A Catholic Church official in the Philippines warned against a “pandemic of falsehood and deception” and called on church people to engage the faithful “in appreciating the Word of God.”
Bishop Sofronio Bancud, chairman of the Episcopal Commission on the Biblical Apostolate, lamented how falsehood hinders persons from making right and sound decisions.
This falsehood, according to him, “distorted our way of looking at the world and corrupted our way of responding to the challenges that confront us today.”
“Now is the best time to let the people experience and witness the love of Jesus Christ by spreading His words and deeds to all,” said Bishop Bancud.
“Instead of spreading negative thoughts and depraved reactions, we are challenged to share the Word of God especially to the hopeless and the needy in this time of the pandemic,” he said.
The prelate made the statement in his pastoral message for the closing of the Year of the Word of God on September 30.
The year 2020 has been declared by the World Evangelical Alliance as the Year of the Bible and by the Catholic Biblical Federation as the Year of the Word of God.
Incidentally, the same year marks the 1600th death anniversary of St. Jerome, patron of Bible study and Bible translators.
Bishop Bancud lamented what he called as the “pandemic of indifference and selfishness” amidst the health crisis.
Physical distancing, he said, should not equal social isolation, especially from people “who desperately need your love and help.”
“This pandemic should not make us indifferent and selfish. Rather, we should be inspired all the more to live out the gospel of love proclaimed by our Lord Jesus Christ through our words and actions,” he said.
“We are part of one another, even if we are apart from each other. With this, let us invite one another to listen together to the Word of God to have a shared experience of God’s love,” said the prelate.
“When we live together in the Word of God, we shall become a beacon of unity for all men and women especially during this pandemic,” he added.
