Readings and Homily

Story:

As I mentioned yesterday, I will be explaining the different sections of the mass so that we can all enter into the mass more deeply. Yesterday I covered the Introductory Rites, and today I want focus on the Liturgy of the Word, which starts with the first reading, and goes till the prayers of the faithful.

Now, when I think of the Liturgy of the Word, I think immediately of my favorite mass in a given year, which is the Easter Vigil Mass. It is one of the longest masses, but it is also one of the most beautiful. The first half of the mass is in darkness, there’s the lighting of the Easter candle, there’s incense used, new converts are baptized, confirmed, and welcomed into the Church. But a key part of this mass is the Liturgy of the Word. In fact, this mass has the most number of readings for any mass during the year. There’s 7 from OT, then 7 Psalms or Canticles, then a reading from the New Testament, and then the Gospel. That’s a total of 16 readings including the Psalms. Now why does the Church include so many readings for this mass. In fact, why do we have readings for mass at all?

Explanation:

The first few words of the Gospel of John says this very beautifully and succinctly.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. God making Himself known to us and giving Himself to us

The words of God give us God. They are not just words. They’re not just ink on paper. We receive Him. Just like when we receive Jesus when we consume the Eucharist — the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus, we receive Jesus. In a similar way when we receive His words, we receive Him.

When God speaks, it reveals what is true and real, because He created everything. He keeps everything that exists in existence. If He says something will happen, it will happen. If He says that He will die on the cross and be raised on the third day, it will happen. If He says He will part the Red Sea to save the Israelites from the Egyptians, it will happen. If He says that we will see Him Heaven if we are faithful to Him and follow Him to the very end, it will happen. So reading His Word, instills faith and hope.

This faith and hope helps us mean every word of the Creed that we will say together after the homily. We each say I believe. Why do we believe? Because we have heard and seen in Scripture how God is real and He is true to His word. For example, we can each say with confidence "I believe in the forgiveness of sin” because Jesus forgave anyone that asked for forgiveness or showed some repentance and sought Him.

And this faith and hope we receive from Scripture helps us to receive Jesus in the Eucharist. The Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist are meant to work together. There’s a beautiful account in the Gospels of Jesus appearing to the disciples on the Road to Emmaus after His Death and Resurrection. Initially they do not recognize Him, and they are very sad because they thought Jesus was dead, and with Him all their hope. First, Jesus explains how the Old Testament scriptures predicted everything that Jesus went through. He restores their faith and hope. Then He celebrates the Eucharist with them. Once both had been done: they experienced God in Scripture and their faith and hope were restored, then through the Eucharist, then their eyes are opened and they recognize Jesus.

On a side note, in the Mass, the priest or the bishop takes the role of Jesus. He explains the scripture just as Jesus did for the disciples. He stirs up our faith and hope, and instructs us on how we can respond to God and all that He has done for us. And later on, just as Jesus gave the disciples the Eucharist, the priest or bishop says the words of consecration, and through the power of their ordination and the Holy Spirit, we receive the Eucharist.

Practical Tips:

Now coming back, the story of the disciples on the Road to Emmaus is our story. It is the same in our lives. We can go through life and its brokenness, struggles, tragedies, and overtime our faith and hope gets attacked and we lose it little by little. We start to doubt, whether through our thought (intellectually), or by the way we live.

We can often say we believe in God but live as though there is no God.

We can say we believe in the forgiveness of sins, but live as though there is no forgiveness, that we cannot come back to God because we have sinned so badly. We don’t go to confession because we think God would reject us, or the priest would reject us.

We live as though God (or in the confessional the priest) is a harsh judge who is waiting to punish us rather than a merciful father waiting to welcome us back with love.

But when we read scripture, our faith and hope are stirred back.

We see that God is real.

That He is merciful.

That He has a plan for us.

That He gave us the sacraments so that we can come to him physically.

So let the Scripture stir up and restore your faith and hope. Read the readings for the mass before you come to mass so that you can prayerfully enter in and encounter His love and mercy.

Vision: