatives as the People of God, united to the Bishop, from which great and small experiences arise, create the continuous activity of the Word of God in the different communities.

The particular Churches are undertaking programmes of service to the Word of God in various settings and situations. A prime place is being given to experiencing the Word of God in the Eucharistic liturgy and the sacraments. Responses recommend Lectio Divina as an ideal, that is, the prayerful reading of the Word of God, individually or in groups. Catechesis should serve as an introduction to Sacred Scripture and its programmes and catechisms themselves, not to mention preaching and popular piety, should be grounded in the Bible. Furthermore, a biblical apostolate needs to create an encounter with the Word of God through forming and guiding Bible groups in such a way as to ensure that the Word, the Bread of Life, also becomes the material bread of assistance to the poor and suffering. Study and meetings, especially in interreligious and intercultural exchanges, urgently need to give an appreciable place to the Word of God in relation to culture and the human spirit. To realize these objectives requires an attentive faith, an apostolic zeal and a creative, well-done, ongoing pastoral programme, geared at promoting the spirit of communion. The need for a pastoral programme continually based on the Bible has never been greater.

From the perspective of unity and interaction, the dynamic character of the Word of God’s encounter with the person needs to be recognized and fully assisted, a dynamism which underlies all the Church’s pastoral activity. By necessity, the Word proclaimed and heard becomes the Word celebrated in the Liturgy and sacraments, so as to inspire a life lived according to the Word in communion, charity and mission (43).

An Experience in Liturgy and Prayer

33. Particular Churches have many experiences in common. For a majority of Christians the world over, the celebration of the Eucharist on Sundays is the sole encounter with the Word of God. The People of God have a growing consciousness of the importance of liturgies of the Word of God, prompted in part by the reference and revision of them in the new Lectionary. In this regard, some responses mention that they want to see a better thematic coordination of the three readings as well as a greater fidelity in translations to the original texts. Homilies could clearly stand improvement. In certain cases, the Liturgy of the Word is serving as a form of Lectio Divina. Work remains in encouraging the lay faithful’s participation in praying the Liturgy of the Hours. At the same time, some indicate that the People of God have never really been introduced to a theology of the Word of God in the liturgy. Some still live it passively, unaware of its sacramental character and unmindful of the riches contained in the Introductions of the liturgical books, sometimes because bishops lack interest. The many signs and gestures proper to the Liturgy of the Word are oftentimes an external formality without interior understanding. On occasion, the relation of the Word of God to the sacraments, particularly the Sacrament of Penance, appears to be given little value.

— The Bible is the book of a people and for a people, received as an inheritance and a testament given to readers to make present in its life the history of salvation therein recorded in writing. Therefore, a mutual, life-giving relationship exists between the People and the book. The Bible becomes alive in the People’s reading it. The People cannot exist without the Book, because it contains its reason for existence, its calling and its very identity.

— The mutual relationship between the People and Sacred Scriptue is celebrated in the liturgical assembly, which is the place where the work of receiving the Bible takes place. In this regard, the discourse of Jesus in the Synagogue at Nazareth (cf. Lk 4:16-21) takes on a particular significance. What took place then also takes place each time the Word of God is proclaimed in the liturgy.

— The proclamation of the Word of God in the Scriptures results from the action of the Spirit. The power which made the Word into a book, now, in the liturgy, transforms the book into the Word. Indeed, the liturgical tradition in Alexandria has a double epiclesis, namely, an invocation of the Spirit before the proclamation of the readings and a second after the homily (44). The Spirit guides the presider in the prophetic task of understanding, proclaiming and adequately explaining the Word of God to the assembly and, in a parallel way, invoking a just and worthy reception of the Word by the gathered community.

— Through the Holy Spirit, the liturgical assembly hears Christ "himself who speaks when the Holy Scriptures are read in the Church" (SC 7) and receives the covenant, which God renews with his People. Thus, Scripture and the liturgy converge in the single purpose of bringing the People into dialogue with the Lord. The Word which goes forth from the mouth of God and is attested to in the Scriptures returns to God in the form of the prayerful response of the People (cf. Is 55:10-11).

— During liturgical celebrations, the proclamation of the Word in the Scriptures is a deeply dynamic dialogue, a dialogue which reaches its highest degree of dynamism in the Eucharistic assembly. Throughout the history of the People of God, both in biblical and post-biblical times, the Bible has been, from the very beginning, the book providing assistance in God’s relationship with his People, namely, the book of worship and prayer. Indeed, the Liturgy of the Word "is not so much a time for meditation and catechesis as a dialogue between God and his People, a dialogue in which the wonders of salvation are proclaimed and the demands of the Covenant are continually restated" (45).

— An integral part of the Word’s relation to the liturgical action is praying the Liturgy of the Hours. Though deeply important for the entire Church, the Liturgy of the Hours has particular significance in the consecrated life. The Liturgy of the Hours is particularly adapt in a formation to prayer, primarily because the Psalms best illustrate the divine-human character of Sacred Scripture. The Psalms are the school of prayer, where the person who sings or recites them learns to hear, interiorize and interpret the Word of God.

— In addition to receiving the Word of God in personal and communal prayer, all Christians have the unavoidable responsibility to receive it in liturgical prayer. This requires a new outlook towards Sacred Scripture, one which sees the Bible more than a written book, but a proclamation of and testimony to the Person of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. According to a previously cited passage from the Second Vatican Council, "Christ is present in his Word, since it is he himself who speaks when the Holy Scriptures are read in the Church" (SC 7). Consequently, "Sacred Scripture is of the greatest importance in the celebration of the liturgy" (SC 24).

35. Oftentimes, the Liturgy of the Word is not sufficiently prepared or is not properly linked to the Liturgy of the Eucharist. An intimate bond exists between the Word and the Eucharist as seen in scriptural testimony (cf. Jn 6), confirmed by the Fathers of the Church and reasserted by the Second Vatican Council (cf. SC 48, 51, 56; DV 21, 26; AG 6, 15; PO 18; PC 6). In this regard, the Church’s great Tradition has many significant expressions which can serve as examples: "Corpus Christi intelligitur etiam Scriptura Dei" ("The Divine Scriptures are also considered the Body of Christ") (46), and "Ego Corpus Iesu Evangelium puto" ("I consider the Gospel to be the Body of Christ") (47).

The increasing consciousness of Christ’s presence in the Word is proving beneficial in the immediate preparation for the celebration of the Eucharist as well as in the action of uniting oneself with the Lord in the celebration of the Word. Consequently, this Synod, while always maintaining the priority of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, looks to reflect in a special manner on the relation of the Word of God to the Eucharist (48). St. Jerome observes in the matter: "The Lord’s flesh is real food and his blood real drink; this is our true good in this present life: to nourish ourselves with his flesh and to drink his blood in not only the Eucharist but also the reading of Sacred Scripture. In fact, the Word of God, drawn from the knowledge of the Scriptures, is real food and real drink" (49).

The Word and the Economy of the Sacraments

36. The Word must be lived in the economy of the Sacraments, being seen as not only the communication of truth, teachings and moral precepts, but the reception of power and grace. Such an understanding not only creates an encounter for the person who hears in faith, but makes it a real celebration of the covenant.

Some responses call for consideration to equally be given to various forms of encountering the Word in the liturgical action, the sacraments, the celebration of the liturgical year, the Liturgy of the Hours and sacramentals. Particular attention needs to be given to the Liturgy of the Word in the celebration of the three Sacraments of Christian Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist. A renewed consciousness is required in proclaiming the Word during various celebrations, particularly the individual celebration of the Sacrament of Penance. An appreciation of the Word of God is also called for in the many forms of preaching and popular piety.

37. The Eucharist, specifically the Sunday Eucharist, deserves primary attention in pastoral activity, because "the table of the Word and the Bread of Life" are intimately bound together (DV 21). The Eucharist is "the privileged place where communion is ceaselessly proclaimed and nurtured" (50).Since Sunday Mass is the sole moment of sacramental encounter with the Lord for most Christians, zealously fostering authentic, joyous Eucharistic Liturgies becomes both a task and a gift. The principal aim of proclamation and the Christian life in general is the Eucharist, celebrated in a manner which shows the intimate union of Word, sacrifice and communion.

Care is needed in ensuring that the various parts of the Liturgy of the Word proceed in an harmonic way (the proclamation of the readings, the homily, the profession of faith and the prayer of the faithful), mindful of their intimate connection with the Eucharistic liturgy (51). The One spoken of in the texts makes himself present in the total sacrifice of himself to the Father.

Introductions to liturgical books, which explain elements in the liturgy, need to be given greater value, especially the Prænotanda of the Roman Missal, the Anaphore of the Eastern Churches, the Ordo Lectionum Missæ, the Lectionaries, and the Divine Office, all of which should be included in the liturgical formation of Pastors and the faithful, together with the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council.

Less division of passages and greater fidelity to original texts are needed in translation work. Since rite and word are to be intimately connected in the liturgy (cf. SC 35), encountering the Word of God comes about through the specific character of the signs at play in the liturgical celebration, for example, the positioning of the ambo, the care of the liturgical books, a proper style of reading, and the procession and incensation of the Gospel.

In the Liturgy of the Word, maximum attention should be given to a clear, understandable proclamation of the texts and a homily based on the Word (52). This requires competent, well-prepared readers who, for this purpose, need to be formed in schools, even ones which might be established by the diocese. At the same time, the Word of God might be better understood, if the lector made a brief introduction on the meaning of the reading to be proclaimed.

In the homily, preachers need to make a greater effort to be faithful to the biblical text and mindful of the condition of the faithful, providing them assistance in interpreting the events of their personal lives and historical happenings in the light of faith. This biblical aspect can opportunely be supplemented with the basics of theology and morality. Consequently, a proper formation of future ministers is indispensable. Some recommend the blending of hymns and music to the communication of the Word of God and a greater appreciation of words and silence. Outside of the liturgy, various forms of dramatization of the Word of God are possible in writings, figures and also noble artistic works, such as, religious shows.

Some want religious communities, especially monastic ones, to assist parish communities in discovering a taste for the Word of God in liturgical celebrations. Since people are displaying an interest in participating in the Liturgy of the Hours, consideration needs to be given today on how to make this excellent means of communicating the Word of God more accessible to the faithful and a greater part of pastoral life.

Lectio Divina

38. Praying with the Word of God is a privileged experience, traditionally called Lectio Divina. "Lectio Divina is a reading, on an individual or communal level, of a more or less lengthy passage of Scripture, received as the word of God and leading, at the prompting of the Spirit, to meditation, prayer and contemplation" (53). The whole Church seems again to be giving specific attention to Lectio Divina. In some places, people have traditionally employed it. In certain dioceses, the practice has progressively increased after the Second Vatican Council. Many communities are seeing it as a new form of prayer and Christian spirituality of significant benefit in the ecumenical movement. At the same time, some see the need to take into consideration the real possibilities among the faithful and adapt this classic form to different situations in such a way as to conserve the essence of this reading in prayer, while highlighting its nutritive value for a person’s faith. Lectio Divina is a reading of the Bible which goes back to the beginnings of Christianity and has been a part of the Church throughout her history. Monasteries kept the practice alive. Today, however, the Spirit, through the Magisterium, proposes Lectio Divina as an effective pastoral instrument and a valuable tool in the Church in the education and spiritual formation of priests, in the everyday lives of consecrated women and men, in parish communities, in families, associations and movements and in the ordinary believer—both young and old—who can find in this form of reading a practical, accessible means, for individuals or entire communities, to come in contact with the Word of God (cf. OT 4) (54).

According to Pope John Paul II: "It is especially necessary that listening to the Word of God should become a life-giving encounter, in the ancient and ever valid tradition of Lectio Divina, which draws from the biblical text the living word which questions, directs and shapes our lives " (55). His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI specifies that this comes "through the use of new methods, carefully thought through and in step with the times" (56). In particular, the Holy Father recalls for youth that "it is always important to read the Bible in a very personal way, in a personal conversation with God; but, at the same time, it is also important to read it in the company of people with whom one can advance..." (57). He urges them "to become familiar with the Bible, and to have it at hand so that it can be your compass pointing out the road to follow" (58). In a message addressed to various persons, especially young people, the Holy Father expresses his heartfelt desire that the practice of Lectio Divina spread as an important element in renewing faith today. He states: "I would like in particular to recall and recommend the ancient tradition of Lectio Divina: the diligent reading of Sacred Scripture accompanied by prayer brings about that intimate dialogue in which the person reading hears God who is speaking, and in praying, responds to him with trusting openness of heart (cf. DV 25). If it is effectively promoted, this practice will bring to the Church—I am convinced of it—a new spiritual springtime. As a strong point of biblical ministry, Lectio Divina should therefore be increasingly encouraged, also through the use of new methods, carefully thought through and in step with the times. It should never be forgotten that the Word of God is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path (cf. Ps 119: 105)" (59).

The newness of Lectio Divina among the People of God requires an appropriate pedagogy of initiation which leads to a good understanding of what is