Apologetics Toolbox

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Michael_Conard

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Worked on this one for a bit, and thought it might be useful for some of you. I know some (not all) Protestants are under the impression that the Catholic Church does not view sacred Scripture as important. Here is a good amount of info that you can draw upon should the topic ever come up:

"To my Protestant friends who may be under the impression that the Catholic Church attempts to “suppress” sacred Scripture, I’ve put together a list of all the times that Scripture is used in the Mass, which is most commonly understood as the time that Catholics come together to worship on Sunday. (Note: I’ve taken the specific readings listed in this post from next Sunday’s Mass, September 28th, 2014, the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time.)
  1. At the very beginning of the Mass, we sing an introitum hymn (latin for “entrance”). It is a song taken from Scripture. Next Sunday, for our entrance hymn, we will sing Daniel 3:29-31,42-43.
  2. Immediately following this, the Priest greets the congregation with the same salutation that St. Paul used in 2 Corinthians 13:14 (or 1 Chronicles 22:11; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2), to which the congregation responds with another Pauline address (2 Timothy 4:22; c.f. Galatians 6:18; Philippians 4:23; Philemon 25). Throughout the Mass you’ll also find the use of “Amen” (Romans 11:36; c.f. 1 Chronicles 16:36; Matthew 6:13; Revelation 5:14, etc.).
  3. After the greeting the entire congregation publicly confesses to God and to each other that they have sinned. We call this the penitential act, and it is based on 1 John 1:9 and James 5:16; c.f. 1 Corinthians 11:28. In this way we prepare ourselves for the breaking of the bread (another name for the Mass; see Acts 2:46). During the spoken confession we reference and appeal to several Scriptural passages (James 5:16; 1 Chronicles 21:8; James 3:6, 4:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:25; c.f. Psalms 41:4; Matthew 5:28; Luke 10:30-37; there are two other penitential prayers that may be said, depending on which the Priest chooses, which call upon the following Scriptures, almost completely verbatim: Baruch 3:2; Psalms 85:8a,b, 147:3; Matthew 9:13; Romans 8:34). While making this public confession we put our fist to our breast (either once or thrice) in imitation of the tax collector who beat or struck his breast in anguish over sinning against God (Luke 18:13).
  4. Next we sing or say “Kyrie Eleison, Christe Eleison, Kyrie Eleison” (Greek for “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy”), which we find in part prayed by those in the Old Testament (LXX; see Isaiah 33:2; Psalms 9:13; c.f. Psalms 4:1, 6:3-4, 25:11,16, 31:9, 41:4, 51:1, 57:1, 121:3, 123:3; Tobit 8:4, etc.) as well as the New Testament (Luke 17:23; c.f. Matthew 15:22; 9:27, 17:15, 20:30; Mark 10:47; Luke 16:24).
  5. The Kyrie is succeeded by the Gloria. It is also said or sung as a form of worship and adoration to God, and includes numerous Scriptural passages both referenced and taken word-for-word (Luke 2:14; Revelation 7:12, 19:6; John 1:29; Romans 8:34; Revelation 15:4; Luke 1:32; c.f. Psalms 83:19; 2 John 3; Luke 4:34; John 14:26).
  6. The first reading from sacred Scripture next Sunday is Ezekiel 18:25-28.
  7. The Responsorial Psalm is taken directly from the Psalms in the Bible. The cantor and choir sing several verses, with the congregation responding in song after every verse with a common phrase from the Psalm. Next Sunday the Responsorial Psalm that we will sing is Psalms 25. The link that you see accompanying this Facebook post is a recording of the cantor singing one of the verses from last Sunday’s Responsorial Psalm (the specific verse he is on during the recording is Psalms 145:17-18), followed by the congregation responding in song (in the recording the congregation responds with Psalms 145:18).
  8. The second reading from sacred Scripture next Sunday is Philippians 2:1-11.
  9. We then sing the Gospel Acclamation, which first involves the cantor singing “Alleluia, Alleluia” (Revelation 19). He then sings a verse from Scripture (next Sunday John 10:27 will be sung) and closes again with “Alleluia, Alleluia.”
  10. Before reading from the Gospel, but after the Gospel Acclamation, the Priest and the congregation exchange a formal greeting, similar to the earlier salutations. These come directly from 1 Chronicles 22:11 and 2 Timothy 4:22; c.f. Galatians 6:18; Philippians 4:23; 2 Thessalonians 3:16; Philemon 25.
 
  1. The Gospel reading is read from one of the four Gospels. Next Sunday’s Gospel reading comes from Matthew 21:28-32.
  2. After the Gospel reading and the Homily (Gr. “homilia,” a commentary after a Scripture reading; see 1 Corinthians 15:33. Similar to “homiloun,” Luke 24:14; and “homilei,” Acts 24:26) the entire congregation makes a profession of faith by reciting the Nicene Creed, in which we find numerous Scriptural references (Ephesians 4:6; Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Luke 1:35; Colossians 1:15,17; John 1:1-2,4-9,14; 1 John 5:20; John 10:30, 1:3,10, 6:38, 1:14; Mark 15:15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Acts 1:9-10; Colossians 3:1; Mark 13:26; 2 Timothy 4:1; Luke 1:33; 2 Corinthians 3:17; John 6:63, 15:26, 16:7; Ephesians 3:5, 4:4, 5:27, 2:20, 4:5; Acts 22:16; 1 Corinthians 15:42; c.f. Genesis 14:19; Hebrews 11:3; John 3:16; Hebrews 1:3; John 14:9-10; Romans 11:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Luke 1:34-35; Matthew 1:18; Hebrews 2:14; 1 Peter 2:24; John 19:16; Luke 23:46; Matthew 27:59-60; Mark 9:31; Acts 10:40; Luke 24:45-46; Mark 16:19; 1 Peter 4:5; 2 Corinthians 3:6; John 14:16; Matthew 4:10 & Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:10-11; 2 Peter 1:21; Romans 12:4-5; Ephesians 1:4; Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12-13; Romans 6:4-5; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1).
  3. At this point we say several prayers to God in preparation to receive the Eucharist. During this time, the transubstantiation of the bread and wine is accomplished. It is not my intention in this specific post to get into a doctrinal discussion of the Real Presence; rather, I simply seek to point out that during these prayers and preparations the Priest and the congregation both reference Scripture and at times pray it through direct quotation: 1 Chronicles 29:10; John 6:35; Psalms 89:52; Daniel 3:39-40; Psalms 51:4; Hebrews 12:28; Psalms 50:23; 1 Chronicles 22:11; 2 Timothy 4:22; Lamentations 3:41; Colossians 3:17; John 1:3; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Timothy 1:10; Isaiah 6:3; Mark 11:9-10; 2 Maccabees 14:36; 1 Corinthians 11:23-25; Matthew 26:26-28; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Timothy 3:16; 1 Corinthians 11:26; Romans 6:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:14; Psalms 89:16; Romans 8:15b-17; Romans 11:36; Ephesians 4:3; Revelation 4:11; Matthew 6:9-13; Titus 2:13; Jude 25; John 14:27; c.f. Psalms 104:13-15; James 5:7; John 6:48; Matthew 26:29; 1 Corinthians 10:4; Romans 9:5; Psalms 66:1-2; Colossians 1:3,13; Matthew 1:18; Revelation 4:8; Matthew 21:9; Numbers 11:9; John 10:17-18; Luke 22:19-20; Mark 14:22-25; John 4:42, 6:35,48; Psalms 116:22f; Deuteronomy 10:8; John 11:51-52; 1 Corinthians 10:17; 2 Maccabees 12:45-46; Luke 11:2-4; John 20:19,21; Romans 16:16
  4. Before we receive the Eucharist we pray, either by saying or singing, the Agnus Dei (Latin for “Lamb of God”). We recite the words of John 1:29, and ask Christ to have mercy on us and grant us peace. (c.f. John 6:53-54,51; 1 Corinthians 11:29). Also, as a greater part of this final prayer before receiving the Eucharist, we quote Revelation 19:9 and Matthew 8:8.
  5. As the congregants approach the altar to receive the Eucharist, the cantor and the choir sing the communion hymn, which next Sunday will be the Scripture passage from Psalms 119 (118):49-50, or 1 John 3:16.
  6. After receiving the Eucharist the congregation is blessed and dismissed, and we exchange one final salutation with the Priest (1 Chronicles 22:11; 2 Timothy 4:22; if the Mass is presided over by a Bishop: Psalms 113:2, 124:8; if the Mass is presided over by a Priest: Luke 7:50; 2 Corinthians 3:14; 2 Corinthians 9:15; c.f. Luke 24:50-51; John 20:21; Mark 16:5; 1 Corinthians 10:31).
So, what happens now? Maybe you are thinking to yourself, “There’s no way there is that much Scripture in a Catholic gathering!” Well, perhaps you should find out for yourself, by going to Mass next Sunday :)"
 
I was invited to an SDA group I can’t get out of. I’m bookmarking this – I have a feeling this will come up.
 
Wonderful resource-- happy to have it. Thanks for all the hard work.

The only caveat I’d mention is for people to not play into the modern Protestant idea that everything the Church does must be proven by some passage in the bible, as if biblical proof-texting is superior to the simple belief that Jesus started and runs His Church.
 
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