PART TWO

THE MINISTRY 0F THE WORD

Chapter I

The Ministry of The Word

and Revelation

REVELATION: GOD’S GIFT

10 In the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, the General Council looked al revelation as the act by which God communicates himself in a personal way: "In his goodness and wisdom, God chose to reveal himself and 10 make known the hidden purpose of his will . . . so that he may invite and take men into fellowship with himself" (DV, 2). God appears there as one who wishes to communicate himself, carrying out a plan which proceeds from love.

Catechesís, then, ought to take its beginning from this gift of divine love. Faith is the acceptance and coming to fruit of the divine gift in us. This characteristic, by which faith is to be considered as a gift, has a direct bearing on the whole subject-matter of the ministry of the word.