3rd Sunday of the year, C

 Read, share, and live the Bible

by Fr. Lito Jopson

Gospel: Luke 1:1-4,4:14-21

From the first reading, from the book of the prophet Nehemiah, "He read from the book, and people listened to him all day long." (Nehemiah 8:2ff)

In the time of Mass Media, and now, the Social Networking, it is undeniable that the word has the power to inform, form, and transform.  The word changes people's lives.

How much more if we acknowledge that the Word came from God, and the word was God.  Through God's word everything came to be.

God is the author of the Word.  And His word is life.

This Sunday also coincides with the National Bible Week.  Here, the Church promotes the reading, reflecting, and sharing the Word, or the Holy Scriptures, more commonly known as "the Bible."

The Bible is divinely inspired.  The author is God himself through inspiration in time of different personages.  But there is harmony and unity in the Scriptures - because God is the author.  And he seeks to give us life.

Secondly, the Word became man and dwelt upon us.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "Christ himself is the word made flesh, the church venerates the scriptures as she venerated his body."  May it also be enfleshed in each of us.

Third, the Holy Spirit is the interpreter of the book.  The Holy Spirit that causes us to live in unity and love, is the sole interpreter of the book.  The Him, we begin to understand God's will and live it out.  We are saved as we live out every page in the Book of life.

Read the Bible, Share the Bible.  Live the Bible.