Verbum Domini (Apostolic Exhortation)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Verbum Domini ( Eng .: The Word of the Lord ) is the title of one of Pope Benedict XVI's. written Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of September 30, 2010, which was published in the form of an exhortation and presented on November 11 of the same year. It deals with the “Word of God in the life and mission of the Church” and summarizes the results of the 12th Ordinary Synod of Bishops , which met on this subject in Rome from October 5th to 23rd, 2008 .

structure

The letter is divided into three main parts:

I. Verbum Dei ("The Word of God")

II. Verbum in Ecclesia ("The Word in the Church")

III. Verbum Mundo ("proclaiming the word of God")

description

The post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Verbum Domini” (VD) comprises 220 pages and is the summary of one month of session work of the Synod of Bishops. The Synod defines its work as a contribution to give new impulses, to address grievances and to record perspectives.

“... the matter is of the utmost importance. It is about the ever greater discovery of the centrality of the Word of God in personal life and in the life of the Church, as well as the discovery of the urgency and the beauty of the proclamation of the word for the salvation of humanity as convinced and credible witnesses of the Risen One. What would be more necessary? "

"The word of the Lord remains forever" is what it says in First Peter 1.25 EU and this sentence closes the declaration on the "path to faith" ( First Peter 1.13-25 EU ). This sentence is the central theme of this post-synodal writing, which mentions the “Word of God” in the first half and refers to the “eternal existence” in the second half. The Pope wants to understand these basic ideas for a rediscovery of the divine word. It reminds believers of a personal and communal encounter with Christ . He points to the words of life and challenges people to rediscover and proclaim the word of God.

Objectives

The Synod of Bishops affirmed that the Holy Scriptures should never be replaced by other texts and thus affirmed the second part of the sentence ... "remains for ever". The synod participants formulate their primary goal as follows:

“No text of spirituality or literature can attain the value and riches contained in Scripture, the Word of God. “Biblical pastoral care” should not be promoted alongside other forms of pastoral care, but as the soul of all pastoral care. Where the believers are not trained to a knowledge of the Bible in accordance with the faith of the Church and in the womb of her living tradition, a pastoral vacuum arises in which, among other things, sects can find ground to put down roots. The Bible apostolate must be strengthened. The Synod wishes that every house should have its Bible and that it should be kept in a dignified manner in order to be able to read it and pray with it. "

Pope Benedict XVI formulates his goals as a request to all people when he writes:

“I remind all Christians that our personal and community relationship with God depends on increasing familiarity with the divine Word. Finally, I address all people, including those who have distanced themselves from the Church, have given up the faith or have never heard the proclamation of salvation. The Lord says to each individual: "I stand at the door and knock." ( Revelation of John 3:20 EU ) "

Core sentences

On the basis of Peter’s First Letter, the Pope expands his thoughts and recalls further words from the Bible. He refers to the fact that these are "words of eternal life" ( John 6,68 EU ), which are supposed to open up access to God again to people today. In the broadest sense, Benedict XVI. the believers to enter into a new dialogue with God through the “words of the Holy Scriptures” . Because God reveals himself in dialogue. And when the apostle John says "God is love" ( First John 4:16 EU ) then he characterizes the Christian image of God and the image of man.

From this the Pope deduces that he who knows the divine word also recognizes the meaning of every creature. This also means that possession, enjoyment and power would prove unable to satisfy the deep desire for love , because in the hymn of praise to God's Word ( Psalm 119 : 1 EU ) it says: “Lord, your word remains forever, it stands firm as heaven ”( Psalm 119.89 EU ). The meaning of the Holy Word, he continues, cannot be grasped without the action of the Holy Spirit . But, warns the Pope, the biblical text was not dictated by the Holy Spirit, but the scriptures were written in a language and style that was determined by the respective epoch . The interpretation of the Holy Scriptures is thus based on the fundamental interpretation in faith. The inspiration was finally to grasp the key to access to the events in human words. In addition, he recalled the three basic criteria laid down by the Second Vatican Council , which serve to take into account the divine dimension of the Bible:

1) Interpretation of the text with regard to the unity of the whole of Scripture - today this is often called canonical exegesis ,

2) taking into account the living tradition of the universal Church, and finally

3) Observing the analogy of belief.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Verbum Domini or: the meaning of so many words [1]
  2. ↑ Vatican Radio Verbum Domini [2]
  3. ↑ Vatican Radio Verbum Domini [3]

Web links