The Second Vatican Council, whose 50th anniversary we are celebrating, explains revelation as God manifesting himself. For what purpose? To make his love known to us and so that, through Christ and the Holy Spirit, we can participate in the divine life (cf. Constitution Dogm. Dei verbum, n. 2).

1. Revelation reaches its highest point in Christ. Already the letter to the Hebrews says that throughout history, God has spoken progressively and in many ways, particularly in the Old Testament through the prophets (cf. Heb 1:1-2). But above all, he has sent us his own Son, the Word or eternal Word of the Father, made flesh for us and for our salvation.

"Jesus," declares the Council, "is the mediator and fullness of all revelation"(Dei verbum, 2); the Lord, "by his presence and manifestation, by his words and works, signs and miracles, especially by his death and glorious resurrection, by the sending of the Spirit of truth, brings all revelation to its fullness" (Ibid., n. 4).

Following in the footsteps of the Second Vatican Council, the Synod of Bishops in 2008 dealt with "the Word of God in the life and in the mission statement of the Church". From this emerged the Exhortation Verbum Domini (30-IX-2010), which Benedict XVI signed, as reference letter to understand the way in which today we must continue to listen to the Word of God and contribute to its diffusion. Therefore, also for a biblical training and for a biblical pastoral ministry, so that Sacred Scripture may truly be the soul of the life and thought of Christians.

2. The one Word of God expresses itself in many ways and through various channels. It is like a symphony or "song in many voices. This is called the "analogy of the word of God" (cf. Post-Synodal Exhortation Verbum Domini, n. 7).

The final message of the Synod explained, in a graphic way, that the Word of God has today, above all, the voice and the face, the home and the paths of Christian life. It thus breaks the silence of indifference and relativism in order to bear witness, through the deeds and words of believers, to the world-transforming power of divine revelation.

The Word of God, expressed in creation - "God said..." - intervenes very early on in the history of salvation to establish a dialogue of love with mankind, inserted in the history of the Chosen People. And to this we can bear witness at Sacred Scripture, whose reading can be for us "report and the way" of that history which in some way is repeated in each one of us.

With Jesus Christ, the Face of the Word of God is manifested , whose House is the Church. A house sustained by the apostolic teaching , the breaking of bread, prayer and fraternal communion in the family of God (cf. Acts 2:42). 

The Pope has been stressing the need to listen to the Word of God, also through the lives of the saints, who have really "lived" it. In the wake of the Second Vatican Council, he urges us to read and understand the Bible in its unity, from agreement with the faith and with the tradition of the Church. In this way we can contribute to the Word of God enlivening our existence staff and our cultures.

The ways of the Word in the world coincide to a great extent with the coherent life of Christians explained by their "words". The witness of life and words form a single "word" that expresses faith made charity.

And this "word" is pronounced in diverse and complementary ways: in addition to the apostolic dialogue of each person, supported by his or her coherence of life, there is the preaching of the Pastors of the Church, and the advice of an experienced spiritual direction; as well as the catechesis (the Christian training ) and the scholastic and academic teaching of religion. The Word of God "celebrated" is transmitted in the liturgy of the Church. The Word of God "lived" is also taught and transmitted in many ways: in the efforts of missionaries, in the life of families, in the work of Christians and in their contribution to public, cultural and political life. And always in charity, especially to those most in need.