On Sunday, January 22, 2023, we will celebrate SUNDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD throughout the Eparchy of St. Josaphat.
The Sunday of the Word of God was instituted by Pope Francis to be held every year to remind pastors and faithful alike, of the importance and value of Sacred Scripture for the Christian life, as well as the relationship between the Word of God and the liturgy.
“As Christians, we are one people, making our pilgrim way through history, sustained by the Lord, present in our midst, who speaks to us and nourishes us. A day devoted to the Bible should not be seen as a yearly event but rather a year-long event, for we urgently need to grow in our knowledge and love of the Scriptures and of the Risen Lord, who continues to speak His word and to break bread in the community of believers. For this reason, we need to develop a closer relationship with Sacred Scripture; otherwise, our hearts will remain cold and our eyes shut, inflicted as we are by so many forms of blindness”. Francis, Aperuit illis
May our celebration of the Sunday of the Word of God help us, His people, to grow in religious and intimate familiarly with the Sacred Scriptures.
Pastoral Suggestions
- Preach the Sunday homily on the centrality of the Word of God in the life of the Church.
- Encourage families to enthrone the Bible in the prayer corner in their homes.
- The following intercessions may be inserted in the Liturgy:
– For the Church, that we may continue to respond to the Word of God which is proclaimed in our midst.
– For all who listen as the Scriptures are proclaimed, that God’s Word may take root in their lives.
– For those who have not heard the message of Christ, that we may be willing to bring them the Good News of salvation.
The following suggestions were made by the delegates of the VI Session of the Patriarchal Sobor of the Ukrainian Catholic Church of August 2015 regarding the WORD OF GOD:
- To remind the faithful of how important it is to possess their own copy of the Sacred Scriptures.
- To launch bible study groups in the parish, so that the faithful might be able to better understand the Sacred Scriptures and explain it to others.
- To encourage the clergy to take into account the presence of children, while explaining the Word of God.
- To encourage the faithful to prayerfully read the Sacred Scriptures as a family.
Additional resources for the Sunday of the Word of God
English language:
Apostolic letter “Aperuit illis”
Note from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
