Medellín, Colombia. ReBiClar commenced a formation week after its seventh Assembly at the Villa Claret event house from July 29 to August 1, 2024. The training was conducted in face-to-face and virtual mode, focusing on the theme “Biblical Apocalypse: Challenges and Perspectives“. The invited speakers were María José Delgado, who spoke about “The Female Personifications in Apocalyptic Literature;” Xavier Pikaza, who exposed the “History of the Apocalyptic Judeo-Christian;” Juan Bautista Flores, who dealt with “The Reason for the Apocalyptic in Jewish Literature;” and Ariel Álvarez, who talked about “The Apocalypse and the Book of Revelation.”
ReBiClar has scheduled formation meetings since 2014 and has been carried out with the participation of almost the entire American continent, being represented by the 9 Provinces that it comprises from north to south: San José del Sur, Brasil, Perú-Bolivia, Colombia-Venezuela, Colombia Oriental-Ecuador, México, the Antillas, Centroamérica, and USA-Canada. The dream that began 10 years ago has become an indispensable reality that they have been fulfilling and improving with each step taken thanks to the joint efforts of ReBiClar, UniClaretiana, and IBICLA.
As for Father Claret, the Word was always the center of his life; also, for them today, the Word is the fundamental part of his charism. This is why biblical formation is part of its essence, and the formation of pastoral agents is a requirement for its biblical animation.
The participants dream of being people who can proclaim the Word in a shared mission, taking into account their social, economic, political, and religious contexts so that they become agents of change, Incarnating the Word in each of their communities and peoples in America.
The incarnate Word of God should liberate and guide us through widespread and communal engagement with the Bible. Interpreting the scriptures should lead us to uncover God’s presence in our lives and in the lives of our community. The Bible should serve life, the environment, and humanity, advocating for the “little ones,” the vulnerable, and those in danger, while always striving for justice and peace.
The theme of Revelation and apocalyptic literature, as a literary genre, is a narrative that can illuminate the journey during times of great difficulties. It helps us discover and understand our contexts and shows how to help our communities strengthen their faith and overcome crises.”.
During the formation week, the speakers helped the participants gain a better understanding of the apocalyptic story by delving into its historical context found in various biblical texts. They revealed truths about the stories, conflicts, interpretations of faithfulness, and infidelity to God by the Jewish people and their political and religious leaders. These conflicts, occurring in different stages, lead to crises, which in turn give rise to new expressions of hope (apocalyptic) as a response to events and as a mission to build a more just life for all through their contributions and commitment.
Just as these communities trusted in the Word and managed to withstand a time of crisis and persecution by supporting each other and resisting the oppression of the Roman Empire, we are also invited to be friends of the Word. We are called to support the project of life and the Plan of God, manifesting our faith and hope through concrete actions of solidarity, knowing that God walks with us amid so many oppressive and unjust situations.
The events of this week, which included historical analysis, biblical reflection, feminine hermeneutics, and systematic Bible study, have helped us gain insight into our pastoral work. We are thankful to all the speakers and participants. We also recognize that there are still significant challenges ahead, but as “listeners and servants of the Word,” we face them with great hope.
Making our lives a living embodiment of biblical teachings, guided by the Word of God, is just the beginning of walking together in synodality until we reach the ultimate goal, which is encountering the risen Christ, making the Word of God the soul of all ministries.
Source: Giselle Zamora Arroyo (REBICLAR)
