In 2019, in his apostolic letter Aperuit illis, Pope Francis established the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time as Word of God Sunday—devoted to the celebration, study, and dissemination of the word of God. Interestingly, the timing providentially coincides with the Week of Christian Unity in the United States. The Holy Father highlights how the Scriptures are meant to guide Christians in unity: “This is more than a temporal coincidence: the celebration of the Sunday of the Word of God has ecumenical value, since the Scriptures point out, for those who listen, the path to authentic and firm unity.” (Aperuit illes 3)
When we think of God’s Word, what comes to mind? To begin, we ought to think of creation itself, which was spoken into existence (Heb 11:3) and reveals to us the one who made it. “The heavens declare the glory of God and the skies proclaim the work of his hands”(Psalm19:1). We ought to think as well of the sacred writings of the Old and New Testaments. This also is God’s Word to us. “All Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Tim 3:16).
But behind creation, behind the inspired Scriptures, there is that Word who was in the beginning with God, who was God, and through whom all things were made (John 1:1-3).
Here’s how one of my favorite passages in all of Scripture puts it: “In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature” (Heb 1:3). In other words, in Jesus “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth”(John 1:14).
Jesus is the Father’s most eloquent Word. Only Jesus could ever say, “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). As Catholics we may not describe ourselves as “people of the Book.” But we certainly are “people of the Word.”
