MANILA, Jan. 10, 2013—With the celebration of the National Bible Week only a week away, Filipinos are urged to honor the Bible by reading, studying and living its precepts as part of their daily living and in observance of the bible week.
Slated on January 21-27, the National Bible Week is themed “May They Be One: Proclaim the Word, Profess the Faith.”
San Fernando, Pampanga Auxiliary Bishop Virgilio Pablo David, in a message urged the faithful to proclaim Christ in their lives, as every Christian, by virtue of his or her baptism is called to be a sign of Christ’s presence in the world.
“When we gather in his name (Mt 18:20), when we are bonded together in the Spirit, we become his body, the Church. That means we become the very sacrament-sign and instrument-of his presence in the world, by the grace of baptism. We must allow Christ to live on and carry on with his mission in and through us-the members of his body,” said David, who is also chairman of the Episcopal Commission for the Biblical Apostolate (ECBA) of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.
He said the work of evangelization is not the work only of ordained ministers but of everyone.
“Their pastoral leadership proves to be effective only when they succeed in evoking the gifts the Holy Spirit has generously poured out on us by the grace of baptism and putting these gifts to good use-to renew the face of the earth,” he further said.
The Bible Week celebration is jointly coordinated by the ECBA and the Philippine Bible Society (PBS)
PBS called on all Bible-believing Filipino to proclaim God’s Word and to profess their faith.
“These times call for boldness and determination, for concerted and deliberate action to draw our people back to God and His Word if we are to impact the whole nation for good,” the group said.
Nora Lucero, PBS general secretary also encouraged churches, Local Government units, schools and organizations to help raise awareness on the importance of the Bible in people’s lives.
“Let us make our countrymen realize that it is a source of strength and wisdom and is not just applicable during times of trials but as a guiding light all our lives,” Lucero said.
The group suggested various activities that can be done to meaningfully celebrate Bible Week, such as planning a special National Bible Sunday Worship service with the sermon/homily focusing on the year’s NBW theme; display the NBW poster in prominent areas (church bulletin boards, message posting area); hold a Bible Quiz, poster-poster making contests, and other activities that will encourage people to read and engage with the Bible; organize an inter-church NBW parade or motorcade in the community; holding a Bible/Prayer rally in town plazas and parks, initiating a celebration in LGUs through a Bible reading and distribution during their Monday flag-raising ceremonies (January 21, 2013); and begin a reading program i-Proclaim! in the community raise awareness for the scriptures.
Other activities include printing promotional materials in local community newsletters or program bulletins; produce and display scripture streamers in overpasses and main streets; distribute Scripture selections or booklets to prison inmates, hospital patients, public markets and transport terminals; plan creative ways of communicating the importance of God’s Word like skits, dance or rapping competitions, petition local officials to issue a barangay/town/city ordinance to institutionalize the yearly NBW celebration in your locale; and lastly to set up a Bible Fund to buy Bibles for your church or outreach communities can also be done to celebrate or participate in God’s Word.
For more information on how to be an advocate of the Bible cause, you may visit www.bible.org.ph or call them at (02) 526-7777. (Jandel Posion/CBCPNews)
