The word of God

As winter winds stir the cold air, we embrace the embers of the word of God in our everyday lives for warmth and truth. This year (and last) hundreds of thousands of faithful will journey with Father Mike Schmitz, as he reads and comments on the sacred text for 365 consecutive days. Just 15 minutes each day will set your heart on fire for God’s word.  Go to
Ascensionpress.com for America’s top-rated religion podcast from Father Mike Schmitz, featuring Jeff Cavins, “The Bible in a Year.”

As Catholics, we do read the entire Bible during a three-year period if we attend Sunday Mass, as well as daily Mass. Either way, in one year, or three, we follow the unfolding of God’s plan for salvation. The upcoming 4th and 5th Sundays in Ordinary Time focus on an encounter with God’s eternal word, as heard in the Gospel accounts describing Jesus’ initial preaching in his home synagogue and the call of the first apostles.

Rejection (Lk 4:21-30)

The account of Jesus’ preaching in the synagogue at Nazareth continues from the last issue as we hear the reaction of those present. One would like to believe that Jesus’ declaration of the fulfillment of the quoted passage from Isaiah (Lk 4:14-21) is received with great joy. Instead, following the initial reaction of praise and amazement, the crowd doubted. Their expectations were grounded in the healings they had heard about, wanting to see the same. Yet, they questioned; they rejected. Jesus challenged their presumptions as he retold Old Testament accounts of great prophets who were doubted by their community. So enraged were those present at this comparison, that they ran him out of the synagogue, wanting to throw him off the hill. Yet, Jesus simply passed “through the midst of them” and went away. 

What a deeply disturbing moment. Those who “knew” him, his family, etc. kicked him out of town. They did not understand since they were closed to not only hearing but receiving the word. Do we hear, yet not receive God’s word? Have we doubted God’s word? Do we believe in God’s divine revelation through Jesus Christ, or is the source of our belief drawn from another path? Are there people in our lives who proclaim truth in Jesus Christ, yet are “thrown out” by a culture of cancellation? Are we seeking intimate encounters with God in prayer, desiring truth, desiring to hear God’s voice? Once heard are we rejecting him because it contradicts our chosen path? Can we hear the word of God and receive him; embrace him; allow him to “enter under our roof?” Will we accept his word even if we do not fully understand? Will we reject? 

Excellent way (1 Cor 12:31 – 13:13)

As we ponder these questions, let us discover in St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians a “more excellent way” of life. Our mission as disciples of Jesus is to strive for the excellent way of love. As we read this passage, we call to mind that who we are and how we act is to be rooted in love. We were made by love, for love, to love. God is love. He freely gives us grace to believe, to trust, to hope, to love. If we are rooted in love then we are enabled to receive in love the word of God, rich with patience, kindness, trust, humility, joy, seeking truth, belief and hope. Are we as receptive as a child, ready to see “face to face” as God sees? Is our path the excellent way?

At your word (Lk 5:1-11)

Leaving Nazareth, Jesus continued to preach in neighboring towns. We read, “While people were pressing upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.” There he stepped into Simon’s boat and continued to teach the crowds. Afterwards he turned to Simon, with empty nets in hand and told him to put out into the deep for a catch. St. Peter, believed this would be fruitless but conceded saying, “at your word, I will let down the nets.” We all know the story; the catch was tremendous, enough so the nets were breaking, the boats were sinking and they had to call their partners for help. Abundance. Simon declared his unworthiness; he was so taken aback. Astonished. Jesus invited them, “Do not be afraid; henceforth, you will be catching men.” Simon (St. Peter), (St.) Andrew, St. James and St. John “left everything and followed him.” Jesus preached. They encountered him; received, believed, stood, went and followed the Word of God. What stark contrast to the people’s reaction in the synagogue? Did the first apostles have all the answers? No.  

Were they open to an encounter? Yes. Did they trust him? Yes, at his word they followed him.

Preach, listen, receive, stand, believe, sent. These actions magnify an encounter with the word of God. Enabled by the Holy Spirit, we receive a burning ember of God’s eternal word upon our tongues for the mission of proclaiming his love and mercy. As missionary disciples, we mature from knowledge to wisdom, head to heart and follow the Lord by witnessing what St. Paul summarizes (1 Cor 15:1-11), and what the church describes as the kerygma, the core of our faithful proclamation we hand on, that is, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures; that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.” This is so essential in the life and mission of the church. 

Pope St. John Paul II writes, “In the complex reality of mission, initial proclamation has a central and irreplaceable role, since it introduces man ‘into the mystery of the love of God, who invites him to enter into a personal relationship with himself in Christ’ and opens the way to conversion” (“Redemptoris Missio”). As we follow Jesus, the word of God, we enter the mystery of his love with a fearless openness to drop everything and follow him.

For all the saints

During the next two weeks the church in the United States will celebrate Catholic Schools Week, the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, as well as remember the lives of extraordinary saints: Sts. Thomas Aquinas, John Bosco, Agatha and Scholastica. All you holy men and women, pray for us! Amen.
Dow is the director of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis for the Diocese of Baton Rouge.