Showing posts with label Word of God. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

The Wednesday General Audience with Pope Leo XIV 01.28.2026

Pope

Pope at Audience: The Word of God is the guide for our existence

During his Wednesday General Audience, Pope Leo XIV continues his reflection on the Dogmatic Constitution 'Dei Verbum' on Divine Revelation and emphasizes the close relationship between Sacred Scripture and Tradition.

By Isabella H. de Carvalho

“The ‘deposit’ of the Word of God is still in the hands of the Church and all of us, in our various ecclesial ministries, must continue to preserve it in its integrity, as a lodestar for our journey through the complexity of history and existence,” Pope Leo XIV said during the Wednesday General Audience on January 28, 2026.

Continuing his catechesis series dedicated to the Second Vatican Council and its documents, the Pope focused again on the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum, on Divine Revelation. He highlighted the close relationship between Sacred Scripture and Tradition, meaning the living transmission of the Gospel through the Holy Spirit.

The Word of God “is not fossilized, but rather it is a living and organic reality that develops and grows in Tradition,” he underlined. “Thanks to the Holy Spirit, Tradition understands it in the richness of its truth and embodies it in the shifting coordinates of history.”

Tradition and Scripture come from the same wellspring

Pope Leo cited two Gospel scenes to explain “the intimate connection between the words uttered by Christ and their dissemination throughout the centuries.”

The first is when Jesus addresses the disciples in the Upper Room before his death and tells them they will receive the Holy Spirit from the Lord, who will guide them “into all the truth.” The second is when the risen Christ shows himself to the disciples and calls them to “make disciples of all nations … teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

Quoting point 9 of Dei Verbum, the Pope emphasized how the Second Vatican Council explains this close relationship between Scripture and Tradition by saying that “both of them, flowing from the same divine wellspring, in a certain way merge into a unity and tend toward the same end.”

“Ecclesial Tradition branches out throughout history through the Church, which preserves, interprets and embodies the Word of God,” the Pope continued.

“Sacred Scripture is written principally in the Church’s heart rather than in documents and records,” he added, citing point 113 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

The Church perpetuates Her belief to all generations

The Pope then highlighted how Tradition, which comes from the Apostles, develops in the Church with the help of the Holy Spirit.

“This occurs with full comprehension through ‘contemplation and study made by believers’, through ‘a penetrating understanding of the spiritual realities which they experience’ and, above all, with the preaching of the successors of the apostles who have received ‘the sure gift of truth’,” he explained, citing again the Dogmatic Constitution.

“In short," he reiterated, "‘the Church, in Her teaching, life and worship, perpetuates and hands on to all generations all that She Herself is, all that She believes’.”

To explain the living dimension of the Word of God and its relationship with Tradition, the Pope quoted the Doctor of the Church, St. John Henry Newman, who affirmed that “Christianity, both as a communal experience and as a doctrine, is a dynamic reality, in the manner indicated by Jesus himself in the parables of the seed: a living reality that develops thanks to an inner vital force.”

One sacred deposit of the Word of God

Pope Leo emphasized then how Dei Verbum points out that “‘Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture form one sacred deposit of the word of God, committed to the Church’, interpreted by the ‘living teaching office of the Church, whose authority is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ’.”

The term deposit, he continued, implies that the custodian should preserve the content, in this case the faith, and transmit it intact, and thus called on the Church and all Her members to do so.

Pope Leo concluded by quoting again Dei Verbum, which explains that the Sacred Scripture and Tradition “are so linked and joined together that one cannot stand without the others, and … all together and each in its own way under the action of the one Holy Spirit contribute effectively to the salvation of souls.”

Sunday, January 25, 2026

Today was Word of God Sunday. What is and who started it?

What is Sunday of the Word of God? 5 Things to KNOW and SHARE - Sunday of the Word of God Explained

January 25, 2025

The Sunday of the Word of God of the Catholic Church takes place on the third Sunday in Ordinary Time, in January. Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter, issued as a motu proprio, Aperuit illis, was published on the 30th September 2019. It established, "the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is to be devoted to the celebration, study and dissemination of the Word of God". It occurs on January 26st in 2025 and Jan. 25th in 2026.

1. The 1st Sunday of the Word of God took place on January 26th in 2020.

Pope Francis invites Catholics across the world to deepen their appreciation, love and faithful witness to God and his Word.

That’s why, as established by a papal decree - the third Sunday in Ordinary Time, is to be observed as a special day devoted to “the celebration, study and dissemination of the Word of God”.

2. A note released by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, and signed by the prefect, Cardinal Robert Sarah, explains that The Sunday of the Word of God is a means to help people “reawaken an awareness of the importance of Sacred Scripture for our lives as believers, beginning with its resonance in the liturgy which places us in living and permanent dialogue with God.”

3. As Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization explained during a press conference, that it is an initiative that the Pope has entrusted to the whole Church so that "the Christian community may concentrate on the great value that the Word of God occupies in its daily existence" (Aperuit illis 2).“This Sunday, he wants to stimulate all Christians not just to place the Bible on the shelf as one of many books, perhaps filled with dust, but as an instrument that awakens our faith.”

4. The Sunday of the Word of God, instituted by Pope Francis and to be held every year on the third Sunday of Ordinary Time,[1] reminds us, pastors and faithful alike, of the importance and value of Sacred Scripture for the Christian life, as well as the relationship between the word of God and the liturgy: “As Christians, we are one people, making our pilgrim way through history, sustained by the Lord, present in our midst, who speaks to us and nourishes us. A day devoted to the Bible should not be seen as a yearly event but rather a year-long event, for we urgently need to grow in our knowledge and love of the Scriptures and of the Risen Lord, who continues to speak his word and to break bread in the community of believers. For this reason, we need to develop a closer relationship with Sacred Scripture; otherwise, our hearts will remain cold and our eyes shut, inflicted as we are by so many forms of blindness”.[2]

5. This Sunday, therefore, presents an ideal opportunity to reread some of the Church’s documents[3] and especially the Praenotanda of the Ordo Lectionum Missae, which present a synthesis of the theological, ritual and pastoral principles surrounding the word of God proclaimed at Mass, but which is also valid in every other liturgical celebration (Sacraments, Sacramentals, Liturgy of the Hours).

Resources:

Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter Aperuit illis (Sept. 2019)
Note from Congregation for Divine Worship (Dec. 2020)
Suggestions from Pope Francis on how to celebrate the Sunday of the Word of God
Homily notes based on the Lectionary readings for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Additional resources from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Monday, November 17, 2025

Pope Leo XIV pleads for increased access of the Word of God especially for young people

Pope

Pope: Young people need easy access to Sacred Scripture

Meeting with the Catholic Biblical Federation, Pope Leo XIV encourages biblical scholars and pastoral ministers to make the Word of God easily accessible to all people, especially in digital spaces so that younger generations can encounter Christ.

By Devin Watkins

Pope Leo XIV met on Monday with the members of the Catholic Biblical Federation, expressing his gratitude for their service to the Word of God.

He reflected on the 60th anniversary of Dei Verbum, the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, and the Second Vatican Council’s call for Sacred Scripture to be easily accessible and glorified everywhere.

The Pope said the document conveys “a strong desire, a firm conviction, and a pastoral approach”.

“The teaching of Dei Verbum is unequivocal,” he said. “We are called ‘to hear the Word of God with reverence and to proclaim it with faith,’ and ‘easy access to Sacred Scripture should be provided for all the Christian faithful’.”

The Catholic Biblical Federation shares that same goal, noted the Pope, as it seeks to make the Word of God a key part of pastoral ministry and offer it as a source of dynamic inspiration for the Church.

Pope Leo invited the biblical scholars gathered in Rome to renew their fidelity to their mandate, which he said is “nothing less than the proclamation of the kerygma, the saving mystery of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Church, he added, always draws her life from the Gospel by listening with attentive love to Christ.

“From the Gospel, she continually rediscovers the direction for her journey, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who teaches all things and reminds us of everything the Son has said.”

Pope Leo XIV then reflected on what the term “easy access” to Sacred Scripture means in our own time.

He noted that the faithful must be encouraged to read the Bible, so as to personally encounter the love of God expressed in human words.

“Today, new generations inhabit new digital environments where the Word of God is easily overshadowed,” he said. “New communities often find themselves in cultural spaces where the Gospel is unfamiliar or distorted by particular interests.”

The Pope invited members of the Catholic Biblical Federation to ask themselves how the Church can best help people who have never heard the Word of God gain access to it.

“I hope these questions inspire in you new forms of biblical outreach, capable of opening pathways to the Scriptures, so that God’s Word may take root in people’s hearts and lead all to live in His grace,” he said.

In conclusion, Pope Leo invited all Christians to become “‘living letters… written not in ink but by the Spirit of the living God,’ bearing witness to the primacy of God’s Word over the many voices that fill our world.”

“May the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God and the womb through which the Word became flesh,” he said, “teach us the art of listening, strengthen us in obedience to His Word, and guide us to magnify the Lord.”

Sunday, January 26, 2025

Pope Francis presides at Mass on Word of God Sunday

POPE

Pope at Mass: Word of God brings us joy and light

Pope Francis presides at Mass on the Sunday of the Word of God, and invites Christians to allow the Holy Spirit to make Christ present in our lives and society through frequent reading of the Bible.

By Devin Watkins

“The Gospel is a word of joy, summoning us to mutual acceptance and fellowship, as we make our pilgrim journey towards the Kingdom of God.”

Pope Francis offered that reminder at Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on the 6th Sunday of the Word of God, as the Vatican hosts the Jubilee for the World of Communication.

The theme for this year’s Word of God Sunday is “I Hope in Your Word.” During the Mass, the Pope conferred the ministry of Lector on 40 lay people: 4 from Albania, 3 from Argentina, 5 from Austria, 1 from Bolivia, 4 from Brazil, 5 from the Philippines, 1 from Iceland, 6 from Italy, 5 from Mexico, 1 from Poland, and 5 from Slovenia.

In his homily, the Pope reflected on the Gospel passage from Luke, in which Jesus reads the Scriptures at the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth.

He noted that the Word of God Sunday coincides with the Jubilee for Communication, which is the first of the many individual events animating the 2025 Jubilee of Hope.

“Jesus is the living Word in whom all the Scriptures find their fulfilment,” he said. “In the today of the sacred Liturgy, we are His contemporaries; we too, filled with amazement, open our hearts and minds to listen to Him.”

Speaking off-the-cuff, the Pope said listening and understanding the Scriptures is not enough. Rather, the Word of God must bring us to experience “amazement,” so that it may enter our hearts and renew us.

Gospel word of compassion, mercy, light

Pope Francis went on to reflect on five actions that characterize the mission of Christ, which he said is both unique and universal.

Jesus, he said, was anointed to “bring good news to the poor,” which is the news that the Kingdom of God is at hand.

The Lord visits His people, added the Pope, and brings the Gospel’s “word of compassion” that urges us to practice charity and forgive the debts of others.

Second, Jesus comes to “proclaim release to the captives,” who are freed by the redeeming power of Christ’s salvation.

The Pope called this Gospel element a “word of mercy,” which calls us to be “passionate witnesses of peace, solidarity, and reconciliation.

Third, Jesus brings “recovery of sight to the blind,” opening our hearts which are often blinded by the allure of power and vanity.

“The Gospel is a word of light, which beckons us to the truth and calls us to bear witness to our faith and to be consistent in its practice,” he said.

Joy and freedom in God’s Word

Fourth, Jesus’ mission will “let the oppressed go free,” since the Messiah makes us all brothers and sisters and breaks all forms of bondage.

The Gospel, said the Pope, is a “word of freedom,” which invites each of us to conversion, integrity, and perseverance.

Fifth, Jesus comes to “proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour,” which corresponds to the Jubilee and God’s offer to regenerate our lives in hope.

“The Gospel is a word of joy, summoning us to mutual acceptance and fellowship, as we make our pilgrim journey towards the Kingdom of God.”

Christians’ mission to evangelize at all times

Pope Francis said these five actions of Christ fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah, which Jesus read in the synagogue in Nazareth.

However, he noted, Christ’s salvation is not yet fully realized, as we see in the many wars and suffering present in our world.

“Yet,” he said, “wars, injustice, pain and death will not have the final word over the peoples of the earth and our history: for the Gospel is a living and certain word that never disappoints.”

In conclusion, the Pope invited Christians to thank God for sending His Word, who was made flesh for the salvation of the world.

“The Lord has not spoken to us as silent listeners, but as His witnesses, called to evangelize at all times and in every place,” he said. “Let us commit ourselves to bringing the good news to the poor, proclaiming release to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, letting the oppressed go free and announcing the year of the Lord’s favour.”

Saturday, January 25, 2025

This Sunday is Word of God Sunday

Ordinary Time: January 26th

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday of the Word of God

The Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is the Sunday of the Word of God, instituted by Pope Francis in 2019. See Note of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on the Sunday of the Word of God.

From today's Gospel:

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all (Luke 4:14-15).

The Optional Memorials of Saints Timothy and Titus, which are ordinarily celebrated today, are superseded by the Sunday liturgy.

Commentary on the Mass Readings for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C:
The First Reading is taken from the Book of Nehemiah, 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10. Nehemiah and Ezra lived in the time when the people of Israel had been returned to their land after the years of the Babylonian Captivity and it was a time of rebuilding. The people had lost their connections to their faith.

The Second Reading is from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, 12:12-30 and refers to the Mystical Body of Christ. St. Paul concludes his description of the different parts of the body by applying it to the Church, where variety of functions does not detract from unity.

The Gospel is from St. Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21. In the first four verses of St. Luke's Gospel which have been read to you today, you will find reason to be grateful to him. He went to a lot of trouble in order to put in a permanent form, in a written record, the essential facts concerning Christ, his words and his works, so that we "would understand (like Theophilus) the certainty of the faith in which we have been instructed."

But while we must be grateful to St. Luke, we owe a bigger debt of gratitude still to the all-good, all-wise God who moved Luke and the other Evangelists to preserve for us in writing the essential truths of the Christian faith that has been handed down to us. The Apostles were companions of Christ. They witnessed his works and his words; they remembered most of his doings and his sayings, and what they might have forgotten the Holy Spirit recalled to their memory on that first Pentecost day in Jerusalem. The first two generations of Christians received the facts of the faith from these eye-witnesses and the miracles so frequent in the infant Church were confirmation of the truth of their teaching.

But God in his wisdom provided for the many generations to come who would not have this evident confirmation of their faith. He established a teaching body in his Church which would safeguard the purity of the Christian truths, for "he himself would be with it all days," and he gave us a written record of the facts of the faith in the Gospels and the ether writings of the New Testament.

How can we ever thank God sufficiently for his thoughtfulness in our regard? We Christians of today can be as certain, as assured, of the truth of the faith that we are trying to practice as was St. Luke who was converted by St. Paul. We have a living, teaching Magisterium in the Church, which authentically preserves and interprets for us the true facts of Christ's teaching and works as written down for us by a first-generation Christian under the impulse and guidance of God's Holy Spirit. If we needed further proof of the priceless value of our New Testament Books, the virulent attacks on their authenticity, on their objectivity, and on their veracity, by enemies of the faith down to and including our own day, should be sufficient.

But they have stood the test of time and the onslaughts of biased, prejudiced criticism, for they are the word of truth, which is eternal, and comes from God.

We have a priceless gift of God in the inspired Books of the Bible. Let us show true appreciation for that gift by using it to build up a better knowledge of the Christian faith which it teaches us. There should be a Bible, or at least the New Testament, in every Christian home. It should not be an ornament on a shelf, but a fountain and source from which we can draw strength and refreshment in the daily practice of our Christian faith. Almost two thousand years ago, God's infinite goodness provided this source of strength, the "fountain of living water," for us Christians of this century. Are we grateful for his thoughtfulness? Are we nourishing our faith at this blessed fountain of his infinite wisdom and love?
—Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

Sunday, January 21, 2024

For Word of God Sunday the incredible and excellent Scripture references all throughout the Holy Mass

Who says Catholics don’t hear the Bible at Mass?

Mark Haas

In fact, Scripture is cited more than 100 times.

Perhaps you have heard the common criticisms that “Catholics never read Scripture … Why don’t Catholics have the Bible with them at Mass? … The Bible is the Word of God, and Catholics don’t hear it regularly.”

Well, I would propose that Christians hear more Scripture at Catholic Mass than in any other form of worship.

The natural “go-to” response from Catholics to the above criticism is a reference to the Liturgy of the Word. This portion of the Mass typically includes a reading from the Old Testament, followed by a (sung) reading from the Book of Psalms, followed by a reading from the New Testament (the Epistles), and completed with a reading from the Gospels. So far, we count four Scripture readings total.

However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Almost everything the priest, deacon, or member of the assembly says within the liturgy is based in Scripture.

Here are more than 40 instances in which Catholics recite or reference Scripture (by order of appearance) within the context of the Mass:

Introductory Rites

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Mt 28:19).
Amen (1 Chr 16:36).
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Cor 13:13).
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 1:2).
The Lord be with you (Ruth 2:4; 2 Tim 4:22). And with your spirit.

Penitential Act

I confess to almighty God (Jas 5:16), and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned (1 Chr 21:8), in my thoughts and in my words (Psalm 19:15), in what I have done and in what I have failed to do (Jas 3:5; Jas 4:17), through my own fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault (Jas 5:16); therefore I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God (1 Thess 5:25).
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive our sins, and bring us to everlasting life (1 Jn 1:9). Amen.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy (Tob 8:4; 1 Tim 1:2).

Gloria

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will (Lk 2:14). We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you (Rev 7:12), we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father (Rev 19:6). Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father (2 Jn 3), you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us (Jn 1:29); you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father (Rom 8:34), have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One (Lk 4:34), you alone are the Lord (Ps 83: 19; Rev 15:4), you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ (Lk 1:32) with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen (Jn 14:26).

Profession of Faith

I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth (Gen 14:19), of all things visible and invisible (Col 1:16). I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God (Jn 1:18), born of the Father before all ages (Lk 1:35), God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made (Jn 1:1-4). For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and became man (Jn 3:13), and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man (Mt 1:18). For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate (Jn. 19:16); he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3-4). He ascended into heaven (Lk 24:51) and is seated at the right hand of the Father (Col 3:1). He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead (2 Tim. 4:1), and his kingdom will have no end (Lk 1:33). I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father (Jn 15:26) and the Son, who with the Father and the Son he adored and glorified (Jn 14:16), who spoken through the Prophets (1 Pet 1:10-11). I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church (Mt 16:18). I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; Eph 4:4-6), and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come (Rom 6:5). Amen.

Preparation of the Altar

1. Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation (1 Chr 29:10; Ps 89:53; Rom 9:5) for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth (Jas 5:7) and work of human hands, (Qo 3:13), it will become for us the bread of life (Jn 6:35). Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you: fruit of the vine and work of human hands, it will become our spiritual drink (Lk 22:17-18).
2. Blessed be God forever (Ps 68:36).
3. Pray, brethren, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father (Heb 12:28).
4. May the Lord accept this sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church (Ps 50:23).
5. The Lord be with you; And with your spirit; Lift up your hearts; We lift them up to the Lord (Lam 3:41).
6. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God (Col 3:17).
7. It is right and just (Col 1:3).
8. It is truly right and just, our duty and salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Father most holy, through your beloved Son (Col 1:13), Jesus Christ, your Word through whom you made all things (Jn 1:3), whom you sent as our Savior and Redeemer, incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin (Gal 4:4; Mt 1:18; Lk 1:26-35). Fulfilling your will and gaining for you a holy people (1 Peter 2:9), he stretched out his hands (Is 65:2; Rom 10:21) as he endures his Passion, so as to break the bonds of death (2 Tim 1:10) and manifest the resurrection. And so, with the Angels and all the Saints we declare your glory, as with one voice we acclaim …

Sanctus & Eucharistic Prayer

Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God hosts (Is 6:3; Rev 4:8). Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord (Mt 21:9; Mk 11:9-10). Hosanna in the highest (Is 6:3).
To you, therefore, most merciful Father, we make humble prayer and petition through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord (Eph 5:20): that you accept and bless these gifts, these offerings, these holy and unblemished sacrifices (2 Macc 1:26), which we offer you firstly for your holy catholic Church. Be pleased to grant her peace, to guard, unite and govern her throughout the whole world, together with your servant Francis our Pope, and N. our Bishop, and all those who, holding to the truth, hand on the catholic and apostolic faith (Jn 17:21; Acts 2:42).
Remember, Lord, your servants N. and N. and all gathered here, whose faith and devotion are known to you. For them, we offer you this sacrifice of praise or they offer to for themselves and all who are dear to them: for the redemption of their souls, in hope of health and well-being, and paying their homage to you, the eternal God, living and true (Ps 106:4-5; Heb 13:15).
In communion with those whose memory we venerate, especially the glorious ever-Virgin Mary, mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, and blessed Joseph, her spouse, your blessed apostles and martyrs, Peter and Paul, Andrew, and all your saints; we ask that through their merits and prayers (1 Tim 2:1), in all things we may be defended by your protecting help. (Mt 1:2-16; Lk 16:9; 1 Cor 12:12, 20f; Rev 5:8).
Therefore, Lord, we pray: graciously accept this oblation of our service, that of your whole family; order our days in your peace, and command that we be delivered from eternal damnation and counted among the flock of those you have chosen (Acts 20:28).
Be pleased, O God, we pray, to bless, acknowledge, and approve this offering in every respect (Gen 4:4); make it spiritual and acceptable, so that it may become for us the Body and Blood of your most beloved son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
On the day before he was to suffer, he took bread in his holy and venerable hands, and with eyes raised to heaven to you, O God, his almighty Father, giving you thanks, he said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to his disciples says: Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body, which will be given up for you (Mt 26:26-28).
In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took this precious chalice in his holy and venerable hands, and once more giving thanks, he said the blessing and gave the chalice to his disciples saying: Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me (Mt 26:26-28).
The mystery of faith (1 Tim 3:16).
Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of the blessed Passion, the resurrection from the dead, and the glorious ascension into heaven of Christ, your son, our Lord, we, your servants and your holy people, offer to your glorious majesty from the gifts that you have given us, this pure victim, this holy victim, this spotless victim (1 Pet 1:18-21), the holy Bread of eternal life and the chalice of everlasting salvation (Jn 6:54).
Be pleased to look upon these offerings with a serene and kindly countenance, and to accept them, as once you were pleased to accept the gifts of your servant Abel (Gen 4:4) the just, the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith (Gen 22:12), and the offering of your high priest Melchizedek (Gen 14:18), a holy sacrifice, a spotless victim (1 Pet 1: 19).
In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God: command that these gifts be borne by the hands of your holy Angel to your altar on high in the sight of your divine majesty (Rev 8:3-4), so that all of us, who through this participation at the altar receive the most holy Body and Blood of your Son, may be filled with grace and heavenly blessing (Eph 1:3).
Though we are sinners, we trust in your mercy and love. Do not consider what we truly deserve, but grant us your forgiveness (Ps 25:7).
Through him you give us all these gifts. You fill them with life and goodness, you bless them and make them holy (Ps 104:27-28).

The Our Father & Doxology

The Our Father prayer is recited. (Mt 6:9-13).
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil and grant us peace in our day. In your mercy, keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. (Jn 17:15).
Through him, and with him, and in him (Rom 11:36), O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:3), all glory and honor is yours (Eph 3:20-21; Rev 4:11), for ever and ever. Amen.

Agnus Dei & Sign of Peace

Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you. Look not on our sins but on the faith of your Church, and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live forever and ever (Jn 14:27). The peace of the Lord be with you always (Jn 20:19). Let us offer each other the sign of peace (Rom 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Thes 5:26; 1 Pet 5:14).
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace (Jn 1:29).

The Eucharist

May this mingling of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it (Jn 6:54).
Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world (Jn 1:29). Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:9).
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed (Mt 8:8; Lk 7:6-7).

Blessing & Dismissal

The Lord be with you; And with your spirit (Ruth 2:4).
May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Lk 24:51).
Go in the peace of Christ (Lk 7:50). Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord (Mk 16:15). Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life (1 Cor 10:31; 1 Pet 4:11).
Thanks be to God (2 Cor. 9:15).

As you can see from the previous 125 biblical references (which do not include those used in alternate forms of the Mass), the Scriptures are uniquely presented to each congregant. (Special thank you to these fantastic sources: Pope John Paul II Society; Companions of the Cross; Catholic Bible 101.)

While it is true, most Catholics do not participate in the liturgy with a Bible in hand, there is actually a very specific reason for this.

Hearing the Scriptures within the liturgy, and reading the Scriptures in a weekly Bible study group are quite different. The Scriptures are not simply read, but proclaimed within the liturgy.

During the Mass, the Holy Spirit is constantly kindling the hearts of the faithful as they listen to the Word of God (the Church actually encourages the faithful to review readings prior to attending the Mass.) Therefore, the Church recognizes Holy Scripture as a tool intended to cooperate with the reception of Jesus – body, blood, soul and divinity – in the Eucharist.

Jesus himself is quite clear about how to pass on the faith. Upon founding his Church (Mt. 16:18), Jesus did not actually leave this visible society with a book. What he did leave is a clear set of instructions to “go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them everything that I have commanded you (Mt. 28:19).” These instructions are passed on through oral tradition, and through the liturgy (the Mass).

Of course, “The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she venerated the Body of the Lord (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], no. 141).”

While the Eucharist is the “source and summit of the Christian life” (CCC, no. 1324), the Scriptures are abundant within the very Mass that was instituted by Christ himself (Mt. 26:26-28).

abitadeacon