I Hope in Your Word
Today, Sunday Jan 26th, has been designated by Pope Francis as “Word of God Sunday.” The motto chosen by the Holy Father is a verse from Psalm 119: “I hope in your Word.” The Pope wants to make it clear how important the Sacred Scriptures are in the daily life of the Church and in our communities. And he wants us to remember that the Word of God is not confined to a book but remains ever alive in the world. Jesus is the Word of God!
St. Jerome, who translated the Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament into Latin (called the Vulgate), famously wrote: “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.”
A Christian should be truly “immersed” in the Holy Bible. He should know Sacred Scripture so well that he can open his bible any time and find a certain teaching or verse, truly familiar with the Word. This is why every parish has bible studies and classes to better understand God’s Word and to understand the correct Catholic principles of biblical studies.
I want to encourage you to attend one of our bible studies. I encourage you to keep your Bible on the table next to your bed and to read from it every day. Write down and memorize the verses which really bless you. Perhaps you could tune in to the famous “Bible in a Year” app and make that your 2025 resolution. I always remind people that one day, when we die and meet Jesus face to face, He just may say…the first words out of his mouth just may be: “Did you read my book?” How embarrassing it would be if we had not!
I hope in Your Word O God! Yes, Jesus is the Word of God, and the Bible is His book. The Sacred Scriptures are not just informational; they are transformational. The Scriptures can make you holy.
Fr. Brett Brannen
Pastor