The Significance of the Scriptures
A Homily for Sunday of the Word of God
This homily was given at St. Jude the Apostle Church for Sunday of the Word of God on January 26, 2025.
Today is Sunday of the Word of God, established by Pope Francis in 2019. It reminds us of the profound importance of Sacred Scripture in our lives, calling us to listen to God's word and to live it out.
Pope Francis’s apostolic letter Aperuit Illis highlighted what the Church teaches in that “the Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures just as she venerates the body of the Lord” (Dei Verbum, 21). The Mass, with its Liturgy of the Word (ambo) and Liturgy of the Eucharist (altar), reflects this—both Scripture and the Eucharist are of utmost importance (altar and ambo, Word and Eucharist, Divine Scriptures and the Body and Blood of Jesus).
The Word of God is not just a text to read; it is living and active, transforming our lives and helping us see the world as God does. In today’s Gospel, Jesus begins His public ministry, proclaiming the fulfillment of the prophecy from Isaiah.
The Gospel writer Luke wrote, “I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence” (Luke 1:3). Luke’s intentional writing, inspired by the Holy Spirit, ought to motivate us to want to hear more of this Gospel.
The importance of Scripture is further emphasized in the Second Vatican Council’s Dei Verbum, which teaches that "in the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven meets His children with great love and speaks with them" (Dei Verbum, 21). The Bible is not just a collection of texts but God's living, life-giving Word.
The Church encourages us to approach Scripture with reverence and love, reading with both mind and heart. As St. Jerome said, "Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." To neglect Scripture is to neglect a foundational part of our faith.
As we celebrate this Sunday of the Word of God, let’s take a moment to reflect on our relationship with the Bible. Do we read it reverently? Do we listen for God's voice in its pages? Pope Francis invites us to make Scripture a daily part of our lives.
Perhaps this is an invitation to deepen our love for Scripture—maybe by reading it daily, praying with it, and reflecting on how it speaks to us. Let’s renew our commitment to let the Word of God transform us, guiding us on the path to holiness.
Soon, we will transition from the ambo to the altar, from the Word of God to the Body and Blood of Christ. Remember that beautiful teaching that “the Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures just as she venerates the body of the Lord” (Dei Verbum, 21). In the Catholic Mass, we always have both (Divine Scriptures and the Eucharist).
Happy Sunday of the Word of God to each of you. May we come to fall in love with God more deeply through our encounter with Him in the Scriptures.
Fr. Luke Daghir
I feel so blessed to Lector. Many years ago our parish posted that they need someone to lector early morning weekday mass. I was so inspired to step up even though inside me was a voice saying "you're not worthy!" I had a talk with Fr Leon, OSB and he said "No-one is worthy!"
Thank you, Jesus for the push forward!!!!!