MANILA, Jan. 16, 2013—An official of an interfaith organization pointed out the significance of the Bible in daily life and said the public must understand its value to serve as a compass in a person’s daily life.
Dr. Nora Lucero of Philippine Bible Society said the Bible, as word of God gives every person the strength that is needed in life.
“The Bible will help us understand what is good and bad and teaches us the right path in our day to day life,” Lucero said.
She urged Church leaders to intensify teaching the Bible to the public.
“It gives us moral and spiritual direction. Sometimes, when we are busy, we tend to forget that we have a God and His Words teaches us to [tread] the right path in life. So, as a Christian community that read the Word of God, think about it and share it to others in our daily life, we will become a true Christian nation in thought, words and deeds,” she added.
Lucero mentioned that in a survey done last 2005, it was found out that 60% of Filipinos does not have or own a Bible.
She explained that an ecumenical campaign focused on distributing 5 million copies of the Bible to 5 million poor Filipino families within 5 years is still ongoing.
Known as the May They Be One (MTBO) Bible Campaign, the advocacy started last 2008 but because of several factors affecting the production and distribution of the Bibles, the program fell short of its original target prompting them to add two more years until 2015 to complete the program.
MTBO Bibles are currently distributed to parishes and Basic Ecclesial communities at a low price of P50.00.
“If there’s no Bible, it means that they cannot read one. And if we are a Christian nation, what will be the basis of our Faith when we cannot read the Bible. We need to proclaim the Word and profess our Faith,” Lucero furthered.
Meanwhile, San Fernando, Pampanga Auxiliary Bishop Pablo Virgilio David in a message urged the public not just to proclaim the Word as lifeless lines from the pages of a book, but allow it to transform people as individuals, as families, as communities of faith and as a nation.
“Profess the faith only in the Living Word. Let this Word come alive in us, fellow disciples and apostles, and through us in the Philippines—let us set the rest of Asia ablaze,” David furthered. (Jandel Posion/CBCPNews)
