Scripture in the Catholic Mass

[Rocky]

In another thread someone wondered how much of Sacred Scripture is used in each Catholic Mass. So I think it would be good to perhaps think about that.

The Mass is broken into two parts— Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Eucharist

The beginning of every Mass has an Entrance Antiphon which comes from the bible. Today’s antiphon is from Jer 31:10 & Is 35:4 : Nations, hear the message of the Lord, and make it known to the ends of the earth: Our Savior is coming. Have no more fear.

There is an Opening Prayer and then (on Sundays and Holy Days) a reading from the Old Testament, a Psalm, and a reading from an epistle in the New Testament.

Then everyone will stand to hear a reading from one of the four Gospels.
This coming Second Sunday in Advent will have the following readings:
Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72; Romans 15:4-9; and the Gospel of Matthew 3:1-12

I have done the easy part in listing the Sacred Scripture of the first part of the Mass.

Does anyone want to help out here and jump in with any of the four Eucharistic Prayers to show how much of those prayers actually come from Scripture?

 

[JRKH]

Well I’ll toss out two easy ones. The Consecration and the Lords Prayer. The prayer before communion is also (or will soon be restored to) from the Gospel. It is what the Centurian said to Jesus when Jesus offered to come to his house.
“Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof…”

Peace
James

 

[Carlan]

Well I’ll toss out two easy ones. The Consecration and the Lords Prayer. The prayer before communion is also (or will soon be restored to) from the Gospel. It is what the Centurian said to Jesus when Jesus offered to come to his house.
“Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof…”

Peace
James

I usually simply say the liturgy of the Mass is full of it,
But Rocky is right we should try to memorize Chapter and verse,especially for, you know, those who are sticklers for it. Peace, Carlan

 

[Corki]

I know I am taking this out of order but wanted to point out that in the Gloria, the following Scripture verses are used:

Lk. 2:14
Rev 19:6
Rev 22:9; Eph 5:20; Rev 7:2
II Jn 3; Phil 2:11; Jn 1:29
Rom 8:34
Lk 4:34; Lk 1:32
Jn 14:26

and the Penetential Rite (first form) includes:

James 5:16
Rom 12:16; James 3:6
I Thes 5:25
Rev 5:11, 6:9
Rev. 2:5,16,21; 3:3; 16:11
I Jn 1:9



Tobit 8:4; I Tim 1:2;Psm 51

 

[Joe_5859]

I don’t have the time to type out the whole thing (), but I would point people to Fr. Stravinskas’ book The Catholic Church and the Bible. Pages 83-106 (all of which is viewable online via Google Books except for pages 92-93) lay out the current Order of the Mass and show where each of the prayers comes from in Scripture. It’s quite handy.

 

[Esdra]

I usually simply say the liturgy of the Mass is full of it,
But Rocky is right we should try to memorize Chapter and verse,especially for, you know, those who are sticklers for it. Peace, Carlan

Hi,

yes, this is what I so much like about the Protestants! Most of them will say Book, Chapter and Verse when they read something out of the Bible.

And for me that’s very important, considering the Bereans in Acts 17:10-12:

"10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. "

in Christ,
Esdra

 

[Rocky]

Wow, you all came up with so much right away. But I bet there is a lot more.
Of course reading Fr. Stravinskas book would probably be best.

One that I thought of was the Holy, Holy, Holy that is said before the Eucharistic Prayer-- which comes from Revelation I think.

 

[Esdra]

Wow, you all came up with so much right away. But I bet there is a lot more.
Of course reading Fr. Stravinskas book would probably be best.

One that I thought of was the Holy, Holy, Holy that is said before the Eucharistic Prayer-- which comes from Revelation I think.

Hi,

there is one from Rev. and onr from from Isaiah 6:3
Holy Bible:

**Isaiah **6:3 (New American Standard Bible)

3And one called out to another and said,
“(A)Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts,
The (B)whole earth is full of His glory.”

Cross references:

1. Isaiah 6:3 : Rev 4:8
2. Isaiah 6:3 : Num 14:21; Ps 72:19

Holy Bible:

**Revelation **4:8 (New American Standard Bible)

8And the (A)four living creatures, each one of them having (B)six wings, are (C)full of eyes around and within; and (D)day and night they do not cease to say, “(E)HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE (F)LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, (G)WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME.”

Cross references:

1. Revelation 4:8 : Ezek 1:5; Rev 4:6, 9; 5:6; 6:1, 6; 7:11; 14:3; 15:7; 19:4
2. Revelation 4:8 : Is 6:2
3. Revelation 4:8 : Ezek 1:18; 10:12
4. Revelation 4:8 : Rev 14:11
5. Revelation 4:8 : Is 6:3
6. Revelation 4:8 : Rev 1:8
7. Revelation 4:8 : Rev 1:4

 

[Reuben_J]

Wow, you all came up with so much right away. But I bet there is a lot more.
Of course reading Fr. Stravinskas book would probably be best.

One that I thought of was the Holy, Holy, Holy that is said before the Eucharistic Prayer-- which comes from Revelation I think.

The Holy, Holy, Holy or the **Preface Acclamation ** can also refer to Is 6:3 followed by Mk 12:9-10, the Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem. As in Rev, Is 6 alludes to Isaiah’s vision of the winged creatures worshipping the Lord; and in Mk 12 the people welcomed Jesus, ‘blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’. This is in preparation for the Consecration as the bread and wine will be changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus, the Lord and the King.

The awesomeness of the mass is that almost every word uttered has its origin from the Bible. The mass is so Biblical.

 

[Sam_777]

Once I have travelled abroad and I visited a Catholic Church, but I have noticed that there is no actual Bible book, only other books used during the Mass like the sunday missal, is that a standard in every Catholic Church?

 

[Theophorus]

Once I have travelled abroad and I visited a Catholic Church, but I have noticed that there is no actual Bible book, only other books used during the Mass like the sunday missal, is that a standard in every Catholic Church?

Yes that is the standard in every Catholic Church. Part of the reason is because as Catholics wherever I go on a Particular Sunday I will hear the same readings regardless of Country or Language the Readings for today the Second Sunday of Advent will be the same worldwide. The Sunday Missal and the Lectionary are books where the Bible readings for that particular day are arranged for convince and for easy access rather than having to flick from the Old testament to a Psalm to the New Testament(or Back to the Old Testament again) then on to The Gospel for the Liturgy of the word it is contained in a couple of pages so people can focus on the readings and not get sidetracked it is still biblical text. there are also ancient prayers based on the biblical text used during the Mass which are contained in the Missal.

God Bless

 

[KathleenGee]

Sam,

At the beginning of the Mass, the server carries a cross, followed by the lector who carries the Gospel readings…and then the priest (presbyter at Mass) follows. We go to the side. The priest then enters the sacred space and goes over to our left to greet us. Then he, as Christ’s minster, and in Christ, gives us absolution on behalf of Christ for our ordinary day to day sins. The Glory to God is also proclaimed.

Then we sit. The first lector goes up to the pulpit, where the readings are said, and opens the Lectionary. This contains the Old and New Testament Readings along with the Psalms, but not the Gospel, reserved for the priest representing Christ and His teachings.

When we listen to the Old Testament, it is as if we are in great arena, a coliseum, seeing the events of the Jewish people all over again. We hear of their lives, troubles, conflicts, abandonment of God, and return. We become partners to their history and part of them at the Liturgy of the Word.

Then we hear the psalms…the spirituality of the Old Testament. Many times it is in music, the choir leading and praying the psalms in music, and then we responding with the responsorial in musical prayer. Here we partake in the same spirituality the Jews participated in.

Then we go to the Acts of the Apostles, the Letters of St. Paul, St. John, St. Paul, Timothy, St. James…these refer to the beginnings of the foundation of the Church among the many people and cultures in the ancient world. We also hear the apostles and teachers rebuking the people for the same human issues we have today. So we also identify with the early believers as well as learn how the Apostles and their successors established the Church among them.

After that, we stand, and the priest rises to give us the Gospel. He then gives us a homily. The priest follows guidelines on the topic of the Liturgy of the Word, not just the same readings…so people around the world are getting the same message or same point. So we grow together in understanding, no matter what country…and all this is supported and nourished by the Holy Spirit.

After the Homily (Sermons are used to preach on a certain need the people need to know – may be a new error or a mission), the priest and the congregation then profess our Creed…the Sunday Mass uses the Nicene Creed. On weekdays we use the Apostles Creed. The Nicene Creed came about several hundred years later because the people were beginning to forget that Christ was also True Man.

We say the prayers of the faithful, and we pray for all who suffer in the world…everyone, and for our separated Christian brethren who are not in full communion with us…as well as any particular needs of our culture.

Then we go into the offertory…here we reflect when we sit, to offer to Jesus all our concerns, worries, and all our daily efforts to be given to Him, and He becomes part of us and then together with Jesus, we are then offered to the Heavenly Father as the only perfect sacrifice.

Our righteousness is not found in ourselves but only in Jesus Christ…the only atonement for sin in the world.

God bless you, today Resurrection Sunday, the greatest feast day in the Church – ordinary Sunday because it celebrates the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 

[Jim_Dandy]

Hi,

yes, this is what I so much like about the Protestants! Most of them will say Book, Chapter and Verse when they read something out of the Bible.

And for me that’s very important, considering the Bereans in Acts 17:10-12:

"10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. "

in Christ,
Esdra

The Bereans were searching the messianic prophecies of the Greek Septuagint OT (abbreviated LXX) – the Scriptures of St. Paul and the Apostles. The LXX was used to evangelize the entire Mediterranean world in the first century. It’s prophecies substantiated that Jesus is the Messiah. The Septuagint is rejected by most Protestants. Go figure.

Chapters were added to the biblical text for the first time in 1227 by Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury (when England was Catholic).

Verses were added by a (Catholic) French printer, Robert Estienne, in 1551.

So when Protestants quote chapter and verse, they are adding to the Word.

Peace, Jim Dandy

 

[Esdra]

Hi Kathleen,

that’s a really nice explanation of mass - but what is lacking is the heart-piece: the Holy Eucharist…

At the beginning of the Mass, the server carries a cross, followed by the lector who carries the Gospel readings…and then the priest (presbyter at Mass) follows. We go to the side. The priest then enters the sacred space and goes over to our left to greet us. Then he, as Christ’s minster, and in Christ, gives us absolution on behalf of Christ for our ordinary day to day sins. The Glory to God is also proclaimed.

Then we sit. The first lector goes up to the pulpit, where the readings are said, and opens the Lectionary. This contains the Old and New Testament Readings along with the Psalms, but not the Gospel, reserved for the priest representing Christ and His teachings.

When we listen to the Old Testament, it is as if we are in great arena, a coliseum, seeing the events of the Jewish people all over again. We hear of their lives, troubles, conflicts, abandonment of God, and return. We become partners to their history and part of them at the Liturgy of the Word.

Then we hear the psalms…the spirituality of the Old Testament. Many times it is in music, the choir leading and praying the psalms in music, and then we responding with the responsorial in musical prayer. Here we partake in the same spirituality the Jews participated in.

Then we go to the Acts of the Apostles, the Letters of St. Paul, St. John, St. Paul, Timothy, St. James…these refer to the beginnings of the foundation of the Church among the many people and cultures in the ancient world. We also hear the apostles and teachers rebuking the people for the same human issues we have today. So we also identify with the early believers as well as learn how the Apostles and their successors established the Church among them.

After that, we stand, and the priest rises to give us the Gospel. He then gives us a homily. The priest follows guidelines on the topic of the Liturgy of the Word, not just the same readings…so people around the world are getting the same message or same point. So we grow together in understanding, no matter what country…and all this is supported and nourished by the Holy Spirit.

Actually, I’m not sure if in Austria in masses the bible-readings are also that structured… could be. But normally we only have one reading which is normally from the Old Testament; Psalms are normally not read and actually it is quite seldom that psalms are song in Church (so my experience); and then the Gospel is read from the priest.
Presbyters are seldom (with liturgical clothes ect); normally the reading(s) is read by “ordinary people” of the local parish. On high feasts (like Easter or Christmas or Pentecost) there can be up to 3 or 4 readings.

After the Homily (Sermons are used to preach on a certain need the people need to know – may be a new error or a mission), the priest and the congregation then profess our Creed…the Sunday Mass uses the Nicene Creed. On weekdays we use the Apostles Creed. The Nicene Creed came about several hundred years later because the people were beginning to forget that Christ was also True Man.

As I also was Catholic once upon a time, I was wondering if in Austria in a mass also the Nicene Creed is spoken on Sundays and on Holy Days/Church festivals - don’t know the correct English term, sorry - and on workdays the Apostle’s Creed. As far as I know in Austria the Apostle’s Creed only is spoken in mass.

We say the prayers of the faithful, and we pray for all who suffer in the world…everyone, and for** our separated Christian brethren who are not in full communion with us**…as well as any particular needs of our culture.

I’ve never heard that in an Austrian mass.
I guess there we seperated brothers and sisters are more seen as a sect and are considered dangerous… - Atlhough according to official Church Doctrine this shouldn’t be (I’ve read here in CAF).

Then we go into the offertory…here we reflect when we sit, to offer to Jesus all our concerns, worries, and all our daily efforts to be given to Him, and He becomes part of us and then together with Jesus, we are then offered to the Heavenly Father as the only perfect sacrifice.

I’ve never heard about that either. Interesting explanation of the offertory. This means the offertory indeed does exist here too!

**

Our righteousness is not found in ourselves but only in Jesus Christ…the only atonement for sin in the world.

**

That’s one of the wonderfulst sentences I’ve ever read here in CAF.
I guess EVERY Christian, no matter with denomination or Church can agree and identify with this one. And I guess in every service/mass, whatever, this is the heart-thought - no matter how they celebrate it or how the Christian community is called.

God bless you, today Resurrection Sunday, the greatest feast day in the Church – ordinary Sunday because it celebrates the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

That’s also a wonderful sentence and I guess that also in every denomination the life death and resurrection of Christ Jesus is celebrated in their services.

You see what unites us all? The believe and deep love for Christ! Isn’t that wonderful?
So, we are united in Christ: There is no divided and scattered Church.
And as our pastor has put it last sunday: In heaven there will be neither Catholics, nor Baptists, nor Mennonites, nor Lutherans, nor Presbyterians, nor Anglicans, nor Pentecostals (etc.) - only Christians! - How wonderful is that?!

in Christ,
Esdra

 

[Esdra]

The Bereans were searching the messianic prophecies of the Greek Septuagint OT (abbreviated LXX) – the Scriptures of St. Paul and the Apostles. The LXX was used to evangelize the entire Mediterranean world in the first century. It’s prophecies substantiated that Jesus is the Messiah. The Septuagint is rejected by most Protestants. Go figure.

Chapters were added to the biblical text for the first time in 1227 by Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury (when England was Catholic).

Verses were added by a (Catholic) French printer, Robert Estienne, in 1551.

So when Protestants quote chapter and verse, they are adding to the Word.

Peace, Jim Dandy

Hi,

I really don’t want to dispute with you here, Jim.

And by the way: I don’t think that in the books you call deuterocanonical and I call apocryphal are important prophesies that state that Christ is the Messiah… (if you want to: give me examples if you know any.)
By the way: You Catholics also don’t have the entire Septuagint (LXX) in your Old Testament! (1 Esdras, 3 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees, Odes of Salomon [including the [COLOR=“Red”]Prayer of Manasseh] and Psalms of Salomon here]) - Even the (Russian) Orthodox Church does not include all of them (the ones in black). (But it has another apocryphal book, called 2 Esdras which is from the appendix of the Vulgate by St. Jerome and is a kind of revelation - btw. very intersting to read! It can be found in the Catholic Edition of the NRSV for example!)

The New Testament is a selection of writings about Jesus (and letters of his apostles) written after his death - and was canonized by the “first Christians” - typically referred to as Catholic.

So what do we, Protestants, add here?

in Christ,
Esdra

 

[KathleenGee]

Hi Esdra,

Thanks for getting back…I was explaining the Liturgy of the Word to Sam.

The Offertory begins the Liturgy of the Eucharist. I will share more after dinner…I am having a beautiful second Sunday of Advent…turned on Soundscapes on TV and doing my women’s group scripture study…haven’t got our tree up yet…reflecting…alot of long term events of family coming to its apex…alot of reflection on many things…

For now, if you can, check out EWTN…

 

[Sam_777]

Yes that is the standard in every Catholic Church. Part of the reason is because as Catholics wherever I go on a Particular Sunday I will hear the same readings regardless of Country or Language the Readings for today the Second Sunday of Advent will be the same worldwide.

Interesting, you mean whatever is written inside the Sunday Missal is identical worldwide?

Also, when I read once the Sunday Missal I have noticed that it ends in the 3ed week of November not the 4th week of December, why is that?

 

[Sam_777]

Sam,

At the beginning of the Mass, the server carries a cross, followed by the lector who carries the Gospel readings…and then the priest (presbyter at Mass) follows. We go to the side. The priest then enters the sacred space and goes over to our left to greet us. Then he, as Christ’s minster, and in Christ, gives us absolution on behalf of Christ for our ordinary day to day sins. The Glory to God is also proclaimed.

Then we sit. The first lector goes up to the pulpit, where the readings are said, and opens the Lectionary. This contains the Old and New Testament Readings along with the Psalms, but not the Gospel, reserved for the priest representing Christ and His teachings.

When we listen to the Old Testament, it is as if we are in great arena, a coliseum, seeing the events of the Jewish people all over again. We hear of their lives, troubles, conflicts, abandonment of God, and return. We become partners to their history and part of them at the Liturgy of the Word.

Then we hear the psalms…the spirituality of the Old Testament. Many times it is in music, the choir leading and praying the psalms in music, and then we responding with the responsorial in musical prayer. Here we partake in the same spirituality the Jews participated in.

Then we go to the Acts of the Apostles, the Letters of St. Paul, St. John, St. Paul, Timothy, St. James…these refer to the beginnings of the foundation of the Church among the many people and cultures in the ancient world. We also hear the apostles and teachers rebuking the people for the same human issues we have today. So we also identify with the early believers as well as learn how the Apostles and their successors established the Church among them.

After that, we stand, and the priest rises to give us the Gospel. He then gives us a homily. The priest follows guidelines on the topic of the Liturgy of the Word, not just the same readings…so people around the world are getting the same message or same point. So we grow together in understanding, no matter what country…and all this is supported and nourished by the Holy Spirit.

After the Homily (Sermons are used to preach on a certain need the people need to know – may be a new error or a mission), the priest and the congregation then profess our Creed…the Sunday Mass uses the Nicene Creed. On weekdays we use the Apostles Creed. The Nicene Creed came about several hundred years later because the people were beginning to forget that Christ was also True Man.

We say the prayers of the faithful, and we pray for all who suffer in the world…everyone, and for our separated Christian brethren who are not in full communion with us…as well as any particular needs of our culture.

Then we go into the offertory…here we reflect when we sit, to offer to Jesus all our concerns, worries, and all our daily efforts to be given to Him, and He becomes part of us and then together with Jesus, we are then offered to the Heavenly Father as the only perfect sacrifice.

Our righteousness is not found in ourselves but only in Jesus Christ…the only atonement for sin in the world.

God bless you, today Resurrection Sunday, the greatest feast day in the Church – ordinary Sunday because it celebrates the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Thanks KathleenGee, I have attended some Sunday Masses while abroad, it’s really spiritual.

However, to be honest with you I didn’t like the way of money contribution, it’s some sort of “pull method” versus “push method”, I mean I do not see it’s necessary to pass by everyone sitting in the Church with the baskets, what I feel is that if those baskets have fixed place in the Church and people just go there if they want to contribute.

 

[Jim_Dandy]

Hi,

I really don’t want to dispute with you here, Jim.

And by the way: I don’t think that in the books you call deuterocanonical and I call apocryphal are important prophesies that state that Christ is the Messiah… (if you want to: give me examples if you know any.)
By the way: You Catholics also don’t have the entire Septuagint (LXX) in your Old Testament! (1 Esdras, 3 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees, Odes of Salomon [including the [COLOR=“Red”]Prayer of Manasseh

] and Psalms of Salomon here]) - Even the (Russian) Orthodox Church does not include all of them (the ones in black). (But it has another apocryphal book, called 2 Esdras which is from the appendix of the Vulgate by St. Jerome and is a kind of revelation - btw. very intersting to read! It can be found in the Catholic Edition of the NRSV for example!)

The New Testament is a selection of writings about Jesus (and letters of his apostles) written after his death - and was canonized by the “first Christians” - typically referred to as Catholic.

So what do we, Protestants, add here?

in Christ,
Esdra

The Orthodox have added to and Protestants have subtracted from the canon of the original Bible.

My point was that chapters and verses that you deem so essential are a fairly recent addition to the biblical text. and that the Bereans read St. Paul’s Septuagint that most Protestants reject. St. Paul considered it Scripture, but you (and others) do not.

Those first Christians who selected and canonized 27 of the Catholic Church’s own writings and named them the New Testament – and canonized 46 writings of the Greek Septuagint inherited from Jesus and the Apostles and named them the Old Testament – and named the Church’s entire collection of sacred writings “the Bible” – were Catholic Bishops. The Church was then nearly 400 years old.

Pax Christi,

Jim Dandy

 

[Esdra]

The Orthodox have added to and Protestants have subtracted from the canon of the original Bible.

My point was that chapters and verses that you deem so essential are a fairly recent addition to the biblical text. and that the Bereans read St. Paul’s Septuagint that most Protestants reject. St. Paul considered it Scripture, but you (and others) do not.

Those first Christians who selected and canonized 27 of the Catholic Church’s own writings and named them the New Testament – and canonized 46 writings of the Greek Septuagint inherited from Jesus and the Apostles and named them the Old Testament – and named the Church’s entire collection of sacred writings “the Bible” – were Catholic Bishops. The Church was then nearly 400 years old.

Pax Christi,

Jim Dandy

Hi,

no the Orthodox haven’t added anything (except maybe 2 Esdras). They use more or less the whole septuagint. (See my previous post to you).

The Protestants use the Jewish Canon. I don’t see where your problem is.
Or tell me one important story of the deuterocanonical books that we lack because we don’t use them and consider them as apocryphal.

The Bereans didn’t need the what we call NT now because they had the teachings of the Apostles (you’re so famous Tradition). - This was later on canonized and is now called the NT.

So, actually, I still don’t get your point…

Esdra