In his Apostolic Letter of 30 September 2019, Aperuit illis, Pope Francis established the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time as the ‘Sunday of the Word of God’. It is a day devoted to the celebration, study, and spreading of the Word of God. Bishop Dermot Farrell, Bishop of Ossory, has written a pastoral letter, Opening the Way to the Scriptures, to mark ‘Sunday of the Word of God’ in the Diocese of Ossory.
The Bishop said, “Jesus’ words and deeds transmitted by his disciples became in turn the Sacred Scriptures of Jesus’ followers. The gospels and letters were gathered together to form the New Testament. Together the two parts of our Bible form a unity around the figure of Christ. Together they help us to understand the person and the mission of Christ. Together they challenge us to live lives worthy of our calling as followers of Jesus.
“Scripture is at the centre of everything the Church does. The Scriptures nourish and shape our prayer and our worship. They help us understand our world. They shape our world view. They teach us how to live and relate to each other. They continually call and challenge us to permit the Word of God to take flesh in our lives.”
In conclusion, Bishop Farrell offered some practical suggestions for engaging with the Word of God: engage with the resources for Sunday of Word of God, pray the Psalms, volunteer to proclaim the Word of God at Mass and pray the Scriptures (Lectio Divina).
Resources for Sunday the Word of God are available through the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference website and can be accessed here: https://www.catholicbishops.ie/2019/12/17/resources-for-sunday-of-the-word-of-god/
Read the full pastoral letter here: https://www.catholicbishops.ie/2020/01/22/bishop-dermot-farrell-publishes-pastoral-letter-for-sunday-of-the-word-of-god/
ENDS
