Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - In his Angelus reflection on Sunday 6 November when he addressed people gathered in St Peter’s square to receive his Blessing, Pope Benedict XVI recalled the 40th anniversary of the Dei Verbum Constitution issued by the Second Vatican Council. The Pope described the constitution as “a founding pillar of the entire Conciliar construction”. “This document speaks of Revelation and its transmission and of the inspiration and interpretation of Sacred Scripture and its fundamental importance in the life of the Church” the Pope told thousands of visitors who braved the damp November day to see him come to his window.
Vatican II gave a central place to Christ, “mediator and at the same time fullness of all revelation”. “In fact the Lord Jesus, the Word made flesh, who died and is risen, brought to completion the work of salvation with actions and words, and made clearly manifest the face and will of God, so that until He comes again in glory there will be no further public revelation. The apostles and their successors the Bishops are custodians of the message Christ entrusted to his Church to be handed unaltered to all generations”. Sacred Scripture and Tradition contain this message the comprehension of which with the help of the Holy Spirit advances in the Church.
“The Church lives not of herself but of the Gospel and from the Gospel she draws guidance for her path” the Holy Father said recalling the great impulse given by Dei Verbum to the valorisation of the Word of God and consequent profound renewal of the life of the ecclesial community in preaching, catechesis, theology, spirituality and also ecumenical relations. Among the fruits of this “biblical Springtime” the Pope mentioned in particular the practice of lectio divina: “This consists in reading and rereading a passage of Scripture almost ‘ruminating’ it as the Fathers say, squeezing out, so to say, ‘its juice’, that it may nurture meditation and contemplation and like life-giving sap irrigate concrete life ".
Lastly Pope Benedict XVI recalled the attitude of the Blessed Virgin Mary, icon of the Annunciation: “when she welcomes the heavenly messenger Mary is intent on meditating Sacred Scriptures, depicted usually as a book in Mary’s hand, or on her lap or a book stand. This is the same image of the Church offered by the Council in the constitution Dei Verbum”. And he invited those present to join him in the Angelus prayer: “Let us pray that, like Mary, the Church may be a docile handmaid of God’s word proclaiming it with ever firmer trust so that the "whole may hear and believe, believe and hope, hope and love". (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 7/11/2005; righe 32, parole 432)
