Divine Word College of Calapan

SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS

Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, 5200, Philippines

Prophetic Dialogue with Arnold Janssen Spirituality

A. WITNESSING TO THE WORD IN THE WORLD THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE LIFE OF ST.
ARNOLD JANSSEN AND THE SVD FOUNDING GENERATION.

Objectives: 1. To recognize the Spiritual Life of each individual in a given Family

2. To give emphasis on the Word of God in the milieu of family relationships inspired by
St. Arnold Janssen.

VI. MAY THE DARKNESS OF SIN...

"May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the Light of the Word and the Spirit of
grace. And may the Heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all. Amen."

"May Jesus' love live in the hearts of all people."

We can pray this very popular invocation with more feeling if we come to know its colorful history and rich
theological content. The original Latin formulation that came separately in two parts is Coram lumine
Verbi et Spiritu gratiae recedant tenebrae peccati et nox paganismi. Et vivat Cor Jesu in cordibus
hominum. Amen.

May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the Light of the Word and the Spirit of
grace.

Invocation Overview

 This prayer is rooted in Scripture and theology, asking for the Light of Christ and the Holy Spirit to
banish sin and unbelief, allowing Jesus' love to live in all hearts.

I. Historical Background

1. Scriptural Origins

o The first part of the prayer is drawn from Scripture, especially the Gospel of John:

 "In the beginning was the Word" (John 1:1), "The light shines in the darkness"
(John 1:5), and "Full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

 "Spirit of grace" from Zechariah 12:10, "Night" from 1 Thessalonians 5:5.

  St. Thomas Aquinas’ interpretation of "night" as paganism and "darkness" as sin
influenced Father Arnold Janssen’s formulation.

2. Development and Evolution of the Prayer

o The prayer originally focused on the "Light of the Divine Word" without mention of the Holy
Spirit.

o Final form introduced in 1885 during the first General Chapter of the Society of the Divine
Word (SVD).

o The phrase "May the Heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all" was added later, following its
use at the mission house of Steyl, becoming a key part of the prayer.

3. Influences on Father Arnold Janssen

o Father Arnold was influenced by John the Evangelist’s thoughts and writings, forming a
basis for his missionary spirituality.

o The prayer evolved to reflect his devotion to both the Divine Word and the Holy Spirit.

II. Theological Content

1. Trinitarian Focus

o The prayer emphasizes the work of the Second and Third Persons of the Trinity—Christ
(the Divine Word) and the Holy Spirit.

o Although the Father is not mentioned explicitly, the prayer represents the mission of the
Trinity through its sending of the Word and Spirit to bring salvation to the world.

2. Mission of the Word and the Spirit

o The "Light of the Word" symbolizes Christ's role as the reflection of the Father’s wisdom,
beauty, and love.

o The "Spirit of grace" is seen as the personification of God’s love, bringing the warmth and
life of divine love to the world.

3. Zeal for Mission and Compassion for Humanity

o The prayer calls for the eradication of darkness in human hearts and the world, driven by
the missionary zeal to spread the light of the Gospel.

o It also highlights the responsibility of missionaries to serve as instruments of divine light

and grace.
 4. Mystical Presence of Christ

o The second part of the prayer emphasizes the indwelling of Christ’s Heart in all people,
drawing from Johannine and Pauline theology.

o Christ's mystical presence is understood as life-giving, with Jesus’ Heart being a source of
grace, truth, and life for the world.

III. Conclusion: Significance of the Prayer

 The prayer not only reflects Father Arnold’s missionary zeal but also serves as a model for
understanding the Christian mission as participation in God’s work.

 It calls for the transformation of individual hearts and the world, driven by the grace of the Word
and the Spirit, and anchored in the compassionate love of Christ's Sacred Heart.

Key Themes

 Banishment of Darkness: Sin and unbelief are eradicated through divine light.

 Role of the Word and Spirit: Central to the prayer’s theology is the transformative power of the
Divine Word and Holy Spirit.

 Sacred Heart of Jesus: Christ's mystical indwelling in human hearts signifies the ultimate goal of
the mission.

 Missionary Zeal: The prayer provides a theological foundation for the missionary work of the
Church, emphasizing collaboration with God's grace.

Study Guides

A. Answer these questions:

1. What is an invocation?

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2. In your own words, what does the first part of the invocation mean? The second part?

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3. Formulate your own invocation. Explain the theological bases of your invocation. Be ready to share your
invocation in a group.

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4. Explain Fr. Arnold's theology of mission.

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Course References:

 Estiko, Leonardo R., SVD. Witness to the Word (Readings on St. Arnold Janssen and the SVD
Mission), LOGOS Publications, Manila, 2005.
• Soc Abellana, Esperidion S. et al., Witness to the Word: Growing in Love, University of
San Carlos Press, 2013.
 Leonardo R. Estioko, Volume 2 Witness to the Word ( Readings on St. Arnold AND His Mission),
LOGOS Publications, Manila, 2007
• SVD Word in the World 1994/95. The Society of the Divine Word (SVD) reports on its
world-wide missionary activities. –Divine Word Missionaries: One Hundred Years in
North America 1895-1995, Steyler Verlag, Nettetal 19943, 239 pp
• Arnold Janssen 1837-1909, A pictorial Biography. Estella, Spain Editorial Verbo
Divino, 1987
• Aschem, Tom SVD, “Prophetic Dialogue from the XV to the General Chapter Advance,
• Difficulties and Challenges, which appeared in Verbum, VOL. 47 no. 1(2006) pp. 27-36
and a talk to the provincials of European zone, 2005
• Bastes, Bishop Arturo, Talk on Witness to the Word during the 3rd DWEA National
assembly, 2005, Tagay tay City