Sunday 24th January has been designated by Pope Francis as Sunday of the Word of God. St Luke tells us that, just before his Ascension into heaven, the Risen Lord appeared to the apostles, and broke bread with them. ‘He then opened their minds to understand the scriptures’ Luke 24:25. St Jerome claimed,’ Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ’
In his Apostolic Letter (Aperuit illis 30th Sept. 2019) instituting the Sunday of the Word of God, Pope Francis says,‘The relationship between the Risen Lord, the community of believers and sacred Scripture is essential to our identity as Christians’. The Pope stresses the need to devote time to study the Word of God, He notes this year that this is a fitting time to celebrate the Word of God, study it and for the dissemination of the Word of God.
He notes also this a fitting time, ‘to strengthen our bonds with the Jewish people and to pray for Christian Unity’. Jesus prayed, “ May they all be One”. Let us pray that we may all gather under our common Father and under Jesus as Saviour and Risen Lord and pray in the Spirit given us.