Catechist Foundations Course for the New Evangelisation

Transcription

1 Catechist Foundations Course for the New Evangelisation Part I: Sources of the Faith Unit I: Scripture, the word of God

2 Published by: The School of the Annunciation Buckfast Abbey, Buckfastleigh TQ11 0EE, Devon, England Copyright: The School of the Annunciation, 2014 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, otherwise, without prior permission of The School of the Annunciation and of the authors. 2

3 Contents PRAYER... 5 INTRODUCTION... 6 Aims of Part I... 7 Intended outcomes of Part I... 7 Required texts... 8 Study pace... 9 Interaction with your Course Co-ordinator and each other... 9 CHAPTER ONE Learning Objectives Before we start Introduction What is a Church document? The Latin titles of Church documents Reading Church documents What do we mean by the Magisterium of the Church? Scripture and Tradition Introduction to Verbum Domini Structure of the Encyclical The Prologue of St John s Gospel as our Guide Summary of chapter CHAPTER TWO Learning Objectives The analogy of the Word of God Catechesis on Creation The centrality of Christ Summary of Chapter

4 CHAPTER THREE Learning Objectives The Activity of the Holy Spirit Inspiration and Truth Mary, Mother of Faith and of God s word Foundations for interpreting Scripture Historical-critical exegesis Criteria for interpreting Scripture Summary of Chapter CHAPTER FOUR Learning Objectives The Senses of Scripture Difficulties of interpretation Summary of Chapter Four APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX 6: ASSIGNMENT FOR UNIT

5 Prayer Prayer of Saint John Chrysostom Before Reading Sacred Scripture O Lord Jesus Christ, open the eyes of my heart, that I may hear Your word and understand and do Your will, for I am a sojourner upon the earth. Hide not Your commandments from me, but open my eyes, that I may perceive the wonders of Your law. Speak unto me the hidden and secret things of Your wisdom. On You do I set my hope, O my God, that You shall enlighten my mind and understanding with the light of Your knowledge, not only to cherish those things which are written, but to do them; that in reading the lives and sayings of the saints I may not sin, but that such may serve for my restoration, enlightenment and sanctification, for the salvation of my soul, and the inheritance of life everlasting. For You are the enlightenment of those who lie in darkness, and from You comes every good deed and every gift. Amen. A shorter prayer: Prayer of St Jerome O Lord, you have given us your word for a light to shine upon our path; grant us so to meditate on that word, and follow its teaching, that we may find in it the light that shines more and more until the perfect day. 5

6 Introduction Welcome to this course of Foundations, especially for catechists and especially in the context of the new Evangelisation but also for all those keen on authentic Catholic faith in Christ Jesus, Son of God and Saviour, and the transmission of this saving faith from one generation to the next. As you have seen, Part 1 of this course is about the sources of the Faith. Knowing the sources is a valuable place to begin since these are the sources of the Church herself. This course wants you to know and love the sources of the faith so much that you return to them always, whenever you have a question or whenever you have an explanation and you want to see if it is in union with the Church s own understanding. All the sources come from God who is the primary source, the Source of all the sources, everything else is secondary, a secondary source. The sources are secondary because God (who is primary) chose to reveal himself in ways (that can be called secondary) that would enable human beings to encounter the ineffable, divine, omnipotent, uncreated Godhead and know him as loving and merciful, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These sources, from God, are like fountains or springs of living water, or wells of divine grace that never run dry, and they are threefold: They are the Scriptures, Tradition, and the Magisterium. You will come to discover more about each of these in this first part but lets begin by saying that they all depend on each other and they are all in unity and in harmony. We are told that in the natural world a tripartite structure is the most stable and it is true of the sources of the faith, each defends the other, supports the other, helps to interpret the other so that we can have as full and clear and certain an understanding of the Faith as possible. These first three units of Part I focus most particularly on the Scriptures and also on that central aspect of Tradition, the Sacred Liturgy. The document of Pope Benedict XVI, called Verbum Domini, given to the Church in 2010, is used as the key text. It is a text of the magisterium, it is rooted in Tradition and it is about the Scriptures. In this one encyclical you will see how the three sources are inextricably wound together. To study Scripture outside of this fullness of context can isolate the Scriptures and reduce the richness of their interpretation. In Verbum Domini Benedict XVI summarises the discussions of the Synod of Bishops which met in October 2008, and responds to the discussions with his own teachings. This Synod met specifically to discuss the concept of "The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church." St Jerome said, Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ. (quoted in CCC 133). In the Scriptures we meet Christ; we come to know Him and His teaching. Therefore all of us need to become ever more familiar with the Scriptures; for our own personal growth and understanding of the faith, to allow God to speak to us through Scripture, and to develop a way of thinking that is in tune with the word of God. Some who are undertaking this course may already be very familiar with much of Scripture; others may feel apprehensive and wonder how they will find their way around the Bible. As so much of Holy Mass is Scriptural all practicing Catholics probably have a greater familiarity with Scripture than they realise, through their attendance at Holy Mass. 6

7 Aims of Part I The overall aim of Part I is to understand how the living and active Word of God, which is Christ, is handed on through Scripture and Tradition, and to acknowledge and embrace the integral relationship between the Word of God and the Liturgy through the study of Verbum Domini (VD). Pope Benedict states that he wishes to highlight certain fundamental approaches to a rediscovery of the Scriptures in the life of the Church (notice again how the Scriptures and the Church s life are linked), and he speaks of the Scriptures as a wellspring of constant renewal (VD1). Together with this, he expresses the hope that the word of God will be ever more fully at the heart of every ecclesial activity. This unit is a detailed encounter with the text of Pope Benedict engaging with the fundamental approaches, building an appreciation of how central the word is for the whole concept of evangelisation, and recognizing the unity of the word (Scripture) and the Word (Christ himself) in the liturgy, especially the Eucharist. We follow the structure of the document itself in the first three units of this course. Unit I will give attention to the word of God and its interpretation; Unit II will focus on the word of God in the Church - both in her liturgy and her life - and Unit III will focus on the word of God in the sacraments and in the world. Intended outcomes of Part I Knowledge and understanding That you will: Know the Church s requirements for interpreting the word of God. Understand that the home of Scripture is within the Liturgy, most particularly within the Eucharistic liturgy, and that our understanding, interpretation and love of Scripture must rest on this foundation. Begin to understand how the word of God is able to be fruitful, a well of grace, in evangelization. Attitudes The development of a greater love for the word of God especially in the setting of the Eucharistic Liturgy. A desire to become more familiar with the word of God and thereby allow ourselves to be ever more drawn into the life of Trinitarian grace. A hope to encourage those we teach to develop a greater familiarity with, and love for, Scripture. A greater awareness of our mission to proclaim the word of God, and the possible consequences of this. 7

8 Skills Begin to be able to look at Scriptural passages with the mind of the Church, becoming increasingly aware of the senses of Scripture and how these may be used in Evangelisation. Be able to understand and begin to explain to others how the sage pedagogy of the Church adheres in the Liturgy to the way in which Christ himself read and explained the Scriptures. (VD 52) Begin to be able to identify ways in which the word of God can be fruitfully presented to those we seek to evangelise, within the different areas of evangelization. Aims of Unit I To know what kind of Church document Verbum Domini is and how it came into existence. To know that Revelation had been handed down through Scripture and Tradition. To reflect on the fact that God enters into communion with us through His Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the fullness of Revelation. To understand the role of the Holy Spirit in inspiring Sacred Scripture and in our response. To understand that the Church is the primary setting for the interpretation of Scripture and that she gives clear guidelines for doing so. To understand the necessity of faith for interpreting Scripture. Required texts Firstly, the Bible itself. Make sure you have a Catholic version. We recommend the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition, other versions will be acceptable, if you have any doubt, check with the Course Co-Ordinator. Secondly, the main text for this module is Verbum Domini. This is available online: but you may find it easier to work with a paper copy. The Catechism of the Catholic Church will be essential throughout the course. You will need to refer to the Second Vatican Council documents Dei Verbum and Sacrosanctum Concilium at times; these are readily available online. If you can, the following texts will also be useful to you, not just now but in your role as a catechist: Scott Hahn: Catholic Bible Dictionary, New York: Doubleday 2009 or Xavier Leon-Dufour: Dictionary of Biblical Theology,2 nd edition, London: St Paul s

9 Scott Hahn, Letter and Spirit: From Written Text to Living Word in the Liturgy, 2006, Darton, Longman and Todd, London[USA edition 2005, Doubleday, New York] This is recommended for extra reading, from time to time, but is not compulsory. Other suggestions for reading are given at the end of each chapter. Study pace It is expected that each unit will take five weeks to complete. Each unit has four chapters, and a short task at the end of each chapter to send to your Course Co-ordinator on a weekly basis. The final week of the timetable is for preparing the final submission which will be marked and given a grade. It is expected that each chapter will take about five hours a week to complete. Throughout the course you will be given activities to do to help your learning. These will be in bold italic. Some of these, called Tasks (one from each chapter) are to be sent to your Course co-ordinator for comments and this will be clearly marked. The others are for your own notes and will help your understanding. Interaction with your Course Co-ordinator and each other At various points in the chapters you will have opportunities to send your reflections to your Course Co-ordinator. It is important to do this and to keep in touch with her as ongoing help and encouragement can be given. It is a good idea to keep in touch with your fellow students as well for ongoing encouragement and sharing of ideas. Your support of each other is very important in this period of reflecting together how to prepare to engage with the Church s great work for our time, the new evangelization. Regarding the items for your Course Co-ordinator, we recommend that you open a word document for each chapter and make your notes there for the activities you will be sending to her. Then, when you complete a chapter, your notes are ready for you to answer the question to send to your tutor. These will not be given a mark but enable your Course Co-ordinator to see your progress and support you where necessary. 9

10 Chapter One The whole concern of doctrine and its teaching must be directed to the love that never ends (CCC 25) They devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching, the brotherhood, the breaking of bread and to the prayers. (Acts 2:42) Learning Objectives This chapter will give you an introduction to Tradition, i.e. the Apostles teaching, and how it continues today in the Magisterium of the Church. You will see that the practice of writing letters to the Church, begun in the early Church by the Apostles has continued to this day. By the end of the chapter you will be more aware of the importance of Church documents and how they lead us into a deeper understanding of Sacred Scripture. Before we start Re-read the first quote above from CCC 25. Sometimes when we are involved in the practice of our faith it is easy to lose sight of our destiny and goal. The whole and entire reason that God sent His Son to earth was for the salvation of all people. We are all made in the image of God and deep within each person is a desire for Him placed there by Him. The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God, and God never ceases to draw man to Himself. Only in God will he (us) find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for. (CCC 27) The dignity of man rests above all in the fact that he is called to communion with God. (Gaudium et Spes, 19) The implications of these two quotes are enormous; we are called to share in God s own divine life (2 Peter 1:4), beginning on earth and then in eternity, and the whole of salvation history is for this very goal. Therefore all that you will study in this and every unit will be directed to both your own salvation and the salvation of all men and women. 1 Introduction 1 Many Church documents use the term man, meaning all people. This is not gender bias as in the term man the Church recognises that God created man; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:27). 10

11 Whenever we study, we need to read materials; which can be books, texts, articles etc. Some of it will be online and others will be in the form of printed texts. These texts to which you refer or which you quote are always to be referenced, that is, with the details of the source of your quotation. Every textyou use in the writing of your assignments will need to be listed in a bibliography at the end. (See the handbook to see how to do this.) So as you go along, it is a good habit to make a note of the source text you are using to save you time later. In this part, the main source texts you will be using are some Church documents and the Bible. You will be directed to them as you go through the unit, and a number are in the appendix at the end. What is a Church document? Church documents come in different forms with various levels of authority. Here is a list of some of them you may come across. Most of these are available online. Papal Encyclical: (Encyclical is the Latin word for a circular letter) A letter sent from the Pope in his capacity as the head of the Church to whole the Church, concerning an area of doctrine. Papal encyclicals have the highest priority. o E.g. Benedict XVI,Deus Caritas est encyclical: God is Love. Apostolic Constitution: a document which includes solemn magisterial acts of the Church regarding governance of the Church, dioceses, papal elections etc. o E.g. Benedict XVI,AnglicanorumCoetibus providing for personal Ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communion with the Catholic Church, and John Paul II, FideiDepositum at the front of each copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Apostolic letter: From the Pope on a particular theme or to a particular group of the faithful, e.g. to the youth, or the people of a country, or to the bishops etc. They have a little less authority than encyclicals. o E.g. John Paul II, Apostolic Letter RosariumVirginisMariae on the Rosary Motu proprio: (Latin for on his own impulse) is a document issued to either the whole Church or a part of it, by the Pope on his own initiative, and personally signed by him. o E.g. Benedict XVI,Apostolic Letter issued "Motu Proprio" Porta Fidei for the Indiction of the Year of Faith Apostolic Exhortation: a document produced by the Pope in His capacity as the successor of Peter which encourages (exhorts) the faithful in their attitude to the life of faith. Often these come out of synods of the bishops. o E.g. Benedict XVI,Verbum Domini Dogmatic constitution: These are key documents which define Church teaching. o E.g. Vatican II, Dogmatic constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium. Teachings of the congregations: where departments of the Roman Curia (led by cardinals in Rome) clarify teaching or produce teaching documents, o E.g. Congregation for The Clergy, The General Directory for Catechesis. Papal Audience: The regular teaching of the Pope (e.g. the Wednesday audience at St. Peter s in Rome), or private audiences when he also gives teaching. Homily: teaching given during Holy Mass on the Scripture readings of the day. Discourse: Teaching outside Mass, may be when the Pope is travelling or visiting people. 11

12 The Latin titles of Church documents The definitive (official) version of all Church documents are always in Latin because Latin is a very precise and unambiguous language. For this reason the titles of most Church documents are also in Latin, normally the first two or three words of the Latin version.another point to note is that the Latin titles when written in full are generally written in italics, as is normal for words in a different language. Reading Church documents Church documents are almost always referenced by a system of paragraph numbers. This makes them easy to look up, regardless of whether you are looking online or whatever publication you use. (In the same way that Scripture is referenced by book, chapter and verse.) Often Church documents are listed by the initials of their title, so the Catechism of the Catholic Church is often shortened to CCC. Verbum Domini, becomes VD (not to be confused with DV, the Vatican II document, Dei Verbum). The initials are followed by a number which is the paragraph being referred to. So CCC 25 means paragraph 25 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. What do we mean by the Magisterium of the Church? To put it simply the Magisterium is the teaching authority of the Church (magister is Latin for teacher). The Magisterium is made up of all the bishops of the world in unity with the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. The role of the Magisterium is to guard (preserve) the precious deposit of the faith and to teach it. Christ gave the Apostles authority to teach, Jesus came to them and said to them, All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. (Mt. 28:19-20). In John s Gospel we read, Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you. And when He had said this He breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. (Jn. 20:21) From these two Scripture references we can see that Jesus passed on His authority to the Apostles and in turn, this was passed onto the bishops, who descend from the Apostles. In the Acts of the Apostles we see Sts. Paul and Barnabus being commissioned to preach the Gospel by the laying on of hands (Acts 13:3), and Timothy, a young bishop, is commanded to teach these things (I Tim. 4:11) and to guard what has been entrusted to you (I Tim.6:20). The New Testament did not fall out of heaven the day Jesus ascended into heaven, but emerged from the living practicing faith of the first Christians. When they gathered, they listened to the teaching of the Apostles, shared a common life, broke bread (celebrated the Eucharist) and prayed. (Acts 2:42) Today, these four activities continue to constitute the four dimensions of the Christian life; as we read the Scriptures and study our faith, celebrate the liturgy, have responsibilities in the wider community, and pray. The earliest books of the New Testament arose out of the needs of this early community and are the letters of St. Paul to the congregations he had founded; answering their questions, correcting errors and making suggestions on how to deepen their spiritual lives. At the same time, the practice of the 12

13 first Christians carried on; their liturgy developed out of their Jewish heritage in the light of the amazing event of Christ s Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension and His teaching. The Gospels began to be written down to record the life and salvific acts of Christ in the light of the Old Testament prophesies about the Messiah and so gradually what we know as the New Testament came to be gathered into one collection. Scripture and Tradition This means that the Church does not rely on Scripture alone as the only source of her teaching but on Scripture and Tradition as together they make up the fullness of teaching. The Magisterium is the authentic interpreter of Sacred Scripture so it is a bit like a three legged stool if one leg is missing, the teaching begins to falter. When you read the Catechism, you will see that each page has a number of footnotes and these are to the sources of the teaching. At the back of the Catechism you will find the index of citations, where the first 20 or so pages list Scripture references used in the Catechism (in three columns). Then the next 20 pages or so list other sources, such as Church documents from the second to twentieth centuries as well as reference to writers and saints, again covering twenty centuries of witness, reflection and prayer. It is truly an amazing text! Activity 1.1 a. Take your copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and open it on the contents pages. At the top you will see the reference to the Apostolic Constitution, Fidei Depositum written by John Paul II on publication of the Catechism in Turn to that document and read the address. To whom is it addressed? Can you see anyone left out? Read the first paragraph of Fidei Depositum.What does John Paul II say is the mission of the Church in every age? Read the second paragraph. What was the principle task entrusted to Vatican II by Pope John XXIII? You will see that the answer to both of these questions is guarding the deposit of the faith. The deposit of the faith is the teaching of the Church which has accumulated and developed over her 2,000 year history, and which is built upon the history of God s plan of salvation for man since creation. Now read the rest of Fidei Depositum to see how the Catechism came to be written, and make notes for yourself of key points. b. Turn back to the contents page of the Catechism. The contents reveal that the Catechism is divided into four parts. Find all four parts and make a note of them. These four parts correspond to the four dimensions of the Christian faith as practiced by the first Christians. Look up Acts 2:42 and make a note of the four activities the first Christians did. Compare 13

14 that to the four parts of the Catechism and see if you can match them up. (Answer in Appendix 5, but don t cheat try to work it out for yourself first). c. Read through the contents of each part and make a note of the teaching contained in the different parts. i. In which part is the creed explained? ii. Where is the Lord's Prayer explained? iii. Where would you go to see Church teaching on the Sacraments? iv. Why do you think the moral teaching of the Catechism is called Life in Christ? (Answers in Appendix 5.) d. Open your Catechism at random and see the footnotes at the bottom of the page. You will find it quite easy to recognise Scripture references but some of the initials may be a bit confusing at first. On the page before Fidei Depositum the abbreviations are listed so you can see the wide range of sources used in the Catechism. e. Finally go to the back of your Catechism and find the index of citations. See for yourself the list of Scripture references followed by the list of Church documents and ecclesiastical writers. These are holy men and women whose writings are considered of such value that they have contributed to our understanding of the life and mission of the Church in Church. Go to where the list of references to Luke s Gospel are listed and count how many times Luke 1:26-38 is used in the Catechism. (The numbers on the right of the Scripture references are the paragraph numbers for the Catechism). f. Read the account on the Annunciation in your Bible and then look up some of these Catechism references to see how the Scripture is used to form Church teaching. Make a note of your findings for your own use. Task 1:What is the Catechism of the Catholic Church? Imagine you were asked this question? Sum up in no more than words what your answer would be. You may find it useful to use bullet points. Send this to your course-coordinator. Introduction to Verbum Domini Now we are in a position to begin reading Verbum Domini. Before we begin to read, let s have a look at what we have in front of us. Initial points to note Look at the Title Page and then at the final words at the end of Verbum Domini. We notice some significant points from the title and dedication of the document: 14

15 This document is named as an Apostolic Exhortation ; therefore we understand that the Pope is teaching as a successor of the Apostles. It is addressed to, Bishops, Clergy, Consecrated Persons and the Lay Faithful, so we understand that this teaching is offered to all who are members of the Catholic Church and indeed through her to the whole People of God. (VD1.) It is Given in Rome, at Saint Peter s which reminds us that the Pope speaks as the successor of St Peter himself, with the authority Christ bestowed upon him. It is given on 30 September, the Memorial of Saint Jerome (c ). St Jerome is the patron saint of Scripture scholars and translator of the Scriptures into Latin; the connection with this saint reminds us that the study of Scripture is not a new thing in the Church, but has been a continuous source of grace since the earliest times. The word of God here is situated firmly with in the Life and Mission of the Church ; the Pope means us to realise that this is the context in which the word of God belongs. Read VD 3-5 in the Introduction to the Document. Note that in the final paragraph of the Introduction (VD5) Benedict expresses his wish that the work of the Synod would have a real effect on the life of the Church. This is not simply an academic exercise in methods of Scripture study; this is to be a living and timely word. Pope Benedict XVI gives three categories through which he wishes the life of the Scriptures to flow more fully through the life of the Church: Personal relationship with Sacred Scripture The interpretation of Sacred Scripture in liturgy and catechesis Scientific research Activity 1.2 We normally have a personal relationship with another person. What do you think Benedict means by a personal relationship with Sacred Scripture? How do you think your personal relationship with Sacred Scripture could be deepened? Make notes for your own personal use. (The other two areas are covered in future units) 15

16 Structure of the Encyclical Activity 1.3 Go to the Contents pages and look at the arrangement of the material. (In some versions this is at the back as an index. Notice the three main sections of the work: 1. Verbum Dei the word of God. This looks primarily at the word itself, coming to the question of interpretation afterwards. We will be looking at this in Unit Verbum in Ecclesia The word in the Church. This is the heart of the teaching and deals with how we engage with the word. We will be looking at this in Unit Verbum Mundo the word to the world. This reminds us of the missionary nature of the Church and her mission to take the word to all people. We will be looking at this in Unit 3. We can sense a Trinitarian feel to this in the progression of the Word from the Father s heart to his people and ultimately, through the Son and Holy Spirit, to all the world. Each of the major sections is divided into parts which allow us to progress along a clear route of understanding. Look through these sub-headings it may help to write them out to see how the document moves from the God who speaks right through to the Church s interaction in the world, even with other faiths. This is illustrative of the way God interacts with us. First we consider what God has done, and only then we come to how we can respond grace has the priority. Each of these first three units of your study will focus on one of these parts. The Prologue of St John s Gospel as our Guide This wonderful passage of Scripture is especially recommended by Benedict as a guide to help us understand the word of God as a living word. It offers, he tells us, a synthesis of the entire Christian faith. (VD 5) The prayerful reading of this passage cannot fail to give a strong foundation for our studies in this module. To conclude this chapter prayerfully read the Prologue typed out here for you. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 16

17 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. (John bore witness to him, and cried, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.'") And from his fullness have we all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known. Summary of Chapter 1 The Church depends upon Scripture and Tradition There are a number of different kinds of Church documents The Magisterium of the Church teaches and preserves the Truth The Catechism is founded upon the Church s teaching in Scripture and Tradition The Catechism is structured around the four dimensions of the Christian faith Verbum Domini is an Apostolic exhortation coming out of the synod on the Word of God in the life of the Church Verbum Domini is addressed to the whole Church 17

18 Chapter Two The Father eternally utters his Word in the Holy Spirit. VD6 This is my beloved Son; listen to him. (Mk 9:7) Learning Objectives In this chapter you will be thinking about how God who enters into loving communication with us does so through his Word, the eternal Logos, the Word of God; who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and that He is the fullness of the Revelation of God. The analogy of the Word of God Read VD 6 and 7. Whenever you are asked to read from Verbum Domini, it is a good idea to look up the Scripture passages mentioned as well. Word of God When we speak of the Word of God we do so with many different shades of meaning in mind, for instance: the Eternal Word, the Person of the Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Salvation history, Apostolic preaching and living Tradition of the Church and the sacred Scriptures. The Fathers of the Synod described these different usages as a symphony of the word and a polyphonic hymn. The use of Word of God with a capital W specifically indicates the person of the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, and word of God with a small w refers to Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture. Analogous language Our human language is insufficient when we try to speak of God, and thus we often make use of analogous language when we are looking for a way to say anything at all about him. Analogy is a kind of middle way between using language in an univocal way where words always mean the same thing, even in a different context, and using the same word in an equivocal way where the same word can mean different things in different contexts. For instance, if we speak of a blue car, a blue light or a blue shirt, the word blue always means the same thing the colour blue. However if we use the word in different contexts a blue moon, a blue joke, a true blue Tory, feeling blue - the word changes meaning with the use and tends to lose its intrinsic meaning. There is no longer a real connection between the word and the reality of blue. Neither of these ways works well when we are trying to speak about God. If we were to describe God as good, we could not use the word in a univocal way because we simply don t know what it means to say God is good. We know what a good dinner is, or a good dog, or a good book, but not what good means in relation to God. To say God is good in this way would be to imply that God is good in the same way that humans are. 18

19 On the other hand, it is not as though there were no connection at all between saying God is good and that certain created things are good if there is absolutely no relationship between our Creator and the language of his creatures, we cannot even try to speak about him. There must be something they have in common, even though there may be very much more that is different. St Thomas Aquinas called this connection between the Creator and creation the analogy of being (analogiaentis). God as Father An example of how we use language in an analogous sense when speaking about God is our use of the word father. We use the word to mean God the Father, but also to indicate physical fatherhood and fathers in the faith. All human fathers co-operate in the fatherhood of God and share some connection, but there is an immense difference between them and the God from whom all fatherhood derives... that Father from whom all fatherhood in heaven and on earth takes its title (Eph 3:15). This is why Jesus tells his disciples not to call any man on earth your father; you have but one Father, and he is in heaven. The disciples are to keep in mind that earthly fatherhood, whether spiritual or physical, derives only from the fatherhood of God. We cannot imply that God is Father in the same way that humans are fathers. This is why it is important in catechesis to begin with an attribute of God, revealed through Christ, and then acknowledge that there is some small similarity between this and ourselves. If we fall into the trap of saying that God is a little bit like something human, we may distort the analogy to the extent that it is no longer useful. The Implications of analogous language for our understanding of the faith Benedict XVI points out here how the expression word of God is used in this analogical sense; there is a deep unity, something in common, between all different ways in which we use the expression, but there are distinct and different meanings also. These meanings are interrelated and the Holy Father highlights the need for further study from a theological standpoint so that we can see two things more clearly: The unity of God s plan The centrality of the person of Christ As soon as you begin to study the faith, you may find yourself coming across unfamiliar words. We have created vocabulary boxes for you in the text. It would be a good idea to begin to build a glossary for yourself of these terms and any others you may come across. A theological dictionary is very useful It is a good idea to have recourse to a Catholic dictionary for when you come across words which, although they may be familiar you wish to understand better, or even words which you have never heard of before. This is a good online one. Vocabulary box: Incarnation literally from the Latin, to become flesh (carne = flesh) and this refers to the fact that Jesus Christ is the second person of the Holy Trinity who has existed for all eternity with the Father, who became man (took on human flesh) in the womb of His blessed Mother, Mary. The Incarnation therefore is the single event of God becoming man. 19

20 Benedict XVI clearly identifies word of God as having as its basic meaning the Eternal Word of God made flesh the Incarnation. The Incarnation is then identified as the foundation of all reality. This is an enormous claim. If this is true, then Christianity is not confined to an understanding of one religion among many, all of which hold some degree of truth, but, as the keeper of the truth of the Incarnation, it is also the key to a correct understanding of the whole of reality. We cannot proclaim Christianity if we are not absolutely convinced of the truth of this. Again, St John s Prologue leads us: all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. (1:3) Activity 2.1 VD speaks of a symphony of many voices in which the one word is spoken. Consider prayerfully the different meanings of the word of God given in paragraph 7. There is no need to write anything down for this activity. The Eternal Word, begotten of the Father before all ages and consubstantial with him. The Word made flesh, born of Mary. The word of God spoken in creation. (Gen 1:3ff And God said., ) The word of God spoken through the prophets. ( Thus says the Lord... Jer 11:1-3 and many other places, Ezek 37:15) The word of God spoken through salvation history, especially the Incarnation and Paschal Mystery. (Jn 1:14) The word of God preached by the Apostles. The word of God in the Church s living Tradition. The word of God as sacred Scripture, inspired by the Holy Spirit and written by men. Vocabulary box: Paschal Mystery the fact that Christ s Passion, death, Resurrection and Ascension has gained our salvation and through it we are re-united with God and hope to spend eternity with Him. When the Church talks of mystery it is not about a puzzle to solve. A mystery could be described as an invitation to meditate on God, and in this case on Church s Passion, death, Resurrection and Ascension. Catechesis on Creation Read VD 9 20

21 Here we have another startling statement. Because creation is the setting for the developing relationship between God and his creation, therefore human salvation is the reason underlying everything. Read CCC 760 Why did God create the world? Remember that to study Scripture in this way, in unity with Tradition and the Magisterium, don t forget to look up all the Scripture passages mentioned as much as you can. Everything in the whole of creation revolves around this one purpose that we should be saved and come to live God s life with him. VD puts this way of looking at our salvation history very simply: We are made in the image of God. Therefore all that we are and have has value; our bodies, our reason, our freedom and our conscience. We all experience an inner call to do good and avoid evil. This is the basis of natural law. Although we experience this inner call and know what is good, we cannot always do it. Jesus Christ gives us a new law, fulfilling the old, which actually enables us, though grace, to overcome our natural weakness and share in God s own life. Simply because creation is the setting for God s call to humanity and our response, our catechesis on creation is vitally important. Catechesis on creation is of major importance. It concerns the very foundations of human and Christian life: for it makes explicit the response of the Christian faith to the basic question that men of all times have asked themselves: Where do we come from? Where are we going? What is our origin? What is our end? Where does everything that exists come from and where is it going? The two questions, the first about the origin and the second about the end, are inseparable. They are decisive for the meaning and orientation of our life and actions. (CCC 282) Read on now from CCC 282 to CCC 289 (You will notice that some text is in smaller type, this is background information to the Church s teaching on the reason why catechesis on creation is so important.) The Incarnation is the basis for all reality and all reality in creation has as its purpose that we should be saved, saved from sin and saved for life in the Trinity. This is true realism, recognising Christ the Word of God as the foundation of everything. 21

22 Activity 2.2 Often catechesis on creation focusses on the 7 days and all the beautiful things God has created, but with very little reference to Christ. Make some notes on how you could cover creation in catechesis and demonstrate that creation is about our salvation. How could those to whom you are speaking be made aware of the amazing fact that in the Incarnation, God entered His own creation? Whilst these questions are for your own notes, you are welcome to send your answers to your coursecoordinator to check if you are on the right track. Read VD 11 This section, headed Christology of the word, sets our understanding of all reality as the work of the Trinity in its historical context. This is a fundamental principle of our faith. The second letter of St Peter tells us, we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. Creation, the reality in which we live, is the setting for the unfolding human story directed by God. 2 Thus, when we consider any aspect of our faith, we understand it to be set within the reality of creation. The Incarnation is set withinthis context of creation; God became man and was born of woman (Gal. 4:4) and so as a man amongst us, when He spoke and acted is was God speaking and acting. Therefore the Church says that that Jesus Christ is the definitive word which God speaks to humanity. There will be no further Revelation, but even if Revelation is already complete, it has not been made completely explicit; it remains for Christian faith to gradually grasp its full significance over the course of the centuries (CCC 66) In giving us His Son, His only Word, (for He possesses no other, He spoke everything to us at once at once in this sole Word and He has no more to say, because what He spoke to before to the prophet in parts He has now spoken all at once by giving us the All Who is His Son. St. John of the Cross, in CCC Von Balthasar, a 20 th century Swiss theologian, called this the theo-drama. 22

23 Optional Activity Look up and take your own notes on Covenant in a Bible Dictionary. Scott Hahn, Letter and Spirit: From Written Text to Living Word in the Liturgy, chapter 4, Covenant: The Bond of Unity. In no more than 150 words, say how you would explain covenant to another person. The centrality of Christ Having identified the setting for God s gradual revelation of himself, Benedict XVI goes on to show how God condescends in Christ to become a man. Condescends is not a word that has positive connotations now; it is often used sarcastically to describe the attitude of those who are perceived to consider themselves better than others in some way. Its original meaning is much kinder, implying the gracious stooping down to those who are lower, an action of pity or loving mercy. God has bent down to his people in love throughout their history; now he accomplishes and completes this action in the Incarnation. This is God s end ; his purpose to which all creation is aligned. John Donne expressed this beautifully: One of the most convenient hieroglyphics of Godis a circle; and a circle is endless. Whom God loves He loves to the end; and not only to their own end, to their death, but to His end, and His end is that He might love them still. John Donne, Sermon on the Nativity, Christmas Day, Benedict repeats here what he said in his first Encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a definitive direction. This is an event and a Person both firmly rooted in the reality of creation, in human history and experience. Reflect: How far has your experience of catechesis been about preparing people for the Sacraments and how far has it been about introducing people to the person of Jesus Christ in a real and profound way? 23

24 Activity 2.3 Read the homily on the Solemnity of the Birth of the Lord, Dec 2006 mentioned above. You will find it inappendix 1 at the end of this unit. What other two meanings does Benedict XVI gives to this idea of the Word becoming small for us. Make a brief note of your findings. VD 12 is based on this earlier homily of Benedict XVI, and below is a summary of the key points. If you have time do look up at least one of the Scripture references under each point as they will enhance your understanding. Jesus is the divine Logos, the Eternal Word of God and his ability to do the will of the Father at all times illustrates this. Jn 8:55, Jn 12:50, Jn 17:8 Jesus is fully and perfectly human; he is the true man, the new Adam. This idea of Jesus as the new Adam comes from St Paul and was taken up by some of the Fathers of the Church, especially St Irenaeus who understood that Jesus was recapitulating the human story with a new Adam, a new Eve (Our Lady) and a new creation. 3 The image of recapitulation could also refer to the roller around which was wrapped the parchment or papyrus scroll of the volume with a written text: Christ gives a single meaning to all the syllables, words and works of creation and history. 4 Again we can see how Christ is the Word of God.Eph 1:9-10, I Cor 15:22 The Word of the cross, in which the Word is muted. The Holy Father gives a beautiful passage from St Maximus the Confessor which the Fathers attributed to Our Lady. Wordless is the Word of the Father... Silence is the key to the start and end of Our Lord s time here on earth; an ancient hymn calls us to silence as we contemplate his birth also. 5 Benedict XVI gives a valuable catechesis on silence where he says that the word who speaks in silence is a very powerful image. If you have time, read his catechesis in Appendix 2 at the back of this unit. 3 The Lord, coming into his own creation in visible form, was sustained by his own creation which he himself sustains in being. His obedience on the tree of the cross reversed the disobedience at the tree in Eden; the good news of the truth announced by an angel to Mary, a virgin subject to a husband, undid the evil lie that seduced Eve, a virgin espoused to a husband. As Eve was seduced by the word of an angel and so fled from God after disobeying his word, Mary in her turn was given the good news by the word of an angel, and bore God in obedience to his word. As Eve was seduced into disobedience to God, so Mary was persuaded into obedience to God; thus the Virgin Mary became the advocate of the virgin Eve. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 5:19:1. 4 General Audience of John Paul II, 14Feb Let all mortal flesh keep silence, And with fear and trembling stand; Ponder nothing earthly minded, For with blessing in His hand, Christ our God to earth descendeth, Our full homage to demand. 24

25 Jesus is the Word of the new and everlasting covenant. The theme of covenant is inseparable from the concept of the word of God. In the Old Testament we find God making covenants with Noah, Abram, Moses and David, and the word of God was an integral component of this. Gen 9:8-9, Gen 15:18, Ex 34:10, 2 Sam 7:1-17. The Word of God in the silence of the Resurrection, Christ as victor over death. The image of Jesus Christ Pantocrator, ruler of the universe, is one that has been much explored in artistic representation in both East and West. Here the Holy Father connects this image with Christ as the Light of the World, emphasising that the Word of God is now present as a person. Incidentally, after the visit of the Holy Father Benedict XVI to England in 2010, each parish in England and Wales was given a copy of the famous picture by Holman Hunt of Christ as the Light of the World. VD 13 brings together the two main areas mentioned in VD7, the unity of God s plan and the centrality of the person of Christ and begins to build the picture of how the unity of God s plan is apparent within the Scriptures themselves. Activity 2.4 Look up and read I Cor 15:3-4; St Paul sees Christ s death and resurrection as part of the divine plan it is in accordance with the Scriptures - according to in the Greek. One of the root meanings of accord - to harmonize, be in harmony, to be consonant, echoes the emphasis on the word. The Paschal Mystery harmonises with the Scriptures, it is part of the symphony of the word, the polyphonic hymn (VD 7).The reason Christ s Paschal Mystery harmonises with Scripture is because it completes all the Old Testament concepts of sacrifice and redemption.there is one plan for the salvation of the world and Christ is at the heart of it; VD 13 uses the image of a solo ; the author speaking his own words. It is interesting how the images of sound are used interchangeably here. Sometimes we seem to be thinking about music and singing, and at other times more about speaking and words. CS Lewis used the imagery of singing creation into being in his children s book, the Magician s Nephew: 25