Scriptural Readings
B. FROM THE FIRST READING TO THE PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
Readings from Scripture and the chants between the readings form the main part of the liturgy of the word. These elements are arranged in the following order:
• First Reading
• Responsorial Psalm
• Second Reading (only on Sundays and greater celebrations)
• Gospel Acclamation (Alleluia or another chant)
• Gospel
And after these come the:
• Homily
• Profession of Faith (Creed)
• General Intercessions (Prayer of the Faithful)
These elements develop the liturgy of the word and with them the first part of the Mass concludes.
In the readings from the Scripture, God speaks to his people, opening up to them the mystery of redemption and salvation, and nourishing their spirit. Christ is present to the faithful through his own word. These readings are explained and expanded with the homily. Through the chants, the people make God’s word their own; through the Profession of Faith, they affirm their adherence to it. Finally, having been nourished by this word, they make their petitions in the general intercessions for the needs of the Church and for the salvation of the whole world.[1]
Scriptural Readings
The word of God is something alive and active: it cuts like any double‑edged sword but more finely: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit, or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts (Heb 4:12).
* * *
Distribution of readings
On Sundays and holidays, we usually find three readings, arranged thus: the first from the Old Testament, the second from the writings of an apostle, and the third from a Gospel. Thus, God’s own teaching brings the Christian people to a knowledge of the continuity of the work of salvation.[2]
The present order of readings for the Mass is an arrangement of the biblical passages. It provides the faithful with a knowledge of the whole of God’s word.[3] By following a plan of readings through the year, the treasures of the Bible are made fully accessible to the faithful. That “warm and living love for the Scripture,”[4] which the Church bids us to have, is thereby fostered. The advantage of having a single order of readings for the whole Church is obvious. All the faithful will everywhere be able to hear the same readings on any given day.[5]
The more important biblical passages are featured on Sundays and solemnities of the Lord. In this way, the more significant parts of God’s revealed word are read to the assembly of the faithful within a reasonable period of time. Weekdays present a second series of texts from Scripture, and in a sense these complement the message of salvation explained on Sundays and solemnities of the Lord.
The order of readings for Sundays and solemnities extends for a period of three years. Each year within that period is marked with a letter A, B, or C. The year 2010 will be a C year, and so are all years that are multiples of three.
For weekdays, the cycle is only for two years, designated I and II, for odd and even years. Each of these cycles (for Sundays and for weekdays) runs its course independently of the other.[6] This arrangement provides texts for every day of the week throughout the year.
Proper readings are given for celebrations of the saints. In some cases, the readings correspond to biblical passages that mention the saint (as in the case of St Barnabas, St Martha, etc.) or about the event in the saint’s life that the Mass is celebrating. Other cases feature accommodated readings that bring out some particular aspects of a saint’s spiritual life or apostolate. These accommodated readings may take the place of the weekday readings in some instances. However, since the first concern of the priest is the spiritual benefit of the faithful, he is always careful not to impose his personal preference on them. Above all, he is recommended not to omit too often or needlessly the readings assigned for each day in the weekday lectionary.[7]
* * *
If we want to know why there are readings in the Mass, we would have to delve into the most ancient of Christian customs. In fact, we would have to go even beyond them to practices dear to the heart of devout Israel. The service of the Jewish synagogue knew such readings from the Law and the Prophets. Have we not seen Jesus reading Isaiah to his fellow Jews (Lk 4:16,21)? And did not St Paul, while on his missionary journeys, take part in similar readings (Acts 13:14,16)?
The early Church faithfully preserved this custom: Readings from the sacred books loomed large in the primitive liturgies. In bygone days, these readings had been chosen by the bishop, who also determined their number and length. When he thought that a lesson had lasted long enough, he stopped the reader by saying, “Deo gratias” (Thanks be to God). Other lessons followed until the bishop saw fit to end them.
At a fairly early date, however, the standard number of lessons was fixed at three: the first from the Old Testament, called “the prophecy;” the second from that part of the New Testament which contains the writings of the apostles (this was called “the apostle” or “the epistle”); and lastly, a reading from the Gospel.
The first and second readings
Generally we find only one of these readings, but on Sundays and solemnities, we find also a second reading.
In a Mass with a sizable congregation, these readings are always to be done at the lectern (or ambo).[8] There may be concise introductions before the readings. The style proper to such comments must be simple, faithful to the text, brief, and well prepared to suit the text they introduce.[9]
* * *
As in other times when people sat around Jesus, we also sit down now to listen to him speaking through the prophets and the apostles. We choose this bodily position because it seems the most fitting for reflection. As good disciples of the Master, we want to listen with peace and serenity to his words, imitating our Blessed Mother, pondering them in our hearts.
We should listen to the word of God with humility and simplicity, and with much attention, so as not to miss anything. The priest takes extra care not to throw away any particle of the consecrated host because it is the blessed body of our Lord. Likewise, although on a different level, we should not miss any part of these readings.
At times, the texts may seem obscure to us because of our limited understanding; at other times, because of the sublimity or depth of the mysteries of God, or because of the special characteristics of the sacred books: their antiquity, their literary genre which is little known nowadays, the different mentality of the age when they were written, etc.
Nevertheless, we can be sure that if we do our best, the Holy Spirit will give us enough capacity to grasp whatever we may need for our sanctification and mission in life. And even if what we have read does not stay in our memory, the word of God has purified and nourished our souls.
We will probably find greater difficulty in understanding the readings from the Old Testament. Nonetheless, we should receive them with reverence, because “these books, though they also contain some things which are incomplete and temporary, nevertheless show us true divine pedagogy. These same books, then, give expression to a lively sense of God, contain a store of sublime teachings about God, sound wisdom about human life, and a wonderful treasury of prayers, and in them the mystery of our salvation is present in a hidden way.”[10]
At the end of the reading, the reader reminds us that what we have just heard is the God’s word. The people then answer, “Thanks be to God.” With this acclamation, they break the silence they were keeping during the reading and while meditating on what they were hearing.
***
The Word of God is the foundation of everything, it is the true reality. And to be realistic, we must rely upon this reality. We must change our idea that matter, solid things, things we can touch, are the more solid, the more certain reality. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount the Lord speaks to us about the two possible foundations for building the house of one’s life: sand and rock. The one who builds on sand builds only on visible and tangible things, on success, on career, on money. Apparently these are the true realities. But all this one day will pass away; even money disappears, it is nothing. And thus, all these things, which seem to be the true realities we can count on, are only realities of a secondary order. The one who builds his life on these realities, on matter, on success, on appearances, builds upon sand. Only the Word of God is the rock, the foundation of all reality, it is as stable as the heavens and more than the heavens, it is reality. Therefore, we must change our concept of realism. The realist is the one who recognizes the Word of God, in its apparently weak reality, as the foundation of all things. Realist is the one who builds his life on this foundation, which is permanent.[11]
Footnotes:
[1]GIRM, no. 33; GIRM3, no. 55.
[2]GIRM, no. 318; GIRM3, no. 357.
[3]Introduction to the Lectionary for Mass [=ILM], 21 January 1981, no. 60.
[4]SC, no. 24.
[5]ILM, no. 63.
[6]ILM, no. 65.
[7]ILM, no. 83.
[8]ILM, no. 16.
[9]ILM, no. 15.
[10]DV, no. 15.
[11]Benedict XVI, Homily on the Synod of Bishops, 6 October 2008.
Readings from Scripture and the chants between the readings form the main part of the liturgy of the word. These elements are arranged in the following order:
• First Reading
• Responsorial Psalm
• Second Reading (only on Sundays and greater celebrations)
• Gospel Acclamation (Alleluia or another chant)
• Gospel
And after these come the:
• Homily
• Profession of Faith (Creed)
• General Intercessions (Prayer of the Faithful)
These elements develop the liturgy of the word and with them the first part of the Mass concludes.
In the readings from the Scripture, God speaks to his people, opening up to them the mystery of redemption and salvation, and nourishing their spirit. Christ is present to the faithful through his own word. These readings are explained and expanded with the homily. Through the chants, the people make God’s word their own; through the Profession of Faith, they affirm their adherence to it. Finally, having been nourished by this word, they make their petitions in the general intercessions for the needs of the Church and for the salvation of the whole world.[1]
Scriptural Readings
The word of God is something alive and active: it cuts like any double‑edged sword but more finely: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit, or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts (Heb 4:12).
* * *
Distribution of readings
On Sundays and holidays, we usually find three readings, arranged thus: the first from the Old Testament, the second from the writings of an apostle, and the third from a Gospel. Thus, God’s own teaching brings the Christian people to a knowledge of the continuity of the work of salvation.[2]
The present order of readings for the Mass is an arrangement of the biblical passages. It provides the faithful with a knowledge of the whole of God’s word.[3] By following a plan of readings through the year, the treasures of the Bible are made fully accessible to the faithful. That “warm and living love for the Scripture,”[4] which the Church bids us to have, is thereby fostered. The advantage of having a single order of readings for the whole Church is obvious. All the faithful will everywhere be able to hear the same readings on any given day.[5]
The more important biblical passages are featured on Sundays and solemnities of the Lord. In this way, the more significant parts of God’s revealed word are read to the assembly of the faithful within a reasonable period of time. Weekdays present a second series of texts from Scripture, and in a sense these complement the message of salvation explained on Sundays and solemnities of the Lord.
The order of readings for Sundays and solemnities extends for a period of three years. Each year within that period is marked with a letter A, B, or C. The year 2010 will be a C year, and so are all years that are multiples of three.
For weekdays, the cycle is only for two years, designated I and II, for odd and even years. Each of these cycles (for Sundays and for weekdays) runs its course independently of the other.[6] This arrangement provides texts for every day of the week throughout the year.
Proper readings are given for celebrations of the saints. In some cases, the readings correspond to biblical passages that mention the saint (as in the case of St Barnabas, St Martha, etc.) or about the event in the saint’s life that the Mass is celebrating. Other cases feature accommodated readings that bring out some particular aspects of a saint’s spiritual life or apostolate. These accommodated readings may take the place of the weekday readings in some instances. However, since the first concern of the priest is the spiritual benefit of the faithful, he is always careful not to impose his personal preference on them. Above all, he is recommended not to omit too often or needlessly the readings assigned for each day in the weekday lectionary.[7]
* * *
If we want to know why there are readings in the Mass, we would have to delve into the most ancient of Christian customs. In fact, we would have to go even beyond them to practices dear to the heart of devout Israel. The service of the Jewish synagogue knew such readings from the Law and the Prophets. Have we not seen Jesus reading Isaiah to his fellow Jews (Lk 4:16,21)? And did not St Paul, while on his missionary journeys, take part in similar readings (Acts 13:14,16)?
The early Church faithfully preserved this custom: Readings from the sacred books loomed large in the primitive liturgies. In bygone days, these readings had been chosen by the bishop, who also determined their number and length. When he thought that a lesson had lasted long enough, he stopped the reader by saying, “Deo gratias” (Thanks be to God). Other lessons followed until the bishop saw fit to end them.
At a fairly early date, however, the standard number of lessons was fixed at three: the first from the Old Testament, called “the prophecy;” the second from that part of the New Testament which contains the writings of the apostles (this was called “the apostle” or “the epistle”); and lastly, a reading from the Gospel.
The first and second readings
Generally we find only one of these readings, but on Sundays and solemnities, we find also a second reading.
In a Mass with a sizable congregation, these readings are always to be done at the lectern (or ambo).[8] There may be concise introductions before the readings. The style proper to such comments must be simple, faithful to the text, brief, and well prepared to suit the text they introduce.[9]
* * *
As in other times when people sat around Jesus, we also sit down now to listen to him speaking through the prophets and the apostles. We choose this bodily position because it seems the most fitting for reflection. As good disciples of the Master, we want to listen with peace and serenity to his words, imitating our Blessed Mother, pondering them in our hearts.
We should listen to the word of God with humility and simplicity, and with much attention, so as not to miss anything. The priest takes extra care not to throw away any particle of the consecrated host because it is the blessed body of our Lord. Likewise, although on a different level, we should not miss any part of these readings.
At times, the texts may seem obscure to us because of our limited understanding; at other times, because of the sublimity or depth of the mysteries of God, or because of the special characteristics of the sacred books: their antiquity, their literary genre which is little known nowadays, the different mentality of the age when they were written, etc.
Nevertheless, we can be sure that if we do our best, the Holy Spirit will give us enough capacity to grasp whatever we may need for our sanctification and mission in life. And even if what we have read does not stay in our memory, the word of God has purified and nourished our souls.
We will probably find greater difficulty in understanding the readings from the Old Testament. Nonetheless, we should receive them with reverence, because “these books, though they also contain some things which are incomplete and temporary, nevertheless show us true divine pedagogy. These same books, then, give expression to a lively sense of God, contain a store of sublime teachings about God, sound wisdom about human life, and a wonderful treasury of prayers, and in them the mystery of our salvation is present in a hidden way.”[10]
At the end of the reading, the reader reminds us that what we have just heard is the God’s word. The people then answer, “Thanks be to God.” With this acclamation, they break the silence they were keeping during the reading and while meditating on what they were hearing.
***
The Word of God is the foundation of everything, it is the true reality. And to be realistic, we must rely upon this reality. We must change our idea that matter, solid things, things we can touch, are the more solid, the more certain reality. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount the Lord speaks to us about the two possible foundations for building the house of one’s life: sand and rock. The one who builds on sand builds only on visible and tangible things, on success, on career, on money. Apparently these are the true realities. But all this one day will pass away; even money disappears, it is nothing. And thus, all these things, which seem to be the true realities we can count on, are only realities of a secondary order. The one who builds his life on these realities, on matter, on success, on appearances, builds upon sand. Only the Word of God is the rock, the foundation of all reality, it is as stable as the heavens and more than the heavens, it is reality. Therefore, we must change our concept of realism. The realist is the one who recognizes the Word of God, in its apparently weak reality, as the foundation of all things. Realist is the one who builds his life on this foundation, which is permanent.[11]
Footnotes:
[1]GIRM, no. 33; GIRM3, no. 55.
[2]GIRM, no. 318; GIRM3, no. 357.
[3]Introduction to the Lectionary for Mass [=ILM], 21 January 1981, no. 60.
[4]SC, no. 24.
[5]ILM, no. 63.
[6]ILM, no. 65.
[7]ILM, no. 83.
[8]ILM, no. 16.
[9]ILM, no. 15.
[10]DV, no. 15.
[11]Benedict XVI, Homily on the Synod of Bishops, 6 October 2008.