Hearing the Word

Prior to the Second Vatican Council, most Catholics didn’t read the Bible, nor was reading it encouraged. 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, (Dei Verbum) says, “Easy access to Sacred Scripture should be provided for all the Christian faithful.” #22

What used to be a one-year cycle that included two readings in the liturgy has now been expanded to a three-year cycle that includes three readings.

“The treasures of the bible are to be opened up more lavishly, so that richer fare may be provided for the faithful at the table of God's word. In this way a more representative portion of the holy scriptures will be read to the people in the course of a prescribed number of years.” Sacrosanctum Concilium #51.

Scripture scholar Margaret Nutting Ralph says we have come a long way, “I think people find Christ’s presence in Eucharist, and we say ‘the table of the Eucharist,’ when we say ‘the table of the Word,’ we are saying you should expect to find Christ present in the Word too. It’s not that Christ comes late to Mass and only arrives at Eucharist.”

Ralph, who has written a dozen books on Scripture, was in Atlanta recently for a workshop hosted by the Archdiocese. She challenged her listeners to delve more deeply into the Scriptures. “Don’t think familiarity with the lectionary is familiarity with the Bible,” said Ralph.

Since the lectionary includes only portions of Scripture, Ralph advises reading the entire book, letter, and Gospel. When we read what comes before and after the portion proclaimed in the liturgy, we can better understand the context. This, Ralph says, helps us to understand the intent of the author, which often reveals a new and deeper understanding of God.

Whether we read and meditate on the Scriptures on our own, study them via a Bible class, or share their meaning for our lives with others, such as in a small faith community, we enhance our experience of hearing the Word proclaimed at the Liturgy. Then Scripture truly becomes for us a living Word, a lamp for our feet and a light for our journey.

Books Used in the Liturgy - Lectionary

Lectionary – From the Latin lectio, meaning to read. 

The Sunday lectionary is divided into three cycles that correspond to the first three Gospels:

A/Matthew

B/Mark

C/Luke

There is no separate cycle that includes John’s Gospel because that Gospel is so different from the other three. However, John’s Gospel is used to supplement the Gospel of Mark during Cycle B. John’s Gospel is also used for the third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Lent as part of the Scrutiny Rites for the catechumens. John’s account of the passion is always proclaimed on Good Friday. A new lectionary cycle begins every year on the first Sunday of Advent