Random Spot Check: Matthew 16:16-18

For this week's spot check, I decided to go with a portion of the Peter's confession about Jesus at Caesarea Philippi. This time, I have chosen five Catholic translations, none of which should be hard to determine. Can you figure out which one is which? Which one do you like? So, here we go with Matthew 16:16-18:

1) Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

2) Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

3) Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

4) Then Simon Peter spoke up and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Jesus replied, 'Simon son of Jonah, you are a blessed man! Because it was no human agency that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my community. And the gates of the underworld can never overpower it.

5) Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.

Thank You to My Unofficial Bible Patron

Just wanted to take the time to thank reader Tim for being my unofficial Bible patron. He recently sent me two very cool Bibles:

New English Bible w/ Apocrypha 1970
*Oxford Pocket Text Edition in Moroccoette binding, gold edges and India paper.

King James Version: New Testament and Psalms
*Oxford burgundy east Indian Calf binding in India paper.

YouCat

This is a great resource. I wish I had the money at the school to get every student a copy.

Lifeteen Catholic Teen Bible

Thanks to reader Brad for pointing me to this. It appears that Lifeteen has published their very own youth Bible. At this point, I do not know much about it, other than the info provided at their site. The product description reads:

New American Bible for Teens Features: An overview of all 73 books of the Bible * How to read Scripture * An overview of the Covenants in Scripture and their significance * A glossary of Biblical terms * Quotes from Saints on Scripture A Distinctly Catholic Resource * Tradition and Scripture explained * A guide to the Rosary and Scriptures * Biblical basis for all seven Sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church * Practical apologetics * Relating Scripture and the Mass * The full cycle of Sunday readings

I'll try to supply more info on this youth Bible once it becomes more widely available.

Writing in Your Bible

So, do you write in your Bible? How about in your study Bible? I remember when I first decided to start writing in my Bible, to be honest, it took some time, since I was a little apprehensive about writing in a book that contained the Holy Scriptures. Perhaps that hesitance was a Catholic thing? Not sure. However, once I started to write in my Bible, it opened up the Scriptures to me in a new way. I began feeling like I was interacting with the text on much greater level than before. Not only was I scribbling additional notes and commentary that I found to be useful, but also thoughts and inspirations that came through my reading. Over time I came to develop a system of how I personally annotated my Bible.

I am curious to read if any of you regularly write in your Bible's. Do you have a system?

The Catholicism Project

Looks fantastic......and extremely well made!

Mondays with Verbum Domini

One of the great fruits of the Second Vatican Council was the Roman Lectionary. As this section from Verbum Domini says: "The present structure of the Lectionary not only presents the more important texts of Scripture with some frequency, but also helps us to understand the unity of God’s plan thanks to the interplay of the Old and New Testament readings, an interplay “in which Christ is the central figure, commemorated in his paschal mystery.” Also, the fact that the Roman Lectionary became the basis of the Revised Common Lectionary, used in many of the churches of our separated brethren, was a sure sign of ecumenical progress. I look at it this way, we (Catholics) adapted the RSV and they (Protestants) adapted our Lectionary. :)

Sacred Scripture and the Lectionary

In stressing the bond between word and Eucharist, the Synod also rightly wanted to call attention to certain aspects of the celebration which concern the service of the word. In the first place I wish to mention the importance of the Lectionary. The reform called for by the Second Vatican Council has borne fruit in a richer access to sacred Scripture, which is now offered in abundance, especially at Sunday Mass. The present structure of the Lectionary not only presents the more important texts of Scripture with some frequency, but also helps us to understand the unity of God’s plan thanks to the interplay of the Old and New Testament readings, an interplay “in which Christ is the central figure, commemorated in his paschal mystery”. Any remaining difficulties in seeing the relationship between those readings should be approached in the light of canonical interpretation, that is to say, by referring to the inherent unity of the Bible as a whole. Wherever necessary, the competent offices and groups can make provision for publications aimed at bringing out the interconnection of the Lectionary readings, all of which are to be proclaimed to the liturgical assembly as called for by the liturgy of the day. Other problems or difficulties should be brought to the attention of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

Nor should we overlook the fact that the current Lectionary of the Latin rite has ecumenical significance, since it is used and valued also by communities not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church. The issue of the Lectionary presents itself differently in the liturgies of the Eastern Catholic Churches; the Synod requested that this issue be “examined authoritatively”, in accordance with the proper tradition and competences of the sui iuris Churches, likewise taking into account the ecumenical context. --Verbum Domini 57

Until the End of the World

A tribute to those who think the world will end on Saturday. For the rest, I'll be joining you on the Lord's Day as we continue our celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord.

Spot Check: 1 Peter 2:4-9

The second reading for this week's Sunday Mass is a continuation from 1 Peter. Once again, try to figure out which translation is which, from the RSV, NAB, or NRSV. This shouldn't be too difficult this week. Which one do you prefer and why?

1 Peter 2:4-9:

Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God, and, like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it says in scripture: "Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame." Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," and "A stone that will make people stumble, and a rock that will make them fall." They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny. But you are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises" of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.


Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God's sight chosen and precious; and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and he who believes in him will not be put to shame." To you therefore who believe, he is precious, but for those who do not believe, "The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner," and "A stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall"; for they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.


Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture: ‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’ To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner’, and ‘A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall.’ They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Sort of Retro Review: NOAB RSV Extended Edition

The New Oxford Annotated Bible RSV with Apocrypha Extended Edition is in many ways a remarkable study Bible. Not only because of its unique ecumenical origins, but more specifically because it has remained in print for over thirty years. Over the past thirty years, Oxford has published three additional editions of the NOAB, along with an augmented 3rd edition, with the NRSV translation, as well as two (and soon to be three) editions of the Catholic Study Bible NAB. Yet, the NOAB RSV remains in print, both in the hardbound and genuine leather edition. Why is that so?

In my mind there are a couple of reasons for this. First off, the RSV remains popular in a number of circles still today, most notably Catholic, some Orthodox, and the academy/seminary. The seminary where I received my degree encouraged the RSV-CE for its Scripture and theology classes. In addition, the RSV is still being published, in various editions, by Oxford University Press, Ignatius Press, Scepter, and Saint Benedict Press. It should also be noted that the RSV was the base text for the ESV and the RSV-2CE. It is used in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (English language edition), along with the NRSV, and is the main translation used in many of Pope Benedict’s works. Therefore, any thought that the RSV would recede into history with the publication of the NRSV in 1989 has simply not happened.

Secondly, the NOAB RSV is a beautiful and useful study Bible even today. Does it have a lot of the nice study aids that the current 4th edition does, like in-text maps and charts, a concordance, and updated essays? No. However, it does posses a number of advantages over the newer editions of the NOAB, not counting the use of the RSV (including 1971 updated NT). Here are a few:

** The overall size, while certainly not compact, is a very portable 9 x 6 x 1.7 inches.

** Strong binding and genuine leather cover. My edition has always opened flat from day one.

** The type and page layout is very readable. There are no paragraph headings, but that is easily resolved by examining the commentary which is organized by pericope. You can get a closer look of the page layout here.

** The inner margin, as well as the bottom of each page, provides enough space to include your own personal notes.

** The notes contain plenteous cross-references and concise, yet helpful commentary. Rarely does the commentary take up more than half of a page, usually around a quarter. The commentary gives you the basic historical information you would need in an academic study Bible. The Old Testament commentary does reference the New Testament, most often through cross-references. Even the Deuterocanonical/Apocrypha section, although unfortunately placed at the back, references New Testament allusions to these books. While the commentary is not Catholic, there has been very little that I could find objectionable. For example, while the section on John 6 could, one may argue, point out the Eucharistic overtones a bit more, there are other places, like in Matthew 13:55 which concerns Jesus’ “brothers”, which go out of their way to point out Catholic/Orthodox belief. If one keeps in mind that this is an ecumenical study Bible, he will find little to be concerned with.

For those of you who would like to have a one-volume study edition of the RSV, this is really your best, and perhaps only, option until the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible project is completed. I use this study Bible often and would recommend it to anyone.

(I did a shorter examination of this a few years back, which you can read here.)

Revised on May 18

A Reader's Question

I received an email regarding Italian Bibles, and thought I would throw it out to all of you to see if you can answer:

Next fall I’m going to Rome to study theology and I’m wondering if you know which Bible translation most commonly is used at Italian speaking seminaries, and also if you know of a good study version of that same translation. Secondly, if that translation should turn out to be a little “modern” I’m also interested to find an Italian Bible more suited for devotional reading. Here I’m looking for a fairly literal translation without gender inclusive language and – very important – no Yahweh or anything of that sort. (When it comes to English bibles, I’m not very fond of NRSV or NAB, my choice would rather be RSV-2CE or RSV-CE; but as far as inclusive language is concern I think that NJB does ok.)

Any suggestions?

Mondays with Verbum Domini

Sacred Scripture and the sacraments

In discussing the importance of the liturgy for understanding the word of God, the Synod of Bishops highlighted the relationship between sacred Scripture and the working of the sacraments. There is great need for a deeper investigation of the relationship between word and sacrament in the Church’s pastoral activity and in theological reflection. Certainly “the liturgy of the word is a decisive element in the celebration of each one of the sacraments of the Church”; in pastoral practice, however, the faithful are not always conscious of this connection, nor do they appreciate the unity between gesture and word. It is “the task of priests and deacons, above all when they administer the sacraments, to explain the unity between word and sacrament in the ministry of the Church”. The relationship between word and sacramental gesture is the liturgical expression of God’s activity in the history of salvation through the performative character of the word itself. In salvation history there is no separation between what God says and what he does. His word appears as alive and active (cf. Heb 4:12), as the Hebrew term dabar itself makes clear. In the liturgical action too, we encounter his word which accomplishes what it says. By educating the People of God to discover the performative character of God’s word in the liturgy, we will help them to recognize his activity in salvation history and in their individual lives. --Verbum Domini 53

Knox Bible Now Online

Just spotted this on the Catholic Answers forum, but you can now read the Knox Bible online here.

Below is the introduction to this online Revised Knox Bible:

The past 40 years have seen a welter of English translations of the Bible. One appears to have been quite lost in this biblical multiplication: that of Ronald Knox which was so immensely popular from its publication in 1944 to the mid-1960s. My own reaction to it had been enthusiastic, yet maybe somewhat ambivalent: I found it very readable, very inspiring, and at times a bit debatable...

In any case it descended into practical oblivion after Vatican II. It might - and perhaps should - have survived if Knox had not made the mistake, as I now see it, of sticking to the "thou" forms throughout. Some time back, seeing the very varied quality of the new versions, I began to wonder if Knox, in "you" form, might not be of interest and help to some people. So I began to while away odd moments by "you-ing" his New Testament (I have a good program for such a task). With "you" etc. throughout, many passages seemed to take on a new freshness and interest. It has taken four years of spare-time scanning, editing and correcting; but now, Deo gratias, the task is completed. It has been worthwhile, and has drawn more interest than I ever anticipated. Currently some 400-500 viewers look it up each week; and the numbers are on the increase.

One reader makes a comment worth transcribing. For him, the Ronald Knox translations, "somehow combine clarity with mystery: I mean they are easy enough to understand and they still have that majesty of language which constantly reminds the reader that these words concern much more than the everyday". It is an opinion that may have particular application to the pauline epistles. Regarding these I do recall some early critic who, while conceding that Msgr. Knox had certainly made St. Paul intelligible (he was at times barely so in the old Douai-Rheims version), still doubted whether Knox's version really makes Paul say what he actually wanted to say... I am not scripture scholar enough to resolve the question; but am sure that the same doubt can be made extensive to quite a few more recent versions.

In the Old Testament, the Wisdom books are particularly expressive. No translation of the Psalms is going to please everyone. But it is worth examining Psalm 118, for instance, where Msgr. Knox stood fully up to the particular challenge its translation represents. To my mind, the result is a tour de force. Consider also the Major Prophets. I find the first chapters of Isaiah and of Ezechiel specially remarkable. The poetic tone of the Psalms and other poetic books changes to something more resoundingly epic - as indeed befits prophecy. Prophecy is meant to surprise; it is dramatic and emphatic. And Knox's rendering of Isaiah or Ezechiel - idiosyncratic if at times it be - certainly brings out the solemn force of God's word on the lips of his prophet. It strikes the listener, and one is more inclined to stand up and take notice. As it should be. When working from scanned pages, it is difficult to spot and correct all the errors. The New Testament has been subjected to very careful correction over these years. I will be very grateful to those who point out any errors they spot in the Old Testament. The more this spare-time activity progressed, the greater my impression that something old has in a small but important way become new again. If so, the endeavor has not been totally useless. In any case, may Ronald Knox forgive me from his heavenly abode, if he does not approve of my efforts. But I would not like to see any of his masterly and inspiring prose being thrust aside because of a few pronouns, adjectives, or verb-forms here and there.

Spot Check: Acts 2:14a, 36-41

This week, we will look at the first Sunday reading which comes from the Acts of the Apostles. Again, the translations below are the NAB(RE), RSV, and NRSV. As always, which one is which and what do you like/dislike?

1) But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: 'let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.’ Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’ Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.’ And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.

2) Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed:
“Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.” He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized,and about three thousand persons were added that day.

3) But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: 'Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him." And he testified with many other words and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation." So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Three of My Favorite Editions of the RSV

Catholic Scripture Study International Study Bible: RSV-CE

The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha, Revised Standard Version, Expanded Edition

Ignatius Bible RSV-2CE

All three Bibles include different editions of the RSV. They each have their own unique features as well. In a perfect world, or if I worked for a major publishing house who had the rights to do this, I would combine elements from all three: The overall look, size, and feel of the NOAB RSV (and maps), the translation and cross-references of the RSV-2CE, and the supplemental material in the CSSI RSV-CE. What would I call this version? The Catholic Reference Bible: Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition. Ha!

This Year We Celebrate the Publication of.....

....the Revised Standard Version-Catholic Edition, which was published 45 years ago this year. Edited by Dom Bernard Orchard and Reverend R.C. Fuller of the Catholic Biblical Association of Great Britain, the RSV-CE New Testament was completed in 1965, followed by the Old Testament, which incorporated the Deuterocanonical books. Since 1966, the RSV-CE has become the most popular translation in conservative, as well as many academic circles in the Church. While Ignatius Press, who began publishing the RSV-CE in 1994, continues to be the main supporter of the RSV-CE, it still remains in publication with Oxford University Press, most notably through the New Oxford Annotated Bible Expanded Edition. In recent years, Saint Benedict Press has also published the RSV-CE in various attractive editions. The RSV is clearly alive and doing very well in the English speaking/reading parts of the Catholic Church.

I should also mention that this year we are also celebrating the 5 year anniversary of the publication of the RSV-2CE by Ignatius Press.

Mondays with Verbum Domini

The word of God in the sacred liturgy

In considering the Church as “the home of the word”, attention must first be given to the sacred liturgy, for the liturgy is the privileged setting in which God speaks to us in the midst of our lives; he speaks today to his people, who hear and respond. Every liturgical action is by its very nature steeped in sacred Scripture. In the words of the Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, “sacred Scripture is of the greatest importance in the celebration of the liturgy. From it are taken the readings, which are explained in the homily and the psalms that are sung. From Scripture the petitions, prayers and liturgical hymns receive their inspiration and substance. From Scripture the liturgical actions and signs draw their meaning”. Even more, it must be said that Christ himself “is present in his word, since it is he who speaks when Scripture is read in Church”. Indeed, “the liturgical celebration becomes the continuing, complete and effective presentation of God’s word. The word of God, constantly proclaimed in the liturgy, is always a living and effective word through the power of the Holy Spirit. It expresses the Father’s love that never fails in its effectiveness towards us”. The Church has always realized that in the liturgical action the word of God is accompanied by the interior working of the Holy Spirit who makes it effective in the hearts of the faithful. Thanks to the Paraclete, “the word of God becomes the foundation of the liturgical celebration, and the rule and support of all our life. The working of the same Holy Spirit … brings home to each person individually every-thing that in the proclamation of the word of God is spoken for the good of the whole gathering. In strengthening the unity of all, the Holy Spirit at the same time fosters a diversity of gifts and furthers their multiform operation”.

To understand the word of God, then, we need to appreciate and experience the essential meaning and value of the liturgical action. A faith-filled understanding of sacred Scripture must always refer back to the liturgy, in which the word of God is celebrated as a timely and living word: “In the liturgy the Church faithfully adheres to the way Christ himself read and explained the sacred Scriptures, beginning with his coming forth in the synagogue and urging all to search the Scriptures”.

Here one sees the sage pedagogy of the Church, which proclaims and listens to sacred Scripture following the rhythm of the liturgical year. This expansion of God’s word in time takes place above all in the Eucharistic celebration and in the Liturgy of the Hours. At the centre of everything the paschal mystery shines forth, and around it radiate all the mysteries of Christ and the history of salvation which become sacramentally present: “By recalling in this way the mysteries of redemption, the Church opens up to the faithful the riches of the saving actions and the merits of her Lord, and makes them present to all times, allowing the faithful to enter into contact with them and to be filled with the grace of salvation”. For this reason I encourage the Church’s Pastors and all engaged in pastoral work to see that all the faithful learn to savour the deep meaning of the word of God which unfolds each year in the liturgy, revealing the fundamental mysteries of our faith. This is in turn the basis for a correct approach to sacred Scripture.
-- Verbum Domini 52

St. Anne, Pray for Us

The Vatican has approved the request from Archbishop Vigneron to name St. Anne, mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus, as the patron saint of Detroit. This is wonderful news for my archdiocese. For more information, you can read more about this here.

The press release from the Archdiocese of Detroit explains why St. Anne was chosen: "This devotion was planted on the banks of the Detroit River by the original French-Canadian settlers. Two days after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac landed with 51 others in what is now downtown Detroit on July 24, 1701, they celebrated Mass and began construction of a church named after Saint Anne. Today, Sainte Anne de Detroit is the second oldest continually operating parish in the United States. As is now recognized by the Holy See, the Church of Detroit was placed under Saint Anne's protection from its very founding."

St. Anne, pray for us!

NRSV: Matthew 2:16

"When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men." -Matthew 2:16 (NRSV)

I was doing some reading over the past weekend from the NRSV and came upon this verse from the Gospel of Matthew. I noticed that instead of saying that Herod sought to kill all the "boys" in Bethlehem, it referred to the "children". I then double checked the other two translations I had close by, and sure enough the RSV had "male children" while the NAB(RE) had "boys". Looking at some additional translations showed that most of the others followed some form of the RSV or NAB(RE), the KJV being the exception. However, there were some resources that suggested that "child" was a better option. It comes down to how the Greek word παῖς (pais) is translated.

Does it matter if παῖς is translated "children" or "boys/male children"?

Spot Check: 1 Peter 1:17-21

I enjoyed the discussions we had with the previous "spot checks" so I have decided to continue doing them, after an absence of a few months. Below will be the second reading for this coming Sunday from 1 Peter. The three translations are the RSV, NRSV, and NAB(RE). Can you figure out which one is which? Which one do you like best?

1) Now if you invoke as Father him who judges impartially according to each one’s works, conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning, realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct,handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb. He was known before the foundation of the world but revealed in the final time for you,who through him believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

2) And if you invoke as Father him who judges each one impartially according to his deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile. You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was destined before the foundation of the world but was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake. Through him you have confidence in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

3) If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.

Mondays with Verbum Domini

The Church receives the word

The Lord speaks his word so that it may be received by those who were created “through” that same word. “He came among his own” (Jn 1:11): his word is not something fundamentally alien to us, and creation was willed in a relationship of familiarity with God’s own life. Yet the Prologue of the Fourth Gospel also places us before the rejection of God’s word by “his own”, who “received him not” (Jn 1:11). Not to receive him means not to listen to his voice, not to be conformed to the Logos. On the other hand, whenever men and women, albeit frail and sinful, are sincerely open to an encounter with Christ, a radical transformation begins to take place: “but to all who received him, he gave power to become children of God” (Jn 1:12). To receive the Word means to let oneself be shaped by him, and thus to be conformed by the power of the Holy Spirit to Christ, the “only Son from the Father” (Jn 1:14). It is the beginning of a new creation; a new creature is born, a new people comes to birth. Those who believe, that is to say, those who live the obedience of faith, are “born of God” (Jn 1:13) and made sharers in the divine life: sons in the Son (cf. Gal 4:5-6; Rom 8:14-17). As Saint Augustine puts it nicely in commenting on this passage from John’s Gospel: “you were created through the word, but now through the word you must be recreated”. Here we can glimpse the face of the Church as a reality defined by acceptance of the Word of God who, by taking flesh, came to pitch his tent among us (cf. Jn 1:14). This dwelling-place of God among men, this shekinah (cf. Ex 26:1), prefigured in the Old Testament, is now fulfilled in God’s definitive presence among us in Christ. (VD 50)

(Emphasis in bold is mine.)

Blessed John Paul II