Posted on 09/01/2017 1:40:56 PM PDT by NYer
The first part of the Catholic Mass is known as the Liturgy of the Word. It consists of the congregation listening to the word of God. The word “liturgy” means the rites and ceremonies of the Mass. During the Mass, trained parishioners called lectors read aloud two Scripture passages to the congregation; typically one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament. In between the readings, a psalm is sung or read. The readings are all found in the Bible, but the lectors read from a book known as the lectionary. This book contains Scripture, psalm and Gospel readings assigned for each day of the Church year. After the lectors complete their readings, a deacon or a priest (only an ordained minister) reads the Gospel.
On Sundays, the deacon or priest doesn’t use the lectionary but another book called the Book of Gospels, which is the book you see being carried during the opening procession of Sunday Mass; it is the same book the deacon or priest carries from the altar to the ambo and from which the Gospel is read. Neither the Scriptures nor the Gospel is randomly selected; they are set on a three-year schedule in a very regulated and assigned order (see sidebar). There are a total of four readings on Sunday and three during the weekday Masses.
The Scriptures always have been at the heart of Catholic teaching. On any given Sunday in every Roman Catholic parish around the world, the identical Scriptures, psalm and Gospel are read. This universal practice, this sign of oneness, is often a surprise to those inquiring about the Faith. The first reading on Sunday is most always from the Old Testament and tied to the theme of the Gospel for that day. The second reading is typically from the epistles of the New Testament. During the week, the one Scripture reading is from the Old Testament and, like Sundays, is connected to the Gospel.
In most every Catholic parish, instead of Bibles in the pews there are books known as Mass books (or missals) that contain not only the Sunday Mass readings but the prayers and sequence of the Mass. Weekly parish bulletins contain a list of daily readings for the forthcoming week so parishioners can use their Bible at home and prepare in advance.
The absence of Bibles in the pews goes back to an early period in the Church when Catholics, other than the clergy, were not encouraged to read the Scriptures because the Church was concerned that the ordinary person would not understand or would misinterpret God’s word. Additionally, especially in the Middle Ages, heretical movements against the Church resulted in erroneous and corrupt interpretations.
Until the 15th-century invention of the printing press, there were few copies of the Scriptures. Monks often manually hand-copied the Scriptures — a process that took years to complete. Consequently, each parish was fortunate if it had one handwritten copy, and that copy was secured in the church. Even if other copies were available, many parishioners couldn’t read anyway. Thus, the Scriptures were proclaimed verbally and then explained by the bishop or priest.
This situation changed somewhat with the invention of the printing press as more Bibles became available. Catholics, those who could do so, were encouraged to read the holy Scriptures, but they were cautioned to read only the Catholic version of the Bible, as there were many other versions with interpretations other than Catholic.
Today the Church hierarchy exhorts us to read and study the word of God. However, the Church remains concerned over the proper interpretation of the Scriptures and considers the magisterium — the teaching authority of the Church — the pope and bishops, as the one true teaching authority. If individual Catholics were encouraged to reach their own private conclusions on God’s word, there would be thousands of different interpretations and even splinter groups, each with their own set of conclusions — not unlike other churches today. The unity of our Church would be greatly impacted.
Once it was suggested to a Protestant that he read the wonderful story about Susanna found in Chapter 13 of Daniel. He said he didn’t know the story, but he would read it. The next day he said he was confused because there was no Chapter 13 in Daniel; further, he couldn’t find the story anywhere in the Bible. Well, Chapter 13 is in the Catholic Old Testament but not in the Protestant version. Catholics use a Bible that is different from that used by Protestants and, in fact, there have been occasions when the Catholic Church has been accused of adding books to the Bible. That is not the case.
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| How is the Lectionary Arranged? |
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The Lectionary is arranged in two cycles, one for Sundays one for weekdays. The Sunday cycle is divided into three years, labeled A, B and C — [2015 was Year B, 2016 was Year C, 2017 is Year A]. ... In Year A, we read mostly from the Gospel of Matthew. In Year B, we read the Gospel of Mark and Chapter 6 of the Gospel of John. In Year C, we read the Gospel of Luke. The Gospel of John is read during the Easter season in all three years. The first reading, usually from the Old Testament, reflects important themes from the Gospel reading. The second reading is usually from one of the epistles, a letter written to an early church community. These letters are read semi-continuously. Each Sunday, we pick up close to where we left off the Sunday before, though some passages are never read. The weekday cycle is divided into two years, Year I and Year II. Year I is read in odd-numbered years (2015, 2017, etc.) and Year II is used in even-numbered years (2014, 2016, etc.) The Gospels for both years are the same. During the year, the Gospels are read semi-continuously, beginning with Mark, then moving on to Matthew and Luke. The Gospel of John is read during the Easter season. For Advent, Christmas and Lent, readings are chosen that are appropriate to the season. The first reading on weekdays may be taken from the Old or the New Testament. Typically, a single book is read semi-continuously (i.e., some passages are not read) until it is finished and then a new book is started.”
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She didn’t learn that in a Baptist church
Like my wife’s short-lived attendance in an open bible study group.
Every single reading was interpreted by each individual, where each put their personal interpretation (spin) on it, and everyone in turn validated each other.
My very devout evangelical business partner says it is the single biggest problem they face.
No moral absolutes - every verse is wide open to everyone’s own interpretation.
Catholics concerned about watered-down Catholicism have little to concern themselves about compared to the free-wheeling anything goes interpretation of Protestantism.
AMDG
No, she didn’t learn that in church. She also didn’t learn what the Trinity contains from countless sermons. I guess the point is that being exposed to something does note equate to studying it.
Has Roman Catholicism produced an official verse by verse explanation of the texts?
Are you telling me that every article written by Msgr Pope we see posted has been approved by the Vatican?
Is every message delivered in Roman Catholic churches approved by the Vatican?
Further, is every message on Sunday the same in every Roman Catholic Church around the world with no deviation?
That's ridiculous...
Every verse and word in the NT is based off manuscripts and text that has a meaning and historical context...
Very little scripture in the NT is ambiguous...
The problem is people do not study God's word in depth and like having their ears tickled...
Great post!
Then you must not have been to a protestant bible study lately.
Free interpretation much like free association is encouraged - everyone is right all the time!
Protestants believe in the Priesthood of all Believers, which is to say that protestants believe that all Christians have a direct connection with God—there is no need to go through a Priest. That’s not to say that they don’t have Priests or Pastors or other figures of leadership, but they don’t fulfill the role of mediator between man and God, that they do in the Catholic tradition.
As such, every protestant believer is essentially expected to read scripture directly—not simply listen to teachings from scripture, presented by priests (as I know many Catholics choose to do).
This leads to two distinct phenomenon:
Some protestants try for a sort of “Lone Ranger Christian” approach, interpreting scripture on their own, sometimes cherry-picking the interpretations they like, discarding others.
This phenomenon is a point of great criticism from Catholics, but I believe is much more spoken about than actually experienced in practice.
The more common and practical experience is that by encouraging all protestants to do their own Bible study and interpretation, the end result is that all protestants interpret scripture. As the as Proverbs says, iron sharpen iron. When protestants examine scripture individually, and in groups, and discuss their views and opinions, it allows the group as a whole ownership over the interpretation, which can be a big benefit.
Of course, there can be drawbacks, and all methods of scriptural interpretation can be abused.
You can make book on the fact that Msgr Pope is in orthodox agreement with the Magisterium.
Hint: e-mail a bible verse of your choice, although I could suggest a few, to ten members of your church, sect or splinter group and ask the to spent some quality time interpreting the scripture for you.
The diversity of their responses should give any honest protestant of any denomination real concern.
But probably not for you cause your never wrong, just ask youself.
——but they don’t fulfill the role of mediator between man and God, that they do in the Catholic tradition.-—
Eph 4:11
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
Eph 4:12
for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
Eph 4:13
till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Eph 4:14
that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
Eph 4:15
but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
Eph 4:16
from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
I see you couldn’t answer my questions.
But that's not really the issue....the issue is he in agreement with the Word?
Hint: e-mail a bible verse of your choice, although I could suggest a few, to ten members of your church, sect or splinter group and ask the to spent some quality time interpreting the scripture for you.
Don't have to. I teach a class on Sundays. I use the Greek to help explain the intent of the writer of the passage(s) being studied. You would be surprised at the agreement over the verses. In full disclosure there is one member with a very different take on things.
The diversity of their responses should give any honest protestant of any denomination real concern.,
You mean like we see among Roman Catholicism on these threads?
There are some ready to excommunicate your current pope.
There are some who are Pre or post V2. Which one are you?
As you subscribe to Roman Catholicism do you support Unam Sanctam?
e-mail a bible verse of your choice, although I could suggest a few, to ten members of your church, sect or splinter group and ask the to spent some quality time interpreting the scripture for you.
The diversity of their responses should give any honest protestant of any denomination real concern.
Still can’t answer my questions I see.
Good job on your references. I’m saving it to my Favorites list. Prepare to be bombarded with denials and weasel words on why what really happened and has been documented isn’t really what happened.
Many other examples as well.
"Authority has a way of descending to certitude, and certitude begets hubris."
I wonder how many Catholics know that during Mass they are not hearing the entire Bible over those three-year cycles? Quite a bit is NEVER covered.
Gosh, that sounds like the same thing Antifa and the liberals say when someone dares express disagreement with them over something!
Can a person say why they dispute something about Catholicism and not be labled a "hater"? NYer posted this thread as an OPEN Religion Forum topic. It is an INVITATION for discussion and it criticizes non-Catholic Christians in the OP. Would non-Catholics be wrong to perceive this as "hatred" towards them? Perhaps you might check your own hatred?
And at what "church" do you hear the entire Bible?
What is your "church"'s calendar? And what "bible" do you subscribe to?
Baloney! Have you been paying attention to all the FR articles posted by certain RCs that criticize and condemn the Pope, Bishops and priests for their "watered down Catholicism"? How about the many polls that show increasing percentages of Catholics worldwide who either are ignorant of or flat out deny many of the basic tenets of Catholicism? Sure doesn't sound like any "freewheeling anything goes" has been avoided to me.
Where in the Bible does it say that the Bible needs to be read in its entirety?
For that matter, where in the Bible does it say the entire Bible must be in every pew at church?
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