P R A Y I N G W I T H T H E C H U R C H
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INTENTION : |
That in less developed parts of the world the proclamation of the Word of God may renew people's hearts, encouraging them to work actively towards authentic social progress.
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The Holy Father's intention for September, the month in which many Churches celebrate the Month of the Bible, invites us to put the Word of God at the centre. It calls us to renew our confidence in the transforming power of the Word, able to make all things new, even in the least developed regions of the world.
As the rain and the snow come down from the sky and do not return before having watered the earth, fertilising it and making it germinate to provide seed for the sower and food to eat, so it is with the word that goes from my mouth: it will not return to me unfulfilled. (Is 55:10-11).
The Word renews hope and mobilises into action in places where there is much suffering, in regions in conflict, or those enduring great poverty:
I shall open up rivers on barren heights and water-holes down in the ravines. (Is 41:18)
For look, I am going to create
New heavens and a new earth,
And the past will not be remembered
And will come no more to mind. […]
Never again will there be an infant there who lives only a few days
Nor an old man who does not run his full course; […]
They will build houses and live in them,
They will plant vineyards and eat their fruit […]
The wolf and the young lamb will feed together,
The lion will eat hay like the ox,
And dust be the serpent's food.
No hurt, no harm will be done
On all my holy mountain.
The Lord has said this. (Is 65: 17-25)
The Word brings God's consolation and tenderness:
Console my people, console them, says your God.
Speak to the heart of Jerusalem
And cry to her that her period of service is ended. […]
Here is the Lord coming with power,
His arm maintains his authority. […]
He is like a shepherd feeding his flock,
Gathering lambs in his arms,
Holding them against his breast
And leading to their rest the mother ewes. (Is 40: 1-11)
The Word of the Lord is to be trusted:
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God remains for ever. (Is 40:8)
The formulation of the Pope's intention expresses his faith in the potential of God's Word to engender 'authentic social progress.' It acts in us and moves us to make real the joyful message of salvation which comes from the Lord:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
For the Lord has anointed me.
He has sent me to bring good news to the poor,
To soothe the broken-hearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives, […]
To proclaim a year of favour from the Lord. (Is 61:1-2)
O come to the water
All you who are thirsty;
Though you have no money, come!
Buy and eat; come, buy wine and milk
Without money, free! (Is 55:1)
God intervenes on behalf of the poor, and does this by raising up prophets who proclaim and carry forward his saving work:
I, who foil the omens of soothsayers […]
Who confirm the word of my servant
And make the plans of my envoys succeed. (Is 44: 25-26)
The Lord says this:
For the three crimes, the four crimes of Israel,
I have made my decree and will not relent:
Because they have sold the upright for silver
And the poor for a pair of sandals,
Because they have crushed the heads of the weak into the dust
And thrust the rights of the oppressed to one side. (Amos 2: 6-7)
May this month's intention renew our love of the Word and encourage us to open Holy Scripture often. May assiduous reading of it make us into new prophets, committed to the birth of a new culture and to authentic social progress.
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