Pope Leo XIV continued his catechesis on the Dogmatic Constitution 'Dei Verbum' during his weekly General Audience. The Pope emphasized that Christians know God the Father and trust Him because of Jesus. Divine Revelation is described as a relational dialogue, sharing history and calling for communion. The fulfillment of revelation occurs in the historical and personal encounter with God in Jesus Christ. Christ is identified as both the mediator and the fullness of all revelation, revealing the Father to humanity.
about 2 months ago
Pope Leo XIV delivered his weekly general audience on January 21, 2026, in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican.1 2
He continued his catechesis series on the Second Vatican Council's Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum on divine revelation.3 4
The pope described divine revelation as a covenant dialogue, sharing history and inviting communion.2 3
In Jesus Christ, God fully reveals himself, making believers known as his children.1 4
Jesus reveals the Father through his integral humanity, not merely as a transmitter of intellectual truths.1 2
His life—incarnation, birth, healing, teaching, suffering, death, resurrection, and ongoing presence—embodies God's truth.3 4
Through Christ and the Holy Spirit, Christians enter the Son's relationship with the Father, sharing divine nature.2
God manifests humanity's identity as adopted children, echoing St. Paul's words on adoption and crying "Abba! Father!"1 4
Following Jesus fully brings certainty that nothing separates believers from God's love.2 3
The pope quoted St. Paul: "If God is for us, who is against us?"1 4
Investigate how Dei Verbum defines divine revelation as relational encounter
Dei Verbum, the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation from the Second Vatican Council, fundamentally presents divine revelation not as an abstract transmission of information, but as a profound relational encounter in which God draws humanity into personal communion with Himself. This relational dynamic is woven throughout the document, emphasizing God's desire to share His life, speak as to friends, and foster ongoing fellowship through Christ, the Church, and the response of faith. Revelation is depicted as God's loving initiative to reveal His innermost being, inviting men into divine friendship and eternal life.
At the heart of Dei Verbum's definition is the portrayal of God as one who actively seeks relationship. In paragraph 2, revelation is described as God choosing "to reveal Himself and to make known to us the hidden purpose of His will" so that, through Christ and the Holy Spirit, humanity might "have access to the Father and come to share in the divine nature." This is no distant proclamation; God "speaks to men as friends" and "lives among them," explicitly echoing scriptural imagery of intimacy (Ex. 33:11; John 15:14-15; Bar. 3:38). The deeds and words of revelation possess "an inner unity," where God's actions in salvation history manifest His teaching, and His words clarify the mysteries, culminating in Christ as "the mediator and the fullness of all revelation."
This relational encounter transcends human reason alone. Paragraph 6 underscores that while God can be known through creation (Rom. 1:20), revelation makes religious truths accessible "with ease, with solid certitude and with no trace of error." God "show[s] forth and communicate[s] Himself," sharing "those divine treasures which totally transcend the understanding of the human mind." Thus, revelation is God's self-gift, an invitation into fellowship that bridges the infinite gap between Creator and creature.
"In His goodness and wisdom God chose to reveal Himself... so that He may invite and take them into fellowship with Himself."
The relational climax occurs in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Paragraph 4 declares that "now at last... God has spoken to us in His Son," who enlightens all, dwells among men, and reveals "the innermost being of God." Jesus "speaks the words of God," perfects revelation through His life, death, resurrection, and sending of the Spirit, confirming God's presence "to free us from the darkness of sin and death." To see Jesus is to see the Father (John 14:9), making the encounter with Christ the definitive relational moment: God-with-us in human form.
This new covenant is "definitive," with no further public revelation needed until Christ's return, yet it remains dynamically relational.
Revelation does not end with Christ but continues as a living dialogue. Paragraph 8 (via doc. 1) vividly describes God "who spoke of old, uninterruptedly converses with the bride of His beloved Son" through Sacred Tradition and Scripture. The Apostles handed on "traditions... by word of mouth or by letter," encompassing all that fosters holiness and faith, developing under the Holy Spirit's guidance. Believers grow in understanding through contemplation, spiritual experience, and episcopal preaching, advancing "toward the fullness of divine truth."
The Church's Magisterium authentically interprets this word, serving it as a servant, drawing from the "one deposit of faith." Thus, the encounter persists: the Holy Spirit makes "the word of Christ dwell abundantly" (Col. 3:16), resounding in the Church and world.
Revelation demands a relational reply—the "obedience of faith," a total commitment of intellect and will to God who reveals. Preceded by grace and the Spirit's help, this assent opens the heart, bringing deeper understanding. The preface sets the tone: by hearing, believing, hoping, and loving the message of salvation, humanity enters "fellowship with... the Father and His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:2-3).
Dei Verbum defines divine revelation as an intimate, ongoing relational encounter: God's self-communication as Friend and Father, fully realized in Christ, perpetuated through Tradition and Scripture, and met by faith's wholehearted response. This vision renews the Church's mission to proclaim it, fostering communion with the Triune God amid the world's noise.