SA国际传媒

Transform lives through God鈥檚 word 

The American Bible Society鈥檚 mission statement is 鈥渢o transform lives through God鈥檚 word鈥� and in his greetings to members of the society in the Vatican on Wednesday, Pope Francis encouraged them to pursue and even intensify their commitment, to that mission.

The Pope went on to stress that 鈥渢ruly the word of God has the power to transform lives, and quoting from the Letter to the Hebrews, he said, it is 鈥渓iving and active, sharper than any two-edged sword鈥︹�� The Pope underlined that 鈥渘o other book has the same power.鈥� In its word, he continued, 鈥渨e recognize the Spirit who inspired it: for only in the Spirit can Scripture truly be received, lived and proclaimed, for the Spirit teaches all things and reminds us of all that Jesus said.鈥�

Double edge sword

The Pontiff explained to those present that God鈥檚 word 鈥渋s honey, offering the comforting sweetness of the Lord, but also a sword bringing a salutary unrest to our hearts. For it penetrates to the depths and brings to light the dark recesses of the soul. As it penetrates, it purifies.鈥� The double edge of this 鈥渟word鈥�, he said, may at first wound, but it proves beneficial, for it cuts away everything that distances us from God and his love.

Finally, Pope Francis noted that God鈥檚 word judges thoughts and intentions. 鈥淭he word of life is also truth and his word 鈥渃reates鈥� truth in us, dissipating every form of falsehood and duplicity. Scripture constantly challenges us to redirect our path to God. 鈥滾etting ourselves 鈥渂e read鈥� by the word of God, said the Pope, enables us to become in turn 鈥渙pen books鈥�, living reflections of the saving word, witnesses of Jesus and proclaimers of his newness.