Synod of Bishops: Final Message to People of God Approved

(October 25, 2008) Every family "should have its own Bible and safeguard it in a visible and dignified way" in the home "to read and to pray with it,” the Synod of Bishops on the Word of God said in a message to the world’s 1.1 billion Catholics. Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the team that drafted the message, presented it at a Vatican press conference on Oct. 24, shortly after the 253 Synod Fathers, from more than 100 countries, most of them bishops, had approved it “by acclamation.” The archbishop in this final message suggests reading the Bible like a love letter, such that each reader approaches it with the certainty, "It was written for me." The message begins by "propos[ing] a spiritual journey consisting of four phases" "that will carry us from all eternity and the infinite nature of God to our homes and the streets of our cities." Its four sections focus on "The Voice of the Word: Revelation"; "The Face of the Word: Jesus Christ"; "The House of the Word: The Church"; and "The Roads of the Word: The Mission." Laced with biblical citations, the message recalls the primary themes that have been constantly looked at by the synodal assembly.” Our faith is not only cantered on a book, but on a history of salvation and, as we will see, on a person, Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh, man and history," it begins by affirming. The text rises above any division between exegesis and theology, or exegesis and magisterium, asserting that "exegetical knowledge must […] weave itself indissolubly with spiritual and theological tradition so that the divine and human unity of Jesus Christ and Scripture is not broken." The message vigorously promotes catechesis and well prepared and delivered homilies, as well as lectio divina. The final section on the mission urges every baptized person to be a missionary of the Word in his environment, in dialogue with believers of other religions and particularly with the world of culture and art. A final word is addressed to those "our persecuted brothers and sisters or those who are put to death because of the Word of God and because of the witness they render to the Lord Jesus. Before the final reading of the message, the Italian prelate suggested this key for the synod fathers, citing Soren Kierkegaard: "As a lover reads a letter from his beloved, you must read Scripture … the Bible has been written for me.” The message was welcomed with a round of applause, which ratified the assembly approval.