WORD OF GOD SUNDAY – JANUARY 26, 2025
It is often said that Catholics don’t know the Bible. Perhaps that’s because we don’t put the same emphasis on memorizing chapters and verses of Scripture the way our Protestant friends do. But that does not mean we don’t know the Bible. If we go to Mass every Sunday, over the course of time, we will have heard much of the Bible. We might not always know where to find a story in the Bible, but chances are we will have heard the story many times and will be very familiar with it.
That is because the Scriptures are quoted frequently throughout the Mass. Just about every prayer we say is either a direct quote from the Bible or inspired by a passage from the Psalms, the Old Testament, or the gospels.
For instance, at the beginning of Mass we pray, “Glory to God in the highest,” which is taken from the song the angels sang when they announced Jesus’ birth to the shepherds. Also, just before the Eucharistic prayer, we sing “Holy, Holy, Holy” which is the song of the angels when the prophet Isaiah receives a vision of the throne of God. In that same song, we pray, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” This is from Psalm 118 which is quoted by the crowds when Jesus enters Jerusalem. Another beautiful example is the prayer we say before receiving communion, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” This is taken from the words that the Roman centurion says to Jesus when he asks that his servant be healed.
Besides all those quotations from the Scriptures, we also dedicate part of the Mass exclusively to readings from the Bible. Every Sunday Mass has a reading from the Old Testament, a responsorial psalm, a reading from one of the New Testament letters, and a passage from one of the four gospels.
So anyone who comes to Mass faithfully should have a good understanding of the Bible not only from the readings but from the Scriptural prayers that we all know by heart.
The way to understand the Mass is to consider it as a banquet where we are served two courses from two different tables.
Of course, we are familiar with the table of the altar where we offer our sacrifice of bread and wine which the Holy Spirit transforms into the Body and Blood of Jesus. That is the second course of this great banquet that is called the “Liturgy of the Eucharist”.
However, we should also realize that there is a first course to this banquet that takes place at this table – the table of the pulpit or ambo. We call this first course of the banquet “The Liturgy of the Word”. Here God feeds us with His word. When we hear Scripture proclaimed at Mass, it is God Himself speaking to us through the voice of the one proclaiming it. That is why we never say that we are reading the word of God in church but that we are proclaiming it.
Because we give so much emphasis to receiving Holy Communion, we can sometimes fail to see the importance of listening to God’s word at Mass. But that would be a big mistake. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us, “…the Church has always venerated the Scriptures as she venerates the Lord’s Body….” (CCC 103). So the Liturgy of the Word is a vital part of the Mass just as the Liturgy of the Eucharist is.
For that reason, we should make it a point to give our full attention when the lector, deacon, or priest are proclaiming the readings. If we find ourselves getting distracted, we should bring our attention immediately back to what we are hearing. Sometimes following along in the missalette or other publication can be helpful. Most especially, we should make an effort to go over the Mass readings and familiarize ourselves with them at home during the week. That will help prepare us to be attentive to God’s word.
If Jesus were to suddenly appear to us and speak to us, we would hang on His every word. We would be like the people that Saint Luke describes in the synagogue whose eyes were fixed intently on Jesus as He read from the prophet Isaiah. But that is exactly what is happening when we listen to the word of God at Mass. It is God Himself speaking to us. The Catechism of the Catholic Church goes on to say, “In the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet his children and talks with them” (CCC 104).
It is not enough to listen to God’s word, however. We have to apply it to our lives. We have to let it influence our minds, form our hearts, and guide our decisions. We have to let it change us. We have to take it home with us.
Before every Mass, we should ask God to speak to our hearts. There is a word that God has for each of us, something He wants us to understand about His love. Though all of us hear the same readings, each of us will take something different from it – something that God has prepared especially for us. If we pay close attention, God will speak to us. Something will strike us that we have never heard before. Or we might hear something today that we will remember tomorrow and that will all of a sudden make sense to us. Making a point of asking God for that special grace will prepare our minds and hearts for what God wants to tell us.
Then, after Mass, we should make a point of writing down what we have heard that spoke to us and reflecting on it during the week. It’s a good idea to find that passage in our own Bibles at home and read over it first thing every morning so that it can sink into our hearts. If we do that faithfully, we will have a better knowledge of the Bible and we will begin to think and act in accordance with God’s will.
Pope Francis has asked all Catholics to observe this Third Sunday of Ordinary Time as “Word of God Sunday”, to deepen our appreciation and love for the Bible. By listening intently at the table of God’s word at every Mass and taking it home with us we can do just that. And in the process we will find ourselves having a deeper love and appreciation for the Eucharist which is the Word made Flesh and given to us.