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Liturgy of the Word: First
Reading Part 1
‘FIRST READING:
PART 1’.
The Liturgy of the Word begins with a
posture body change.
Now we sit, not just to give us a
rest, but so that we can listen attentively to the Word of God. We sit as one
faith community, expressing something of our communal bond we share. Body
posture is important. How we sit can either help or hinder us to being in tune
in mind body and spirit to the Word of God.
The Catechism of the Catholic
Church (1994) stated:
‘In human life, signs and symbols
occupy an important place. As a being at once body and spirit, man
expresses and perceives spiritual realities through physical signs and
symbols. As a social being, man needs signs and symbols to communicate
with others, through language, gestures, and actions. The same holds true
for his relationship with God’. (Para 1146, p.297).
From what does the lector read?
It is called a Lectionary. We listen to the First Reading,
taken from the Old Testament. It is chosen in relationship to the Gospel.
But you may wonder- why do we read the Bible when we celebrate the
Eucharist?
The oldest celebrations of the Word
according the Bible coincided precisely with the first celebration of the
Covenant of Sinai according to Exodus 24:1-11. First there is the proclamation
of the Word: Moses took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the
people who declared: ‘Everything that Yahweh has said, we will put into
practice and we will obey’. (Exod 24:7) Then there is the sacrifice of the
Covenant: Moses took the blood of the victims that had been immolated,
sprinkled it over the people and said: ‘This is the blood of the covenant that
Yahweh as made with you in accordance with all these words’. (Exod 24:8).
The structure is exactly the same as
the Mass of today. First there is the proclamation of God’s Word, then
there is the sacrifice when the priest, at the consecration, repeats the words
of Moses: ‘this is the blood of the Covenant’, and the words
and action of Christ at the Last Supper. Finally, there is the meal of
communion in the reception of the Eucharist.
Second Vatican Council (Vatican 11) spoke of the ‘extreme importance of God’s Word’. The Church has
always venerated the Divine Scriptures as she venerated the Body of the Lord.
The Council speaks about the ‘real presence of Christ in the Word’.
It should also be noted that there is
a 3 year Sunday cycle (Years A, B, and C), so that all 4 gospels and major
sections of the Old Testament are reviewed. Cycles change beginning with
Advent of the previous year and end always on the Feast of Christ the King. For
example: Year A commenced on first Sunday of Advent 2007 and will continue
until Feast of Christ the King (generally the last Sunday in November).
On weekdays however, there is a two
year cycle. Year 1 is for odd number years and Year 2 for even number
years. These alternating cycles are not used for Lent and Easter as this
aids our renewal in these seasons of spiritual growth.
So how well do you
listen to Christ in the’ real presence’ of the Word?
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