Vatican II at 50 - Biblical Boost

Vatican II at 50 – The Year of Faith

Match these parts of the Mass with their Biblical sources below:

A.      “The Lord be with you”

B.       “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”

C.       “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name;

D.        “Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world.”

E.         “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”

   

1.       John 1:36

2.       Matthew 6:9 and Luke 11:2

3.       Ruth 2:4

4.       Matthew 21:9

5.       Matthew 28:19

Answers: 

A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1, E-5.  As you may have guessed, most of our Mass comes from the Bible.   We are nourished and nurtured by the Word of God throughout the Mass, especially during the Liturgy of the Word.   Prior to the Second Vatican Council, most Catholics didn’t read the Bible, nor was it encouraged by the Church.   Church authorities believed allowing Catholics access to the Bible would be dangerous.  They were afraid the laity wouldn’t know how to interpret  Scripture,  or worse, would interpret  it incorrectly.   Vatican II changed that thinking.  As the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, or Dei Verbum, says,

 “Easy access to Sacred Scripture should be provided for all the Christian faithful.” #22

And, the Liturgical Constitution, or Sacrosanctum Concilium, says:

“In sacred celebrations there is to be more reading from holy Scripture…#35.2, and, “The treasures of the Bible are to be opened up more lavishly, so that a richer share in God’s word may be provided for the faithful. #52

Prior to the council,  the liturgy included  only two readings in a one-year cycle.  Now the liturgy was expanded to include three readings, one from the Old Testament, in a three-year cycle.

The Council Fathers believed that God speaks to God’s people through his word, that God’s word changes people by calling forth a response.  But, more is required than just coming to Mass.  We are encouraged to read and meditate on the Scripture readings before Mass, study Scripture via a Bible class, and share its meaning for our lives with others, such as in a small faith community.   In this way, we might be “Doers of the word and not hearers only.” James 1:22.  Amen!