'Hear the Word of God and Do It'
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ Pope Francis said, "These are the two conditions in order to follow Jesus: to listen to the word of God, and to put it into practice. This is the Christian life – nothing more. Simple, simple. Maybe we’ve made it a little difficult, with many explanations that no one understands, but the Christian life is thus: listening to the Word of God and practicing it." (Homily at Daily Mass, September 23, 2014)
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ Pope Francis said, "These are the two conditions in order to follow Jesus: to listen to the word of God, and to put it into practice. This is the Christian life – nothing more. Simple, simple. Maybe we’ve made it a little difficult, with many explanations that no one understands, but the Christian life is thus: listening to the Word of God and practicing it." (Homily at Daily Mass, September 23, 2014)
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
'Hear the Word of God and Do It'
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ What does it mean to follow Jesus? In fact, that question can be answered rather simply. It is a matter of listening and doing. An authentic disciple of Jesus Christ is one who first listens to his Word and then puts it into practice. . . This was expressed simply and beautifully by the prophet Isaiah: "Morning by morning he wakens— wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught." (Isaiah 50:4)
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ What does it mean to follow Jesus? In fact, that question can be answered rather simply. It is a matter of listening and doing. An authentic disciple of Jesus Christ is one who first listens to his Word and then puts it into practice. . . This was expressed simply and beautifully by the prophet Isaiah: "Morning by morning he wakens— wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught." (Isaiah 50:4)
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
'Hear the Word of God and Do It'
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ Baptism makes us missionary disciples, endowed with many gifts and talents for the service of others in the name of the Lord. If a person is baptized in infancy as I was, it is very easy to take for granted the wondrous gift bestowed by that sacrament. Pope Francis wants us to be fully aware of what it means to be baptized, to rejoice in the gift, and to embrace completely the Christian way of living.
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ Baptism makes us missionary disciples, endowed with many gifts and talents for the service of others in the name of the Lord. If a person is baptized in infancy as I was, it is very easy to take for granted the wondrous gift bestowed by that sacrament. Pope Francis wants us to be fully aware of what it means to be baptized, to rejoice in the gift, and to embrace completely the Christian way of living.
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
'Hear the Word of God and Do It'
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ It is truly beautiful to be a Catholic. What begins at Baptism is a way of life that is shaped by sacred teachings, strengthened by sacramental celebration, and marked by loving service of neighbour. When this life is fully embraced in faith, hope and charity, it bears within itself the promise of eternal life! Is it any wonder that I thank God often for the decision my parents made to have me baptized?
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ It is truly beautiful to be a Catholic. What begins at Baptism is a way of life that is shaped by sacred teachings, strengthened by sacramental celebration, and marked by loving service of neighbour. When this life is fully embraced in faith, hope and charity, it bears within itself the promise of eternal life! Is it any wonder that I thank God often for the decision my parents made to have me baptized?
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
'Hear the Word of God and Do It'
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ As we move forward in response to the call of our Holy Father to conversion by hearing and doing God's Word, let us not fail to look to the example of Our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, and invoke her intercession. The perfect disciple, her heart was fully open to the Word of God and entirely receptive to its transformation of her life. Her response to God, born of complete and unfailing trust in the providence and wisdom of God, inspires and shapes our own: "Be it done unto me according to thy Word." (Luke 1:38) By the help of her maternal prayers, may her response be ours as we hear Jesus speak to us in Sacred Scripture and strive, with the aid of his grace, to put that Word into practice.
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ As we move forward in response to the call of our Holy Father to conversion by hearing and doing God's Word, let us not fail to look to the example of Our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, and invoke her intercession. The perfect disciple, her heart was fully open to the Word of God and entirely receptive to its transformation of her life. Her response to God, born of complete and unfailing trust in the providence and wisdom of God, inspires and shapes our own: "Be it done unto me according to thy Word." (Luke 1:38) By the help of her maternal prayers, may her response be ours as we hear Jesus speak to us in Sacred Scripture and strive, with the aid of his grace, to put that Word into practice.
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
'Hear the Word of God and Do It'
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ The commandment to love our neighbour moves us to evangelize the social and political order, bearing always in mind the dignity of the human person and concern for the common good in accord with Catholic social teaching. Particular outreach must be directed to the impoverished and marginalized. Addressing the plight of the poor, the Holy Father says: “We are called to find Christ in them, to lend our voice to their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to speak for them and to embrace the mysterious wisdom which God wishes to share with us through them.” (Evangelii Gaudium, 198).
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ The commandment to love our neighbour moves us to evangelize the social and political order, bearing always in mind the dignity of the human person and concern for the common good in accord with Catholic social teaching. Particular outreach must be directed to the impoverished and marginalized. Addressing the plight of the poor, the Holy Father says: “We are called to find Christ in them, to lend our voice to their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to speak for them and to embrace the mysterious wisdom which God wishes to share with us through them.” (Evangelii Gaudium, 198).
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
'Hear the Word of God and Do It'
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ We are stewards, not owners, of the gifts we have received from God. The steward is one who recognizes dependence upon God and who, in gratitude for gifts received, offers them humbly and generously to God by placing them at the service of others.
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ We are stewards, not owners, of the gifts we have received from God. The steward is one who recognizes dependence upon God and who, in gratitude for gifts received, offers them humbly and generously to God by placing them at the service of others.
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
'Hear the Word of God and Do It'
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ As we open our hearts to the Word of God, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us how we may more faithfully put it into practice, we encounter these challenging questions, posed by St. Paul: "What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?" (1Corinthians 4:7) All is God's gift. Everything good that we have and are comes from God. Sacred Scripture also makes known the purpose for which God bestows gifts on his children: "Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received." (1Peter 4:10).
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ As we open our hearts to the Word of God, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us how we may more faithfully put it into practice, we encounter these challenging questions, posed by St. Paul: "What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?" (1Corinthians 4:7) All is God's gift. Everything good that we have and are comes from God. Sacred Scripture also makes known the purpose for which God bestows gifts on his children: "Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received." (1Peter 4:10).
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
'Hear the Word of God and Do It'
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ The joy of the Gospel cannot be contained. Once we come to know Jesus Christ - his love, mercy and forgiveness - and the purpose of God to save the world in him, we cannot keep this experience of life, light and truth to ourselves. From the beginning of the Church, Christians have gone forth, urged on by the love of Christ (cf. 2Corinthians 5:14), to be witnesses before the world to the saving purpose of God, to be, that is to say, convinced and joyful heralds of this good news to others.
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ The joy of the Gospel cannot be contained. Once we come to know Jesus Christ - his love, mercy and forgiveness - and the purpose of God to save the world in him, we cannot keep this experience of life, light and truth to ourselves. From the beginning of the Church, Christians have gone forth, urged on by the love of Christ (cf. 2Corinthians 5:14), to be witnesses before the world to the saving purpose of God, to be, that is to say, convinced and joyful heralds of this good news to others.
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
'Hear the Word of God and Do It'
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ The only sure foundation of our lives is Jesus Christ. He alone brings to light the meaning of our existence and makes known its definitive direction. Sadly, however, world events manifest a turning away from God and thus from hope. They demonstrate that too many people are building their lives on foundations other than the person and message of Jesus Christ, which is to say they are constructing the edifice of their existence upon nothing more than shifting sand (cf. Matthew 7:24-27).
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ The only sure foundation of our lives is Jesus Christ. He alone brings to light the meaning of our existence and makes known its definitive direction. Sadly, however, world events manifest a turning away from God and thus from hope. They demonstrate that too many people are building their lives on foundations other than the person and message of Jesus Christ, which is to say they are constructing the edifice of their existence upon nothing more than shifting sand (cf. Matthew 7:24-27).
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
'Hear the Word of God and Do It'
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ To be disciples, to live in accord with our Baptismal identity and dignity, is to allow only his words to guide and direct our lives. Let us take great care to hear only his Word, to turn away from any voice that leads us from him, and to put into practice that which he tells us. Then we shall know the joy of living as his brothers and sisters.
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ To be disciples, to live in accord with our Baptismal identity and dignity, is to allow only his words to guide and direct our lives. Let us take great care to hear only his Word, to turn away from any voice that leads us from him, and to put into practice that which he tells us. Then we shall know the joy of living as his brothers and sisters.
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
'Hear the Word of God and Do It'
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ Many different voices speak words to us daily. Consider the Internet, television, radio, books and magazines. We are putting those words into practice when we allow them to influence and shape our ways of thinking and living. Yet, there is only one voice that we know is fully worthy of our trust. That is the voice of Jesus, who is the only one who speaks the words of eternal life (cf. John 6:68).
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ Many different voices speak words to us daily. Consider the Internet, television, radio, books and magazines. We are putting those words into practice when we allow them to influence and shape our ways of thinking and living. Yet, there is only one voice that we know is fully worthy of our trust. That is the voice of Jesus, who is the only one who speaks the words of eternal life (cf. John 6:68).
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
'Hear the Word of God and Do It'
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ We have considered together the call of Pope Francis to embrace fully the meaning of our Baptism and to live consciously as disciples of Jesus Christ. This means hearing the Word of God and practicing it. As we move forward in response to this invitation of the Holy Father, it would be important to consider this one simple but urgent question: "Whose word do I, in fact, hear and follow?"
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ We have considered together the call of Pope Francis to embrace fully the meaning of our Baptism and to live consciously as disciples of Jesus Christ. This means hearing the Word of God and practicing it. As we move forward in response to this invitation of the Holy Father, it would be important to consider this one simple but urgent question: "Whose word do I, in fact, hear and follow?"
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
'Hear the Word of God and Do It'
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ I invite each member of our Archdiocese to examine their practice of turning to God for mercy. Let us each consider: When was the last time I went to confession? How often do I seek the Lord's mercy in this wonderful sacrament? These are essential questions that every missionary disciple must ponder with great seriousness, because only by receiving God's mercy can we become its agents for others
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
Living in the Word ̶ ̶ I invite each member of our Archdiocese to examine their practice of turning to God for mercy. Let us each consider: When was the last time I went to confession? How often do I seek the Lord's mercy in this wonderful sacrament? These are essential questions that every missionary disciple must ponder with great seriousness, because only by receiving God's mercy can we become its agents for others
(Archbishop Smith, Pastoral Letter, September 14, 2017)
