Fed by the Living Word

The Church is nourished spiritually at the table of God’s word and at the table of the Eucharist: from the one it grows in wisdom and from the other in holiness. In the word of God the divine covenant is announced; in the Eucharist the new and everlasting covenant is renewed. The spoken word of God brings to mind the history of salvation; the Eucharist embodies it in the sacramental signs of the liturgy.

It can never be forgotten, therefore, that the celebration of Mass in which the word is heard and the Eucharist is offered and received forms but one single act of divine worship. That act offers the sacrifice of praise to God and makes available to God’s creatures the fullness of redemption.

Introduction to the Lectionary 10.

In the readings… God speaks to his people, opening up to them the mystery of redemption and salvation, and offering them spiritual nourishment; and Christ himself is present in the midst of the faithful through his word. By their silence singing the people make God’s word their own… Finally, having been nourished by it, they pour out their petitions in the Prayer of the Faithful for the needs of the entire Church and for the salvation of the whole world.

Silence – The Liturgy of the Word is to be celebrated in such a way as to promote meditation, and so any sort of haste that hinders recollection must clearly be avoided. During the Liturgy of the Word, it is also appropriate to include brief periods of silence, accommodated to the gathered assembly, in which, at the prompting of the Holy Spirit, the word of God may be grasped by the heart and a response through prayer may be prepared. It may be appropriate to observe such periods of silence, for example, before the Liturgy of the Word itself begins, after the First and Second Reading, and lastly at the conclusion of the Homily.

General Instruction of the Roman Missal 55–56

Things to do

• Read the Gospel of the day before you go to Mass.  That reading is often the key to understanding the other readings and prayers of the Mass.

• When listening to or reading the scriptures, listen out for the word, or phrase or sentence that particularly strikes you. It might be a word of encouragement or of challenge. But if it strikes home it has something to say to you. Allow the word space to speak to you; ponder it in your heart; and then bring your response to the word to the Lord in prayer.

• Many people find it is easier to listen to the Scriptures in a group. The discipline of being with others helps sustain a time of meditation; hearing how the word speaks to others can help us to better appreciate its richness. Simple guidelines for scripture groups can be downloaded from the Praying the Mass section of the diocesan website. Parish readers in particular can find such groups a great assistance as they take up their responsibility of ministering the word in their parish.