Responsorial Psalm Part 1: About the Mass Vol 2

Liturgy of the Word: Responsorial Psalm Part 1.

THE MASS: ABOUT THE MASS VOL 2 ICON.

Why read/sing Psalms?

God speaks to the people by doing marvels from them. The people respond by celebrating those marvels. God leads the people of the Exodus across the Red Sea. Myriam, the tambourine player, celebrates the Lord who threw horse and rider into the sea (Exod 15 &21). God delivers Anna from her barrenness by giving her Samuel. Anna responds by celebrating the Lord who enables a barren woman to give birth seven times 

(I Sam 2:5).  In the New Testament God blesses the virginity of Mary by making her the mother of Jesus. Mary glorifies the Lord; she exults in God her Saviour and in this Jesus that she carries within her. 

The Word commemorates old marvels; we as the community celebrate those deeds today and actualise them on the level of our celebration: we respond to the God of marvels through the Responsorial Psalm.

STRUCTURE OF DIALOGUE.

Notice also the structure of the dialogue that the Lectionary establishes between the Word that comes from God, and the word that comes to us as the community:

·                     Word of God: Old Testament.

·                     The community responds: (spoken/singing) Responsorial Psalm.

·                     Word of God: Letters from the New Testament:

·                     The community speak/sing: Gospel Acclamation.

·                     Word of God: Gospel.

·                     The community prays: General Intercessions (Prayers of the Faithful).

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: ITS IMPORTANCE FOR US AT MASS.

 The Word proclaimed is the word of the covenant. The psalm that responds to it is the canticle of the Covenant. The Word prepares for the Covenant, making us enter into it. The Psalm sings its grace, imploring God to keep us in it.

 Just before his Ascension, Jesus speaks to the apostles about what is written concerning him in ‘the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms’. (Lk 24:44).  Therefore, Jesus’ story is found in the Psalms.   Every Sunday, (weekdays too) the community is invited to read a page of that story, to discover an aspect of the face of Jesus.  

Let us recognise His face in the Psalm this week and RESPOND