Liturgically Speaking: The Liturgy of the Word

The reading of sacred texts in the liturgy extends back to the earliest Christians.  Around 160 A.D. St. Justin Martyr tells us that during the Christian liturgy of his time, readings were taken from the prophets as well as the “memoirs of the Apostles.” 

“When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his word, proclaims the Gospel.  Therefore, the readings from the Word of God are to be listened to reverently by everyone, for they are an element of the greatest importance in the Liturgy” (GIRM 29).

In our liturgy today there is a three year cycle of readings for Sundays, and for weekdays a complementary yet independent two year cycle.  The three years of the Sunday cycle tend to each focus on one of the Gospel writers: Matthew, Mark, and Luke; John is spread throughout certain points of the liturgical year in each cycle.  The Liturgy of the Word is structured almost as a kind of dialogue, like a back-and-forth between God and His people.  God comes to meet us by speaking to us His Word, and we in turn lift up our response to God.  In the first reading, God speaks to us, usually in an Old Testament reading.  During the Easter season the first reading is from the Acts of the Apostles.  The first reading is generally chosen to have an organic connection to the Gospel to show forth the unity of the Old and the New Testaments.  For this reason, Old Testament readings may be from various places in the scriptures from week to week.  One helpful way to meditate on the readings is to ask, “Why did the Church couple this first reading with this Gospel?  What is the connection?” 

“After each reading, whoever reads it pronounces the acclamation, and by means of the reply the assembled people give honor to the Word of God that they have received in faith and with gratitude” (GIRM 59). Our response, though, is not simply, “Thanks be to God.”  We also respond with the responsorial psalm.  Often a song of praise, it continues our dialogue with God.  Then we again receive the Word in the second reading, usually from a letter of St. Paul or another New Testament letter.  This tends to be a continual reading of a given letter, so there is often no intended thematic connection with the other readings.  Again, we respond with the Alleluia or other Gospel Acclamation. “An acclamation of this kind constitutes a rite or act in itself, by which the gathering of the faithful welcomes and greets the Lord who is about to speak to them in the Gospel and profess their faith by means of the chant” (GIRM 62).  Alleluia comes from Hebrew and means “praise the Lord.”  The procession of the Book of the Gospels is accompanied with this song of praise. 

Since the Gospel holds a place of prominence because it relates the life of the Savior, we stand out of reverence and as a sign of eager attentiveness.  The priest prays to himself, “Cleanse my heart and my lips, almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel.”  The book may also be incensed.  We, along with the priest, make the sign of the cross on our forehead, lips, and heart, praying that the Word of God may be in our minds, on our lips, and in our hearts.  After the proclamation of the Gospel, the priest or deacon kisses the book, saying inaudibly, “Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped away.”