January 25, 2026

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Here’s an interesting trend you might have noticed. I remember when I was a kid that Catholics had a reputation of not knowing much about the Bible. But one of the things I’ve noticed in recent years is that nowadays, Catholics usually know the basic stories of Scripture, and especially the stories of Jesus’ life, extremely well—very different than the reputation we used to have! The way that the Church has opened up the treasury of God’s Word to the faithful in our native languages over the past 60 years has made a real difference in so many lives. Helping to do that is one of my favorite things about being a priest. To celebrate that trend—and also to help strengthen it—a few years ago, Pope Francis (of happy memory) asked the Church to begin a new tradition: on the 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time in January, to celebrate the Word of God in a special way. As part of our observance of this Sunday of the Word of God, I’d like to offer a few words here to deepen our reverence for Scripture. What is the Bible? Very simply, a collection of documents written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that authoritatively witness to how God has revealed Himself to humankind. And the words of Scripture aren’t just about the past—through them, God continues to speak to us, testifying to His love and desire for all of us to be saved. This is why, in 1964, the Second Vatican Council wrote: “The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures just as she venerates the body of the Lord, since, especially in the sacred liturgy, she unceasingly receives and offers to the faithful the bread of life from the table both of God's word and of Christ's body.” In other words, the readings from Scripture in the first half of Mass parallel the receiving of Holy Communion in the second half of Mass. In both, God’s Word becomes present to us and gives new life to our spirit. Through the intercession of Mary, the Queen of the Apostles, and our patron St. Thomas, let’s renew our commitment as God’s People to listen always to His Holy Word. My prayer is that he will speak to all of us through the words of Scripture, this weekend and every time we gather! God bless,

Father Jantz