Harvey Bermudez, CRM

PTHO 6109AA – Introduction to Preaching

Rev. Krzysztof K. Maslowski, S.T.D.
February 19, 2019

VERBUM IN ECCLESIA
(A Reflection on the Word of God and the Church)

In the prologue of Saint John’s Gospel, we can read the Word of God, which from the
beginning divinely existed and was made incarnate in the image of Jesus Christ. The Word became
a living human being which means is not far away from us. The incarnation of the Word enabled
us to understand and comprehend the heart of God. The Word is alive and continues to live in our
midst. God has cast away the barrier which separates us from him through the manifestation and
incarnation of His Word through the image of His only begotten Son who came from nowhere else
than the very heart of the Father.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI emphasized in this part of his Apostolic Exhortation the
place and importance of this Word of God in the life of the Church and those who follow Jesus
Christ. In this chapter, Pope Benedict focused on the relationship between Christ, the Word of the
Father, and the Church. I like it when the document exhorts the readers about God giving the gift
of the Word through the ministry of the Church. As I was reading this part of the Pope's Apostolic
Exhortation, I recalled the passage in the Gospel when Jesus promised that he will be with us until
the end of the ages. Jesus continuously is present in our midst, first of all, in the sacraments of the
Church which serves as channels and outward sources of God’s graces for humankind. Next, with
equal dignity with the former, is the Word of God, the Sacred Scriptures, by which we come to
know the story of Jesus, the Lord, and Savior of humankind. The Pope emphasizes in his document
that the Scripture which we have received from the beginning is not just a written memorabilia or
mementos of the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth but most especially, an “alive and kicking”
message of the “beauty ever ancient every new” image of the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus
Christ and the message of salvation. When I say, “alive and kicking”, what I mean to say is that
the Word is not an old-fashion document but is a very timely gift which does not go out of season.
The Word continues to change lives and transform many who hears it and receives it. Christ is
constantly present and alive through His word and sacraments as Pope Benedict mentions in the
document: “The relationship between Christ, the Word of the Father, and the Church cannot be
fully understood in terms of a mere past event; rather, it is a living relationship which member of
the faithful is personally called to enter into.” 1

The Word of God is found, as Pope Benedict emphasizes on the document, no other than,
in the Church and in the liturgy that it celebrates: “The Word of God, constantly proclaimed in the
liturgy, is always a living and effective word through the power of the Holy Spirit. It expresses the
Father’s love that never fails in its effectiveness towards us.” 2 The former Pontiff also emphasizes
the different ministries from which we can encounter the Word of God and how every member of
the Church has a mission and vocation to proclaim the Kerygma of the Good News from within
the Church throughout the farthest corners of the world. Each and every baptized Christian has
been given the commission to proclaim the Good News of salvation in every moment of their lives.
I remember the passage from the scripture which says: “But how are men to call upon him in whom
they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And
how are they to hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14) As baptized Christians, we have been
entrusted of that sacred duty to spread the fragrance of Christ through His Word.

The Word of God, as I have mentioned above, is a gift coming from the Father itself. I have
realized how rich and copious the Church is because of this gift of the Word of God. But time goes
by and we, if not always, sometimes, tend to forget this extraordinary gift which God has for the
Church. We have become indifferent with this bountiful gift that the Church has for all of us. And
as we forget and set aside the Word, we come to the breach of losing the fire and zeal of being
Christians and being witnesses to the ends of the earth, as Jesus had commission us to do. Saint
Jerome once said that ignorance of the Scripture is ignorance of Christ himself. He is right when
he said it because who are we going to proclaim into the world but the unconditional love of God
through the through the image of Jesus Christ, which is found in the pages of the Scripture. Aside
from forgetfulness of the gift of the Word of God and being ignorant of the knowledge of Jesus
Christ, there is also the danger that we forget, that we as part of the mystical body of Christ, is
called to live out Jesus Christ’s Paschal Mystery, glorifying the Lord by the way we live our lives.

This is the message of the Incarnation of the Word: Jesus, which is the Word of God, was
incarnated and made his dwelling among us and we, the faithful who make up the body of Christ,

1
Verbum Domini, #51.
2
Ibid., #52.
have been sent by Jesus to be incarnation of his very life as we encounter others in each and
everyday life. Our lives should be Christ’s living Word, incarnated and fleshed out in our actions
and deeds in every moment of our lives. We have been given different vocations and charisms by
which we are to proclaim the great story of Jesus toward the world. Charity begins at home, as the
famous saying goes, so do the zeal of the Word of God begins within the Church, who was the
recipient of God’s Word in the first place. Our initial proclamation and witness of the Word of
God starts within the community of believers. It starts with the different ministries that are
available in our local community and parishes. Our bearing witness to the love of God present in
the Word, incarnated by Jesus Christ, commences in the cultivation of our varying ministries
within the Church. I believe that we begin to make present the presence of Christ through the use
of this profound gift through the worthy proclamation of God’s Word in the recesses of our own
home, which is the Church.

Pope Benedict XVI exhorted how important it is that the word of God should be worthily
proclaimed within the life of the Church. Rightly so, because it is the Church which was given this
profound gift of the Scripture and it is through the Scripture that we come to know Jesus Christ
who was the incarnated Word of God. I think that we have been given, if not the greatest, but a
profound gift, which we must not throw away but most eagerly proclaim it vibrantly and zealously
so that the world may know Jesus Christ.