Bible Diary
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words, Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by the priests, brothers, and sisters of the three religious-missionary congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen [the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), the Mission Congregation of the Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS), and the Congregation of the Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration (SSpSAP)]. It hopes to serve as daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
Message of His Excellency, Bishop Arturo Baster SVD of the Diocese of Sorsogon in the Bible Diary 2018
of the Diocese of Sorsogon
Since the year 2013 the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines has been preparing our country for the celebration of a Great Jubilee – the commemoration of the 500th Anniversary of the introduction of Christianity to our country, which will happen three years from now, in 2021. There is a key area of pastoral concern assigned for every year:
2013: Integral Faith Formation
2014: Laity
2015: Poor
2016: Family, Mercy and Eucharist
2017: Parish as Communion of Communities
2018: Clergy and Religious
2019: Youth
2020: Ecumenism and inter-religious Dialogue
2021: Missio Ad Gentes.
It is noteworthy that in this year of 2018, the key area is Clergy and Religious, the consecrated men and women, chosen by God to be the primary agents of mission, evangelization and renewal of the Church. But what do the clergy and religious proclaim in their task of mission, evangelization and renewal of the Church? It is nothing else but the Word of God, which is truly the Life and mission of the Church. Since the Word of God is the life and mission of the entire Church, not only the clergy and the religious but the laity, all members of the Church, must be steeped with the love for God’s Word.
We must note that the Word is not simply a written document, but is incarnate, the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is living as the Risen Lord, and is constantly guiding us in our daily lives. Moreover, Jesus gave us his greatest gift, the Holy Spirit, who makes us recall and understand fully the meaning of his words. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are enabled to apply to our day by day existence the significance of the Word of God for ourselves, for our fellow men and women, for the Church and for the whole world.
To facilitate our reflection on the Word of God with the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, the religious missionary Family of St. Arnold Janssen (the founder of the Divine Word Missionary brothers and priests “SVD”, the Holy Spirit Mission Sisters “SSpS”, and the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters “SSpSAP”) is offering “The Word in other Words”, a rich and insightful guide in our daily reflection of God’s Word, the bread of life.
The challenging desire of Pope Francis that all Christians should become missionary disciples of Christ can only be fulfilled if we are nourished with the Word of God everyday of our life.
Brothers and sisters, let us heed to the invitation to come to the daily Banquet of God’s Word, for there is no doubt that we shall be filled with every delight that no material food can give us. We wish you an attentive reading, deep reflection and fruitful living of the “Word in other words”.
+ Arturo M. Bastes, SVD, DD
Bishop of Sorsogon
