The Mystery of God's Word

Those who preach the Word, those who proclaim it from a lectern, and those who hear it will all find something to inspire them to greater appreciation of the mystery of God's Word in this collection of reflections.

The reflections are developed around eight themes: "Jesus Began to Preach" addresses the mystery of the Word in salvation history. "Go and Proclaim the Gospel" makes the connection between the Word and the Church. "When I Found Your Words . . ." speaks to those who proclaim the Word. "We Preach Christ Jesus as Lord" reflects on the content of Christian preaching. "For Every Careless Word . . ." warns against confusing human words with the divine Word. "You Will Receive Power from the Holy Spirit" affirms the role of the Holy Spirit in the proclamation of the Word. "Welcome the Word" affirms the place of God's Word in our everyday lives. "The Letter Brings Death But the Spirit Gives Life" attests to the role of the Spirit in the interpretation of the Bible and in the life of the Church.

Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap, taught the history of Christian origins at the Catholic University of Milan and served on the International Theological Commission. He devotes his ministry to preaching and writing, and since 1980 he has been the Preacher to the Papal Household. Cantalamessa is author of Jesus Began to Preach: The Mystery of God's Word; Come, Creator Spirit; Mary: Mirror of the Church; The Eucharist: Our Sanctification; Easter: Meditations on the Resurrection; The Holy Spirit in the Life of Jesus; The Mystery of Easter; The Mystery of Pentecost; and Life in Christ; (all published by Liturgical Press).