XI

Homily: the word originates from a Gk word meant to hold a conversation, to associate with.

The Synagogue service of the Jews was similar to our Liturgy of the word and at the end of the Scriptural reading someone gave a homily. When Jesus went to the synagogue at Nazareth he was called to read and he opened the scroll from Isaiah. He read: the spirit of the Lord is upon me and he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor…. And he closed the book and gave it to the attendant. Then the people looked intently at him as to what he would speak. And he said, today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.

We hear two terms interchangeably, homily and sermon. What is the difference between a homily and a sermon?

In general, a homily is a scripturally-based reflection, provides food for thought about the challenges of living as a Catholic in today’s busy and hectic world.  Through the Sunday homily, the members of the community of faith gathered at the Eucharist learn how they might accept Sacred Scripture and Church teaching as central to their daily lives and, then, live a distinctively Christian and Catholic way of life.  The Sunday homily also should provide an avenue for deepening one’s sense of, appreciation for, and challenges to living as a Catholic. 

In contrast, a sermon takes the form of a lecture or discourse given for the purpose of providing religious instruction or inculcating moral behavior. 

A sermon directly addresses human conduct with the explicit intent to either exhort or to rebuke the people seated in the congregation.  The goal of a sermon is to get the people in the congregation to change their moral behavior.  In this sense, a sermon is more about doing than thinking about.

The homily also directs and leads us to the Eucharist. Leads us to the course of our daily life. Leading us to profess the faith.

Talking with the disciples going to Emmaeus Jesus preached to them about how the prophesies of God got fulfilled in the Crucifixion and death of Jesus as he led them to breaking the bread at which their eyes were opened.

The profession of faith serves as a way for all the people gathered together to respond to the word of God proclaimed in the readings taken from Sacred Scripture and explained in the homily.

Nicene Creed -

From the necessity for catechesis of the faithful, and for the protection of the faith from those who would attempt to manipulate it, the creed was formed.

In 325, the early Church Fathers came together in the Council of Nicaea to protect the faith against heresies that denied the divinity of Christ. And again in 381, the Fathers came together in the First Council of Constantinople to define the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Out of these two Ecumenical Councils we get the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, or what we typically call the Nicene Creed, which we say every Sunday except during Lent and Easter season.

The English word “creed” comes from the Latin word “credo,” which is actually the compilation of two words, “cor” meaning “heart,” and “do” meaning “I give.” So, a creed is the giving of one's heart. When we recite the profession of our faith together we are not stating just words, but we are giving our hearts, the core of our being, to the God in whom we believe.

One of the words that need explanation in the Nicene Creed is  “Incarnate” in place of the words born of the Virgin Mary, and became man" which remains same in the Apostles Creed. Both statements are true. But the reason it has been changed to “incarnate” is because that statement is more correct. It is a more nuanced and precise description of what God has done in the person of Jesus Christ. It states that Jesus was not only born (like all of us who are human), but that God has been born into human history. The word incarnation means to put on flesh. Here we believe, that God, in the person of Jesus Christ, emptied himself of all that he was and, putting on flesh, became one like us, while losing nothing of his divinity.

And why do we bow when we say that part?

As human beings (made up of a body and soul) we need to express in tangible ways that which is invisible. Therefore as we confess our belief in the incarnation, we express with our words and our actions God coming down from heaven to earth. So important is the need to incorporate our bodies into our worship that on two feast days — the Solemnity of the Annunciation on March 25 and the Solemnity of Christmas on December 25 — the Church asks us to do more than bow in the creed, we are called to genuflect. As God comes down to earth, we too go down to the earth and touch our knee to the ground.

Another word is: Consubstantial, which means Jesus is true God just like God the Father is.

Accuracy within our language is very important, particularly in the Church’s prayer, for it can be the difference between orthodoxy and heresy.

 When the early Church Fathers gathered in the Ecumenical Council at Nicaea in 325, they were confronted with the task of explaining the relationship between the Father and the Son. They had two Greek words at their disposal in order to explain this relationship — <> and <>. <> means that the Son (Jesus) is of the same essence or substance as the Father, while <> means that the Son is of a similar essence or substance as the Father. The first makes Jesus God, the second does not. The first is the orthodox teaching of the Church, the second is heresy. There is only one iota of a difference between these two words — literally the letter “i”. 

This Greek word <> is translated into Latin as <> and as we see in the revised English language Missal as “consubstantial.” As the Church prays together that Jesus is “consubstantial with the Father” we are expressing as clearly as our language will allow our belief that Jesus is God and in doing so confirming our belief in the Most Holy Trinity. While the Son (Jesus) is not the Father, He shares the same substance as the Father — here we have the beginning of our Trinitarian theology. 

Finally, the phrase, “born of the Father” can be confusing if we think within the context of time. But remember, God exists outside of time. To say that Jesus was “born of the Father” might suggest that there was a time when He was not, when He did not exist; and this would certainly be true if we omitted the second part of the phrase, “before all ages.”  The second half of the phrase reminds us that Jesus is begotten within the framework of eternity — outside of time. In other words, there has never been a time when He was not.  He has always existed as the Son of the Father. 

X.

After the first reading comes the responsorial psalm, which is an integral part of the liturgy of the word and holds great liturgical and pastoral importance, because it promotes meditation on the Word of God. The responsorial psalm should correspond to each reading and should customarily be taken from the Lectionary.

The Psalms are poems, intended to be sung. They must be read as poems if they are to be understood. It has a unique style and structure of its own, very different from the poetry of our time. You will see 153 psalms in your bible, but three of them are just repetitions and so there are really only 150 of them. Seventy-three Psalms are attributed to David, but there is no sure way of dating any Psalm. Some are pre-exilic (before 587), and others are postexilic (after 539), but not as late as the Maccabean period (ca. 165).

The majority were composed originally precisely for liturgical worship. This is shown by the frequent indication of liturgical leaders interacting with the community (e.g., Ps 118:1–4).

It is appropriate that the responsorial psalm be sung, at least as far as the people's response is concerned. Hence, the psalmist or cantor of the song sings the verses of the psalm at the ambo or other suitable place. However, in order that the people may be able to join in the responsorial psalm more readily, the people remain seated and listen, but also as a rule take part by singing the response, except when the psalm is sung straight through without the response. If the psalm cannot be sung, then it should be recited in a way more suited to fostering meditation on the word of God.

Most Jews knew most of the psalms by heart. Some of the verses Jesus uttered on the cross are from the psalms and after the last supper he and the apostles went to the garden of Gethsemane singing Hallel psalms

The second reading usually from one of the letters of Paul. (may not reflect the theme of the day; very rarely it does). The Letters were written to the early Christian communities who were working out what it meant to be Christian. The Letters give advice about how the communities should live - how to deal with different issues as they arose. 

Sequence: The Sequence is optional, except on Easter Sunday and Pentecost. It is sung before the Alleluia.

Gospel Acclamation (Alleluia):

An acclamation of this kind constitutes in itself a rite or act, by which the assembly of the faithful praises and welcomes and greets the Lord who is about to speak to them in the Gospel and professes its faith in liturgical song. The Alleluia is sung by all standing, led by either the choir or a cantor, and if appropriate, it may be repeated. The verse itself is sung either by the choir or by the cantor.

The Alleluia is sung in every season outside Lent. During Lent in place of the Alleluia the verse before the Gospel is sung, as indicated in the Lectionary.

GOSPEL DIALOGUE:

Priest/Deacon:      The Lord be with you.

People:                  And with your spirit.

Priest/Deacon:      A reading from the Holy Gospel according to N.

People:                  Glory to you, O Lord.

[At the end of the Gospel, the Deacon, or the Priest acclaims:]

Priest/Deacon:      The Gospel of the Lord.

People:                  Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel Dialogue - explanation

The Holy Mass is a dialogue of love where, particularly within the Liturgy of the Word, God speaks to His people.

In Latin, there are two means of expressing the English word, “word.” The first is scriptum; it refers to the written word — that which you are reading now would fall into this category. The second is verbum. Verbum is the spoken or proclaimed word. The first is static, while the second is dynamic. Within the Church the scriptum is very important, as it is one of the means by which the faith of the Church is protected from error. However, verbum takes pride of place in the Church. It is through hearing that the faith is transmitted. The verbum is that which is proclaimed, giving life to the scriptum as well as life to the hearers of that word. As human beings we are by nature sacramental – we need that which is invisible and spiritual to be brought into the realm of the visible and corporal. At Mass, when the lector proclaims the Word of God (Verbum Domini), our God who remains unseen and who speaks in the recesses of our hearts becomes visible to our senses.

The priest prior to proclaiming the Gospel bows profoundly before the altar and privately seeks the Lord’s blessing by saying quietly, “Cleanse my heart and my lips, almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel.” The deacon seeks the blessing of the priest who stands in persona Christi capitis (in the person of Christ the head) before proclaiming the Gospel. The priest blesses him saying: “May the Lord be in your heart and on your lips, that you may proclaim his Gospel worthily and well, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Each of these prayers of blessing is to draw the priest or deacon’s attention to the fact that it is not he who speaks when the Gospel is proclaimed, it is Jesus Christ, the Word of God (Verbum Domini) who is speaking to His people.

It is also for this reason that the minister prior to reading the Gospel says, “The Lord be with you.” To which the people respond, “And with your spirit.” It is a recognition that the Spirit of the Lord is uniquely present in the person of the minister because of ordination, and that it is from this Spirit that the minister dares to give life to the written word (scriptum).

After the minister has announced which account of the Gospel will be read, he and the people prepare themselves to hear the Lord speaking by blessing their minds, their lips and their hearts. Through this gesture, they are purifying their minds, lips and hearts so that they will not only hear God speaking, but allow it to infuse the interior of their life (through the heart and mind) but also to overflow into their actions and words (through the lips).

As the proclamation concludes we recognize once again that we have listened to the Word of God, we praise the one who speaks — “Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.” And finally, the minister as a sign of love and devotion to the Lord, kisses the Gospel while saying silently, “Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped away.”

IX. (Explanation of the Mass)

The second part of the Mass is the Liturgy of the Word. Every act in the life of the Church is based on the word of God that is found in the Bible. The word of God is proclaimed, heard and explained.  God’s word leads us to celebrate the Eucharist. God’s word directs us to live our lives in a renewed and transformed way in the world.

We are seated for the first two reading: Sitting is a posture of receptivity; it is also the position of the learner, showing that we are ready to be taught by God’s word. Here is another moment in the Mass when we may be tempted to day dream. We often become passive when we sit (when we watch TV, for example). Recognizing this temptation we can make a conscious effort to strengthen our attention.

It is hard to be nourished by something we do not understand. Scripture is not like an intravenous feeding, dripping automatically into our souls. It is like good, hearty bread that must be bitten and chewed and digested in our consciousness. It is an active process.

The results of personal weekly preparation of the Scripture readings for mass cannot be calculated. It can deepen your relationship with the Lord immediately. If you can share your scriptural preparation with your spouse, your children, or your friends, so much the better. You will grow even faster then, in ways you cannot now suspect. Even after the Mass discuss as a family how we can practice a virtue taken from the word that day.

Readings, at least two readings, one always from the Gospels, (3 on Sundays and solemnities) make up the Liturgy of the Word. In addition, a psalm or canticle is sung.

These readings are typically read from a Lectionary, not a Bible, though the Lectionary is taken from the Bible.

What's the difference between a Bible and a Lectionary?

A Lectionary is composed of the readings and the responsorial psalm assigned for each Mass of the year 

How is the Lectionary arranged?

The Lectionary is arranged in two cycles, one for Sundays and one for weekdays.

The Sunday cycle is divided into three years, labeled A, B, and C. 2017 is Year A. In Year A, we read mostly from the Gospel of Matthew. In Year B, we read the Gospel of Mark and chapter 6 of the Gospel of John. In Year C, we read the Gospel of Luke. The Gospel of John is read during the Easter season in all three years. The first reading, usually from the Old Testament, reflects important themes from the Gospel reading. The first and the third reading usually have the same theme. The second reading is usually from one of the epistles, a letter written to an early church community. These letters are read semi-continuously. Each Sunday, we pick up close to where we left off the Sunday before, though some passages are never read.

The weekday cycle is divided into two years, Year I and Year II. Year I is read in odd-numbered years (2011, 2013, etc.) and Year II is used in even-numbered years (2010, 2012, etc.) The Gospels for both years are the same. During the year, the Gospels are read semi-continuously, beginning with Mark, then moving on to Matthew and Luke. The Gospel of John is read during the Easter season. For Advent, Christmas, and Lent, readings are chosen that are appropriate to the season. The first reading on weekdays may be taken from the Old or the New Testament. Typically, a single book is read semi-continuously (i.e., some passages are not read) until it is finished and then a new book is started.

The year of the cycle does not change on January 1, but on the First Sunday of Advent (usually late November) which is the beginning of the liturgical year.

In addition to the Sunday and weekday cycles, the Lectionary provides readings for feasts of the saints, for common celebrations such as Marian feasts, for ritual Masses (weddings, funerals, etc.), for votive Masses, and for various needs. These readings have been selected to reflect the themes of these celebrations.

Since May 19, 2002, the revised Lectionary, based on the New American Bible is the only English-language Lectionary that may be used at Mass in the dioceses of the United States, except for the current Lectionary for Masses with Children which remains in use.

VIII. Gloria 

The Gloria is a joyful response to the forgiveness received in the Penitential Act. When it was first introduced to the Roman liturgy in 5th Century, it was sung only at the midnight celebration of the Nativity of our Lord. It is called the “Angelic Hymn” because it begins with the song of the angels that was heard at the birth of Jesus Christ.
x(The ‘Gloria’ is a very ancient and venerable hymn in which the Church, gathered together in the Holy Spirit, glorifies and entreats God the Father and the Lamb." (GIRM 53)

It is a basic creedal statement about the Church's belief in who God is and what He has done through the person of Jesus Christ. As Catholics, we believe in One God, who is a communion of three persons — the Almighty Father to whom the praise of the Sacred Liturgy is always directed; the Only Begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, who has become the sacrificial Lamb of God and takes away the sins of the world; and the Holy Spirit who is alone holy with the Son while radiating the glory of the Father.

Glory to God in the highest,Lk 2:14
and on earth peace to people of good will.

Here and during the Sanctus ("Holy, Holy, Holy") we take upon our lips the words of the angels. Joining our voices to the angels is a reminder that, in the Mass, Heaven and earth are mystically joined: "In the earthly liturgy we take part in a foretaste of [the] heavenly liturgy." (Vatican II, Sacrosanctum Concilium 8).

The “peace to people of good will” announced by the angels is one of the characteristics of the eternal covenant established through Jesus Christ: “I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them.” (Ezek 37:26)

The Gloria continues with praise of God the Father for His majesty:
We praise you, we bless you, Bar 3:6; Ps 145:2
we adore you, we glorify you, Rev 4:11; Rom 11:36; 1 Cor 6:20
we give you thanks for your great glory,1 Chr 16:24; 2 Cor 4:15
Lord God, heavenly King, Rev 4:8; Tob 13:7; Dan 4:37
O God, almighty Father. Gen 17:1; 2 Cor 6:18

Here we carry out two of the four ends of prayer: adoration and thanksgiving. We praise, bless, adore, glorify, and thank God for the glory He has revealed to us. It might seem a little repetitive, but those words do not all have the exact same meaning. The abundance of words is a reminder of how constant our praise of God should be. It is also a sign of our inability to describe our response to God’s greatness with just one or two words.

The next part focuses on God the Son, Jesus Christ: the Father and the Son are both invoked as “Lord God,” affirming the equality of the Father and the Son. After invoking Jesus by several of His titles, we pray a three-fold litany asking Him to have mercy on us and hear our prayers:

Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,Jn 1:14,18
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,Rev 1:8; Jn 1:29
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; Jn 14:13
you are seated at the right hand of the Father, Col 3:1; Heb 8:1  have mercy on us.

Through invoking Jesus by these titles, the Gloria describes our faith in Who Jesus is. This displays the catechetical power of the prayers of the Mass.

We again ask the Lord for mercy (twice) and we beseech Him to hear us when we pray. These four ends of prayer – adoration, thanksgiving, contrition, and petition – are summed up here in the hymn we sing most Sundays of the year. The Gloria, along with the Our Father, should be a model for personal prayer: glorify God and give Him thanks first, then present your needs to Him.

The hymn ends with a brief Trinitarian doxology. We profess the Son, the Spirit, and the Father as the one Holy and Most High Lord:

For you alone are the Holy One,Rev 15:4
you alone are the Lord, Isa 37:20
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, Ps 83:18
with the Holy Spirit, Rom 8:9; 1 Pet 3:8
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.Lk 9:26; Jn 1:14; Phil 2:11

The word “alone” here might be misleading. It does not mean that Jesus is alone, for God is a living communion of three Persons, and neither the Father, nor the Son, nor the Holy Spirit can be “alone.” Rather, it means “only,” in the sense that there is only One Who is Holy, the Lord, the Most High, and that One is three Persons. The affirmation that Jesus Christ is the Most High is another clear identification of Jesus with God.

Because of the joyful nature of the Gloria, it is omitted in more somber occasions, such as the Advent or Lent. During those seasons, the Catholic Mass takes on a simpler and more penitent character.

The Collect: The opening prayer as the name indicates collect the prayerful intentions of the people who are gathered for worship. The Collect is packed with profound theology. It is compactly composed and generally includes an invocation of God and a description of what God has done , a specific petition and a conclusion that directs the prayer to the Father, through the Son and the communion of  the Spirit. The collect concludes the introductory part of the Mass.