Episode Transcript  

One

The Structure Jesus Gave the Mass

The Mass has kept the same basic structure through the centuries, a structure that remains unchanged even today. It consists of two great parts that form one single act of worship: The Liturgy of the Word, which is the gathering, the readings, the homily, and the prayers of the faithful. And the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the presentation of the bread and wine, the consecration, and Holy Communion.

The Catechism (1347) teaches that this is the very structure Jesus Himself gave us: first at the Last Supper, and again on the day of His Resurrection, when He celebrated the “second Mass” with the disciples on the road to Emmaus. As they walked, He opened the Scriptures to them. Then, seated at table, “He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.”

Two

Liturgy of the Word 

After the Introductory Rites comes the Liturgy of the Word, the readings and the homily. On Sundays and Solemnities, we have: The First Reading, which usually from the Old Testament. And from Easter to Pentecost, it comes from the Acts of the Apostles. Then we pray the Responsorial Psalm. The Second Reading is taken from the New Testament Letters or from the Book of Revelation. On weekdays, the pattern is simpler: The First Reading is from the Old Testament, Acts, or a New Testament Letter, depending on the season. Then comes the Psalm, and finally the Gospel.

After each reading, the reader proclaims, “The Word of the Lord,” and we reply, “Thanks be to God.” In that moment, we are saying, “Thank you, Lord, for speaking to me today through Your Word.”

Then comes the high point: the Gospel. The deacon or priest announces, “A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.” He signs the book, and we sign our forehead, lips, and heart as we respond, “Glory to you, O Lord.” That little “triple cross” is an embodied prayer, “May the Word of God be in my mind, on my lips, and in my heart.”

Three

Fed from the Word of God 

As we said, the liturgy of the Word and liturgy of the Eucharist together form one single act of worship in which we are fed from both the table, the Word of God, and of the Body of the Lord. It is easier to see how God wants to feed his children with the Eucharist because we actually come up to receive and eat the Bread of Life, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. But we can easily miss how God also wants to feed us with His Word in the readings. 

The Prophet Ezekiel gives us a powerful image of being fed from the Word of God. God said to Ezekiel, “Son of man, stand up; I am going to speak to you.” As he said these words the spirit came into me and made me stand up, and I heard him speaking to me… “You, son of man, listen to the words I say; do not be a rebel. Open your mouth and eat what I am about to give you.” I looked. A hand was there, stretching out to me and holding a scroll. He unrolled it in front of me; it was written on back and front…He said, “Son of man, eat what is given to you; eat this scroll, then go and speak to the House of Israel.” I opened my mouth; he gave me the scroll to eat and said, 'Son of man, feed and be satisfied by the scroll I am giving you'. I ate it, and it tasted sweet as honey.”

It is easy to let our minds wander during the readings and miss the food God is offering us. Yet Jesus reminds us, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4). If we come to the table of the Eucharist but ignore the table of the Word, we are walking away half-fed.

Four

God’s Word to Us 

So many people say to me they feel like God is silent and never speaks to them. But God’s chosen way to speak to us is by His words to us in the Bible. God Himself is the author of Sacred Scripture. He inspired the human writers so that they wrote faithfully and exactly what He wanted, nothing less and nothing more.

The Catechism tells us, “In Sacred Scripture, the Church constantly finds her nourishment and her strength, for she welcomes it not as a human word, but as what it really is - the word of God.” In the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet his children and talks with them. CCC 104

God created a way to speak to you every day through Sacred Scripture. And for that, we must pay attention. If we approach the Bible as nothing more than an old book written by men, we will miss the voice of our Father. But when we receive it as the living Word of God, speaking to us in this very moment, then we begin to recognize His voice. Really that is all we need to do when we come to the Liturgy of the Word. Know that God is speaking to you. Just pay attention.  

Five

Anamnesis 

In the readings, not only is God speaking to us, but He is making the events present. The Catechism tells us that, “In the Liturgy of the Word, the Holy Spirit “recalls” to the assembly all that God has done for us. (1103) This is called the Anamnesis, which means to recall or remember. It is the opposite of Amnesia, to forget.

However, (CCC 1104) The Mass and the Sacraments, “not only recalls the events that saved us, but…there is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that makes the unique mystery present.”

Think of one scene from the Gospel or from The Chosen that moved you. “Oh, how I wish I could have been there,” you might think. When those events are read at Mass, the grace of the event is made present for you, like the Leper being cleansed, the call of the Apostles, the forgiveness of the woman caught in adultery. The Holy Spirit makes the grace of those events present so that what took place then can take place in us. 

Suggested Resolutions:

Choose one resolution for today to help you grow closer to God, or create your own. Here are some ideas to inspire you. 

• Pay attention to the Liturgy of the Word the next time you are at Mass, remember that the scene is made present in the Gospel.

• Spend time with the Gospel each morning, picturing yourself within the scene, understanding the reality of Jesus’ teachings.

If you enjoyed this meditation, subscribe below.