Pastor’s Corner for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sunday of the Word of God) by Rev. Fr. Nobert Munekani SJ
“Our reverence for the Word of God is expressed not only in an attentive listening to and reflection upon the Scriptures, but also by the way we handle and treat the Book of the Gospels”.
On September 30, 2019, His Holiness Pope Francis issued an Apostolic Letter motu proprio entitled Aperuit illis, which established the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time as a day devoted to the celebration, study, and dissemination of the Word of God. Recalling the importance given by the Second Vatican Council to rediscovering Sacred Scripture for the life of the Church, Pope Francis stated that he wrote this Apostolic Letter in response to requests from the faithful around the world to celebrate a Sunday with a particular focus on the Word of God. Pope Francis invited local communities to find ways to “mark this Sunday with a certain solemnity,”
In the hearing of God’s word, the Church is built up and grows, and in the signs of the liturgical celebration God’s wonderful, past works in the history of salvation are presented anew as mysterious realities. God in turn makes use of the congregation of the faithful that celebrates the Liturgy in order that his word may speed on and be glorified and that his name be exalted among the nations. Whenever, therefore, the Church, gathered by the Holy Spirit for liturgical celebration, announces and proclaims the word of God, she is aware of being a new people in whom the covenant made in the past is perfected and fulfilled.
Baptism and confirmation in the Spirit have made all Christ’s faithful into messengers of God’s word because of the grace of hearing they have received. They must therefore be the bearers of the same word in the Church and in the world, at least by the witness of their lives. The word of God proclaimed in the celebration of God’s mysteries does not only address present conditions but looks back to past events and forward to what is yet to come. Thus, God’s word shows us what we should hope for with such a longing that in this changing world our hearts will be set on the place where our true joys lie.
As we celebrate the Sunday of the word of God, let make it part of our lives to read and reflect on the word of God. For some who do not even own a bible, as we begin the new year let us make it our year’s resolution to have one and read it always.
We continue to pray for the sick members of our parish especially Elizabeth Mooi, Gloria Malunga and Malefu Mkhambi.
Fr. Nobert Munekani SJ