what does the bible say about going to mass
I remember an impactful talk given by Dr. Scott Hahn in an Atlanta habitation a little less then a twelvemonth agone. In it he compared Catholics' knowledge of the Bible to children'due south knowledge of the streets in their hometown, not so much by knowing the street names, but from the retention of walking through them their whole lives. He underlined how the Liturgical hermeneutic, reading the Bible in the Mass, allows us to experience and know the Scriptures.
St. Paul authored the first Letter to the Thessalonians, the first certificate from the New Testament to be written downwards, around A.D. 51-52. This means that at that place were about 19 years in which the only Scriptures the early Christians had was the Old Testament. The New Attestation would come about by Christians writing down the teachings and events of the Life, Decease, and Resurrection of Jesus, with some explaining these things through letters, like Commencement Thessalonians.
The importance of Scripture is highlighted in the Catholic religion, as it is 1 of two modes of transmission of the Divine Word of God, His Revelation of Himself to man so that nosotros might not merely know nearly God, but know Him personally. The Scriptures, along with Oral Tradition, the other means past which nosotros take received God's Word, let united states of america to come up into contact with God'due south Revelation of Himself. These 2 unique communications of this Revelation meet in the Mass, where the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist form together for mankind the highest and well-nigh meaningful prayer.
Therefore nosotros can accurately say that in the Mass is the best identify to read the Bible. An analogy may exist fatigued with the works of Shakespeare. While for some, Shakespeare's plays are a piffling disruptive at times, they are nonetheless wonderful stories to read. Moreover, an interesting aspect of these stories is that they were not but meant to be read in a book. They are meant to exist acted out on a stage. To exist seen live in person, with the words heard as they are pronounced in iambic pentameter.
And so too are the Scriptures meant to be performed, non at a playhouse, but in the Mass. In the center of the Church, with the Source and Elevation of Grace, the Eucharist, we are able to experience the Scriptures. The Mass is drenched with the Bible. From the prayers of the priest to the responses of the people, and the very deportment within this Holy Celebration, we see the Scriptures brought to life. We might not run into the Centurion and his servant when nosotros quote Matthew viii crying out, "Lord, I am non worthy that you should enter under my roof, simply simply say the word and my soul shall be healed". Okay, we say soul, he said servant, but the message is even so the same. Furthermore, we hear the Word proclaimed in the Liturgy of the Give-and-take.
In fact, it was the Holy Spirit guiding the Early Church in choosing which readings of that time should be proclaimed in the Liturgy of the Word that helped to form the Canon itself. We can say that the New Testament was assembled in the Mass. And if we wait at the management in which both the Quondam Testament and the New Testament become, both separately and united, we can run into that we are guided by the Scriptures to the Mass. The Israelites were formed and somewhen brought to the Promised Land, and were given a Temple to worship in. The Temple Life was active around the time of Jesus and He was very happy with most of what was going on at that place. However, He came to give us more, and the Scriptures bring united states of america to what He does in the Upper Room. Moreover, Acts 2:42 gives us a glimpse of the life of the Early on Church after Christ'due south Resurrection: "And they held steadfastly to the Apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers."
The Breaking of Bread refers to the Eucharist. At to the lowest degree that's what St. Paul communicates in 1 Corinthians 10:16, "The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the Body of Christ?"
The Scriptures lead us to the Mass and the Mass gives united states the Scriptures. The relationship between the two highlights the heavy commemoration of the Word of God by the Catholic Church building. Information technology besides connects us to the Scriptures as we participate in the Heavenly Liturgy we read about in the Book of Revelation.
Then we run across that not only is attending Mass a great fashion to read the Bible, it is irreplaceably the best way to read the Sacred Page. Or better however, to breathe the Sacred Page as we truly human activity out the Bible past going to Mass. In fact, in the Mass, the whole person experiences the Scriptures, body and soul.
In each part of the Mass, the human person is either continuing, sitting, or kneeling. And in each part of the Mass, the human is either praising God through His Words, adoring God with His Words, or Reflecting on God in His Words. When we stand up we pray and receive God through the Scriptures; when we kneel nosotros adore and exalt God with the Scriptures; and when nosotros sit, we reflect and meditate on God in the Scriptures.
Furthermore, through our responses taken directly from the Bible, we allow for the Scriptures to motility through united states, using all three powers of the human soul, the memory, the intellect, and the will. In this style, we are not only passive in the Liturgy, but are actively participating.
With the retentiveness, we memorize the responses to think and proclaim and further remember the stories of Scripture every bit they are read to us over again and once again over the course of our lives. We are assenting to the Scriptures with our intellects, receiving them and reflecting on them equally they too are proclaimed back to us throughout the Mass. Finally, we use our wills to choose to participate through the responses with the Holy Words of the Scriptures, and laurels God through them. This last part is true love, attaching the heart to the listen'southward and body's participation.
The Scriptures are then breathed in and out of the Mystical Body of Christ at every Mass united together throughout the whole World. Moreover, we have the same Scriptures at every Mass to drive the heartbeat of the Church to one rhythm filling our veins with grace, as we not just allow God's Word to one time again build us upwards from clay, just besides to cover our bones with the flesh of nobility, and so redeem u.s.a. through His sacrifice and Resurrection. This same Mystery, proclaimed to us in the very Word, is again and again re-presented to united states of america in the Mass, while the words that commencement inform us and remind united states of it are actually proclaimed.
In this way, nosotros see the greatest method to read the Bible and know its truths. In the Mass, we are not but given a map of the Bible, non even a street view, but in a mystical way, an experience of the Bible. In the Mass, we jiff, nosotros speak, and sing the Words of the Sacred Page every bit actors in the Liturgical Play. Permit u.s. continue to commit ourselves to giving our best in each performance. May God be with us all.
'Every bit the Mass moved on, however, something hit me. My Bible wasn't just beside me. It was before me—in the words of the Mass! I line was from Isaiah, another from the Psalms, another from Paul. The feel was overwhelming. I wanted to cease everything and shout, "Hey, tin can I explain what's happening from Scripture? This is smashing!" Notwithstanding, I maintained my observer status. I remained on the sidelines until I heard the priest pronounce the words of induction: "This is My body… This is the cup of My blood."'
— The Lamb's Supper: The Mass As Heaven On Earth by Scott Hahn (former Presbyterian minister)
Image: Signum-Crucis
Source: https://ignitumtoday.com/2021/09/30/read-bible-going-mass/
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