"Only God’s Word can deeply change the heart of man, and it is important then for the believers and the communities to become increasingly intimate with it". It was said yesterday morning by Benedict XVI in the Eucharistic co-celebration, in the church of San Paolo fuori le Mura, to mark the opening of the XII ordinary general assembly of the Episcopal Synod, which will take place in the Synod Hall in the Vatican until October 26th, about "God’s Word in the life and mission of the Church". "The Synod assembly added the Pope will focus its attention on this truth that is essential to the life and mission of the Church. To feed on God’s Word is its primary and fundamental task". In this Pauline Year, then, the Pontiff did not forget to quote Saint Paul: "Woe to me if I did not preach the Gospel". Many people, acknowledged the Holy Father, have not yet meet the Gospel; others, despite having received a Christian education, "have grown weak in their enthusiasm and maintain a shallow contact with God’s Word", others have "grown distant from the practice of faith and need a new evangelisation", but there are quite a few people of right feelings, who ask themselves existential questions that only Christ can answer. (continued)
