In this Wednesday’s catechesis, Pope Leo XIV recalled that Sacred Scripture is the living Word of God, entrusted to the Church to enlighten life and lead to communion with Christ.
This Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV presided over his General Audience in the Paul VI Hall, continuing his series of catecheses on the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum, a central document of the Second Vatican Council that addresses Divine Revelation and the relationship between Scripture and Tradition.
The Pontiff recalled that Sacred Scripture is the Word of God written in human language. God does not speak in a distant or unintelligible way, but chooses to communicate with us using human words, so that we may know Him, love Him, and hear Him clearly.
Leo XIV emphasized that, when reading the Bible, it is necessary to recognize both the divine and the human elements: the sacred authors were not “machines” without spirit, but people who wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the historical and literary context of the texts is an essential part of their correct understanding.
Proclamation of full life in Jesus
The Pope warned against simplistic interpretations that neglect this dual dimension of Scripture and can lead to fundamentalist or spiritualist readings that “betray” the true meaning of the sacred texts. He recalled that the Word of God is not merely a moral code or a manual of doctrines, but the proclamation of full and eternal life in Christ Jesus.
“This principle also applies to the proclamation of the Word of God: if it loses contact with reality, with the hopes and sufferings of men and women, if it uses incomprehensible, poorly communicative, or anachronistic language, it will be ineffective. In every age, the Church is called to re-propose the Word of God in a language capable of being embodied in history and of reaching hearts.”
In concluding his catechesis, the Holy Father invited the faithful to read the Bible every day, especially the Gospels, allowing themselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit so that the Word may illuminate life, decisions, and each person’s steps.
