The Word is Life

The Word is Life, CHRISTMAS 2008

“The earth has grown old with its burden of care, but at Christmas it always is young. The heart of the jewel burns lustrous and fair, and its soul full of music bursts forth on the air, when the song of angels is sung.”

These words, by poet Phillips Brooks, sum up for me a bundle of feelings that run through my heart and mind as Christmas 2008 approaches. Certainly, there is no denying the challenges, the disappointments, the heartbreak and violence that have marked our world in these last 12 months—most recently, the dramatic downturn in the economy, the brutal terrorist killings in Mumbai, ongoing fighting in the Holy Land, Iraq, Afghanistan and many other countries and regions. Some would say that these are enough reason for cynicism or skepticism concerning humanity.

But the message of Christmas is precisely the opposite: a message of hope and renewal, a message of light in our darkness, the coming of God into our midst—at Christmas, yes, but not only at Christmas—in every day and moment, if we are awake and attuned to that presence. Christmas forcefully reminds us that God is Immanuel, “God-with-us,” and God’s presence reassures us that healing and peace are possible, that justice is not unattainable, that reconciliation—which Jesus achieved between earth and heaven—can also take place between human beings, social groups and nations. Indeed, at Christmas the world becomes “young” once again—young with hope and dreams and promise—precisely because of the message sung by the Bethlehem angels. The message of the Christmas Scriptures is exactly that: a message of undiminished hope, of God’s tender nearness, and of our power to be God’s instruments in transforming our world … for God is with us.

This issue of “The Word is Life” is packed with articles for your reflection and prayer in these special Advent and Christmas days. Our President, Sister Elizabeth Davis, offers us a beautiful and powerful essay on the heroes and heroines of Advent—on the great and inspiring biblical figures who accompany and challenge us as we prepare to mark Christ’s birth. The Synod of Bishops on the Word of God (held in Rome in October) has yielded a wide range of recommendations, which have been submitted to Pope Benedict.  To read the final propositions, click here.  Father Bill Cliff, the Anglican chaplain to the University of Western Ontario (London) shares with us some of his experiences of doing Bible study with university students. I offer a few thoughts on St. Paul’s famous “Hymn to Love” in First Corinthians 13, and Joseph Martinelli shares with us something of the special connection between St. Paul and the Christians of Malta. Of course, we also offer some Advent and Christmas materials to accompany and inspire your prayer as we rejoice in the human birth of God’s Son.

As Christians, we do not deny the difficulties, the pain and the darkness that are, unfortunately, part of our reality. But we cling to the knowledge that, because of Christmas, ours is a God-touched world—that God’s Son is one of us, and continues to guide us toward the Kingdom, if we will calm our busy hearts and minds and listen to the Christmas message. It is, as Phillips Brooks so beautifully summarizes it, a message that empowers us to begin 2009 with hope, conviction and hearts full of love. May God bless you, your families and friends in this holy time—thank you all for your support of the CBAC and its vital apostolate in the Church!

“The feet of the humblest may walk in the field where the feet of the Holiest trod; this, then, is the marvel to mortals revealed—when the silvery trumpets of Christmas have pealed—that we are the children of God.” (Phillips Brooks)

In Jesus, God’s presence among us,

Father Murray, editor

Read our Christmas Edition   PDF

Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church  PDF

The Word is Life, Summer Edition, 2008

Dear friends of the CBAC,

...In this special year, we are happy to offer you the latest version of The Word is Life, filled (as always) with articles reflecting on the Bible from a wide range of perspectives. Father David Neuhaus, an Israeli Jesuit and Scripture scholar based in Jerusalem, reflects for us what “The Holy Land” really means. Oblate Father Jean Pochat writes on the experience of Biblical reflection and prayer in Canada’s North, in the diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith. Jesus’ identity as “the Way, the Truth and the Life” is the subject of a very personal sharing by Deacon Victor F. Vere, and I offer some reflections on two key concepts in Biblical Hebrew. With the arrival of summer, we are happy to offer some information on the Vacation Bible School programmes that have been organized by two Toronto parishes. Such VBS programmes were a big part of my own childhood and I always looked forward to them with eager anticipation. If your parish isn’t offering some type of Vacation Bible School this summer, perhaps now is the time to explore possibilities. Please contact us for suggestions! Under Sister Jocelyn, the CBAC has developed quite a reputation for its world-class Biblical pilgrimages and several participants share their experiences with us. A good crop of book reviews rounds out this issue, alerting us to some of the excellent recent publications in the field of Biblical studies and Christology.

Fr. Murray Watson, editor

Click here to read The Word is Life  PDF

2007 Christmas Messge

BE MISSIONARIES OF THE CHRIST-CHILD AND HIS MESSAGE 

Dear friends and supporters of the CBAC,
Just a few days ago, the Vatican issued an important new statement, stressing the importance for Christians everywhere to evangelize--to witness to our faith in our daily lives, and in our interactions with others. Too often, the document said, respect for the religious faith of others means that we no longer feel an impulse to share our belief as Christians, to offer to others the joy and richness we have found in Jesus Christ, and the salvation He offers us.

The document makes it clear, however, that the Church completely excludes any kind of pressure tactics or coercion, anything that would make people feel uncomfortably "pushed" in the direction of Christian faith. We must be absolutely respectful of the liberty and the conscience of other people, and our presentation of our faith must leave them free to accept--or to reject--the message we are sharing with them. Faith can never be compelled, and authentic belief is not something we can force on people, even for the best of motives. We must always respect the gentle magnetism of the Holy Spirit, who invites people to embrace Christianity in ways that go far beyond human logic, argumentation or pressure. We must never forget that faith is, first and foremost, a gift.

As we approach Christmas, we will have many opportunities to witness to our faith, to our extended family members, neighbors, co-workers and friends. People will see what Christmas truly means to us by the way we celebrate: by our joyful participation in the beauty of Christmas Mass (why not invite a neighbor?), by our focus on the religious (rather than the commercial) nature of these holy days, by our very deliberate outreach to the poor, the needy, the lonely and forgotten, and even by the simple manger scenes prominently displayed in our homes. Without saying a word, these actions--lived with genuineness, love and joy--speak eloquently of who Jesus is to us, and what Christmas is all about. As the new document highlights, the daily actions that make up our Christian lives have a powerful witness value in proclaiming Jesus to others, even when no explicitly "religious" words are spoken.

"We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us— we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us".

These beautiful words begin the First Letter of John (1:1-3), and they remind us that, as Christian believers, we have been immeasurably blessed by our encounter with the Jesus whose birth we are celebrating. It is not merely a great prophet or teacher that we proclaim by word and action, but "the Word of Life," the one who reveals eternal life and unites us to the Father's love in a new and permanent way. May we use each day of this Christmas season to be missionaries of the Christ-child and His message, to be bearers of the "peace on earth, goodwill to those favored by God" which the angels sang long ago to shepherds in the cold night skies of Bethlehem.

Wishing you, your families and loved ones a blessed and joyful celebration of the Savior’s coming, and asking your prayers for the CBAC's apostolate,
Father Murray
Editor, The Word is Life

Christmas Message 2007

Archives

2007 - No. 109

Fr. Murray Watson, editor

It is now more than forty years since the world’s Catholic bishops gathered in Rome for the ecumenical council that has become known simply as “Vatican II” (1962-65). In so many ways, the Second Vatican Council resulted in a reinvigoration and transformation of Catholic life that has continued to direct and challenge us ever since. Especially in the area of Sacred Scripture, Vatican II—and its dogmatic constitution on divine revelation, Dei Verbum—marked a watershed moment in our Catholic approach to the Bible, and has inspired two generations to take up the Scriptures with renewed interest and openness.

So it is highly significant that next year, a cross-section of the world’s bishops (including 4 of our own Canadian bishops!) will gather in Rome once more, to discuss “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church”. This 2008 gathering of the bishops’ synod follows upon an earlier synod (2005) which examined the central place of the Eucharist in the Church’s life. It will be a time to assess and celebrate the great progress of the last four decades, and to discuss a roadmap for promoting greater love and knowledge of the Scriptures in the future. Such an event is an extraordinary moment in Catholic life, and in this issue of The Word is Life, we provide an introduction to the upcoming synod, as well as the first part of the preparatory text (in Latin, lineamenta) which is being sent to the bishops for their consideration. It is a rich and wide-ranging document, which we will reprint in sections in our upcoming editions. We hope you will find it stimulating and enlightening reading...       Read more

2006 Read our Special online Advent-Christmas edition

2006 Christmas Message from Fr. Murray Watson, editor

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