"Action items" for the faithful from Verbum Domini

Our Holy Father encourages us to many things in Verbum Domini. Here is a selection of them, most of which were found by searching for the word fragment "encourag" in the text:

I encourage all the faithful to renew their personal and communal encounter with Christ, the word of life made visible, and to become his heralds, so that the gift of divine life – communion – can spread ever more fully throughout the world. (VD 2)

The faithful need to be better helped to grasp the different meanings of the expression, but also to understand its unitary sense. (VD 7)

It is important that the faithful be taught to acknowledge that the root of sin lies in the refusal to hear the word of the Lord, and to accept in Jesus, the Word of God, the forgiveness which opens us to salvation. (VD 26)

In our day the faithful need to be helped to see more clearly the link between Mary of Nazareth and the faith-filled hearing of God's word. I would encourage scholars as well to study the relationship between Mariology and the theology of the word. (VD 27)

I encourage scholars and pastors to help all the faithful to approach these [difficult] passages through an interpretation which enables their meaning to emerge in the light of the mystery of Christ. (VD 42)

Promoting common translations of the Bible is part of the ecumenical enterprise. I would like to thank all those engaged in this important work, and I encourage them to persevere in their efforts. (VD 46)

I encourage the Church's Pastors and all engaged in pastoral work to see that all the faithful learn to savour the deep meaning of the word of God which unfolds each year in the liturgy, revealing the fundamental mysteries of our faith. (VD 52)

To have a deeper experience of the reconciling power of God's word, the individual penitent should be encouraged to prepare for confession by meditating on a suitable text of sacred Scripture and to begin confession by reading or listening to a biblical exhortation such as those provided in the rite. (VD 61)

I also encourage communities of consecrated life to be exemplary in the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours, and thus to become a point of reference and an inspiration for the spiritual and pastoral life of the whole Church. (VD 62)

The Synod Fathers encouraged all pastors to promote times devoted to the celebration of the word in the communities entrusted to their care. (VD 65)

I encourage Pastors to foster moments of recollection whereby, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, the word of God can find a welcome in our hearts. (VD 66)

I encourage our Christian communities to offer every possible practical assistance to our brothers and sisters suffering from [seeing and hearing] impairments, so that they too can be able to experience a living contact with the word of the Lord. (VD 71)

I encourage pastors and the faithful to recognize the importance of [making the Bible the inspiration of every ordinary and extraordinary pastoral outreach]: it will also be the best way to deal with certain pastoral problems which were discussed at the Synod and have to do, for example, with the proliferation of sects which spread a distorted and manipulative reading of sacred Scripture. (VD 73)

The General Catechetical Directory contains valuable guidelines for a biblically inspired catechesis and I readily encourage that these be consulted. (VD 74)

A knowledge of biblical personages, events and well-known sayings should thus be encouraged; this can also be promoted by the judicious memorization of some passages which are particularly expressive of the Christian mysteries. (VD 74)

The Synod frequently encouraged all Christians to grow in their relationship with the word of God, not only because of their Baptism, but also in accordance with their call to various states in life. (VD 77)

Mindful of the inseparable bond between the word of God and Mary of Nazareth, along with the Synod Fathers I urge that Marian prayer be encouraged among the faithful, above all in life of families, since it is an aid to meditating on the holy mysteries found in the Scriptures. (VD 88)

The Synod also recommended that the faithful be encouraged to pray the Angelus. (VD 88)

As we proclaim the Gospel, let us encourage one another to do good and to commit ourselves to justice, reconciliation and peace. (VD 99)

I therefore encourage the faithful to meditate often on the Apostle Paul's hymn to charity [1 Cor. 13] and to draw inspiration from it. (VD 103)

I encourage the competent offices and groups to promote in the Church a solid formation of artists with regard to sacred Scripture in the light of the Church's living Tradition and her magisterium. (VD 112)

During the Synod, it was clear that a number of local Churches still lack a complete translation of the Bible in their own languages. ... I would encourage the investment of resources in this area. (VD 115)

The Synod asked Conferences of Bishops, wherever it is appropriate and helpful, to encourage meetings aimed at helping Christians and Muslims to come to better knowledge of one another, in order to promote the values which society needs for a peaceful and positive coexistence. (VD 118)

I wish once more to encourage all the People of God, pastors, consecrated persons and the laity, to become increasingly familiar with the sacred Scriptures. (VD 121)