The day before yesterday I had an interesting interaction with the novices of our Province at Manoharabad, Medak at our novitiate house. This is the first time I visited the house after Fr Lens' death and it was a bit weird to know that he wasn't anymore walking on those corridors or in his usual place in the chapel. Anyway, remembering him was a great joy - as always.
During my interaction with the novices, one of them asked me this question: 'Do you preach the Word of God?' It did not take me long to understand that he was, just like most of our Catholics, 'stuck' to the "Word-of-God-saving" syndrome! I took a moment to reply him without really causing too much damage to his fragile faith! I gently asked him what he meant by 'Word of God'. "The Bible," he replied in all earnestness. It is then that I asked him if there was anything else, besides the Bible that qualified to be considered 'Word of God'. He was shocked.
The Bible is the word of God, but not the only Word of God. The God whom I believe in speaks even now and I love to listen to Him. To limit his spoken word to something that has been printed is to actually insult Him and say that He does not speak anymore. My God is a living one; not one entombed in the Bible. The Bible does speak to us, but is not the only mouthpiece of God.
When I finally turned towards the novice who posed the question, the look on his face... !
During my interaction with the novices, one of them asked me this question: 'Do you preach the Word of God?' It did not take me long to understand that he was, just like most of our Catholics, 'stuck' to the "Word-of-God-saving" syndrome! I took a moment to reply him without really causing too much damage to his fragile faith! I gently asked him what he meant by 'Word of God'. "The Bible," he replied in all earnestness. It is then that I asked him if there was anything else, besides the Bible that qualified to be considered 'Word of God'. He was shocked.
The Bible is the word of God, but not the only Word of God. The God whom I believe in speaks even now and I love to listen to Him. To limit his spoken word to something that has been printed is to actually insult Him and say that He does not speak anymore. My God is a living one; not one entombed in the Bible. The Bible does speak to us, but is not the only mouthpiece of God.
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