Pope Marks Word of God Sunday Amid 2025 Jubilee Events: ‘God’s Word Walks With Us’
Pope Francis marked the Sunday of the Word of God by installing 40 Catholics from multiple continents as lectors during a special Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, including faithful from Iceland to the Philippines.
The Jan. 26 celebration concluded the three-day Jubilee of the World of Communications, part of the Jubilee of Hope in 2025. The Mass highlighted this year’s theme, “I Hope in Your Word,” drawn from Psalm 119.
“The Word of God is alive: through the centuries it walks with us and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, it is at work in history,” Pope Francis said during his homily. “The Lord is always faithful to his promise, which he maintains out of love for humanity.”
The newly installed lectors included representatives from Albania (4), Argentina (3), Austria (5), Bolivia (1), Brazil (4), Philippines (5), Iceland (1), Italy (6), Mexico (5), Poland (1), and Slovenia (5).
During his homily, Francis emphasized five key aspects of Christ’s mission that characterize the Gospel message. “The Gospel is a word of joy, summoning us to mutual acceptance and fellowship, as we make our pilgrim journey towards the Kingdom of God,” the pontiff declared.
