Breaking Open the Word of God

VANCOUVER SYNOD STUDY COMMISSION ON TEACHING THE FAITH

6/ Breaking Open the Word of God
The Church “forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful…to learn ‘the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ,’ by frequent reading of the divine scriptures. ‘Ignorance of Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 133)
Many of the responses to the pre-synodal survey spoke of the desire for a deeper understanding of and education in the Scriptures. This hunger for the Word of God is a positive and important “sign of our times.” The Holy Spirit, who continually sanctifies the Church and confirms her in her mission of evangelization, is surely the source of this longing. By reading the Scriptures prayerfully and searchingly, we encounter the Living Christ who calls us to an ever fuller experience of Him in the Sacraments and life of the Church.

It is recommended that:

Action items:
  • All Catholic families be encouraged to have a Bible in the home and to read the Bible during times of family prayer. It is further recommended that we develop programs to help parents understand how to use the Bible to teach the faith. Bibles should be presented to children early.

  • Lectio Divina (Divine Reading), an ancient Christian method of meditative reading of sacred scripture resulting in a loving reflection, should be encouraged and taught. Unlike detached scholarly reading, which satisfies the intellect, Lectio Divina tends to promote genuine insight into scripture as well as spiritual growth and maturity through conversion and intimate conversation with Christ.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

These recommendations are taken from the "Synod Study Paper on Teaching the Faith", prepared for the Vancouver Archdiocesan Synod in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. This document was the working paper and formed the basis for one of the final documents of the Synod, "Teaching the Faith".


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Not all articles published on CERC are the objects of official Church teaching, but these are supplied to provide supplementary information.