The Bible makes a comeback

by Michael Shackleton · January 19, 2011

Prostestants have often contended with some justification, that the average Catholic possesses less knowledge of the contents of the Bible than the average Protestant.

This is partly due to the period of the Counter-Reformation when the Church reacted against the Reformers� notion that scripture alone was the rule of faith and practice for Christians.

Since Vatican II there has been a new energy in the Church to bring a deeper knowledge of the Bible to Catholics, as is evident in the readings at Mass and homilies that are centred on the themes of the day�s liturgy. Catholics have never before heard so many scripture readings during the liturgy.

Pope Benedict obviously believes that this is not enough. He has issued an apostolic exhortation entitled Verbum Domini (the word of the Lord), which we reported in our issue of November 24.

He says his objective is to point out certain fundamental approaches to a rediscovery of God�s word in the life of the Church as a wellspring of constant renewal. He wants that word to be ever more fully at the heart of every activity in the Church, public and private.

In speaking of a rediscovery of God�s word, Pope Benedict is saying that the Bible is the Church�s very own book, and we have to appreciate it as the word of God for us. In this way he is, as it were, wrenching the Bible back from the hands of the Bible-punchers who, ironically, seem to presume that they know the authentic meaning of the scriptures best. He says that it is the living Tradition of the Church which makes us adequately grasp sacred Scripture as the word of God. It enables the Church to grow through time in the understanding of the truth revealed in the scriptures.

The Holy Father emphasises that we must not only read or hear God�s word, but we must also experience a real encounter with Christ who is the Word made flesh. A radical transformation can then begin to take place because �to all who received him, he gave power to become children of God� (Jn 1:12). To receive the Word means to let oneself be shaped by him, and thus to be conformed by the power of the Holy Spirit to Christ, the �only Son from the Father� (Jn 1:14).

The papal document covers a host of areas in the Church, each of which is going to require lengthy and careful study in dioceses, parishes and all other areas of pastoral activity. It concentrates on such matters as interpreting scripture, the sacraments, ecumenism, the sacred liturgy, the homily, sacred song, the biblical apostolate, justice, reconciliation and peace, interreligious dialogue and even the use of the Internet. The pope also presents some practical suggestions on implementation.

For instance, in regard to the homily, he says preachers must be in constant contact with the sacred text, preparing their words only after meditation and prayer, so as to preach with conviction and passion. He stresses the importance of acoustics so that the congregation can listen intently to preacher and reader. Plainly, the pope has no patience with a sloppy or inaudible oratory. God�s word is too precious for that.

With this insistence on a rediscovery of the role of the Bible in the Church�s life, the Holy Father affirms that the privileged place for the prayerful reading of sacred Scripture is the liturgy, and particularly the Eucharist, in which the word itself is present and at work in our midst. But he is also eager to promote personal scriptural study and meditation, known as lectio divina.

Verbum Domini has the potential of effecting a deeper and more trenchant recognition of Christ, the Word made flesh among us.