Be near to the Word of God every day

Fr Matthew d’Hereaux, Parish Priest of San Fernando and Vicar for the Southern Vicariate, delivered the opening address on Friday, January 9 at the 25th Caribbean Conference of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya. He reflected on the conference theme drawn from Isaiah 44:3–4: “For I will pour out water on the thirsty soil, streams of the dry ground. I will pour my spirit on your descendants, my blessing on your children.”

Speaking for the first time at the conference, Fr d’Hereaux began by reminding participants of the centrality of Scripture to Christian life. “Foundational to Christianity is the Word of God,” he said. “The question we must ask ourselves every day is: how near are we to the Word of God?”

Using what he said were modern day metaphors, he described God’s Word as both a “stop sign” and a “mirror”. “God’s Word stops us between life and death,” he said, pointing to biblical encounters such as those of Paul and Zacchaeus. “Many people have had that experience where the Word makes them stop, reflect, repent, and ultimately convert.”

At the same time, he challenged the audience to allow Scripture to reveal uncomfortable truths. “God’s Word is a mirror in our lives” he said, holding up a mirror. “It holds up the truth to us, morally and spiritually. Sometimes we don’t like what we see, but the truth will set you free,” he said.

Linking the Isaiah text to the Babylonian exile, Fr d’Hereaux spoke of “exiles of our own making” and outlined what he called the four ‘Rs of God’s Word: reassurance, renewal, recreation and restoration. “If we truly see ourselves in the Word of God, we should see these four Rs at work in our lives,” he noted.

He also warned against living in survival mode rather than striving mode. “God wants us to bear fruit in plenty,” he said. “We can be so distracted by surviving that we forget we are called to thrive.”

Fr d’Hereaux also urged participants to take responsibility for how they speak about themselves. “Watch yuh language,” he said bluntly. “Words have power. Apply healing language to yourself—in a biblical way, in a righteous way, in a healthy way. Find another way of speaking that reflects who God says you are.”

He concluded by encouraging daily Scripture reading, stressing that God’s Word is “a classic—the same yesterday, today and forever—and you will never exhaust it.” — RS