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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Have you not considered that the people you mention in your post above are now protestants, like yourself?
Y’all have so much in common.
16“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. John 14:16 NASB
6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 NASB
11This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. Eph 3:11-12 NASB
14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16 NASB
31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Romans 8:31-35 NASB
14This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. 1 John 5:14-15 NASB
Yes...Christians do have a direct connection with God. A priest is not needed.
It's sad the Roman Catholic cannot equally say that.
Do you know a better way of documenting a statement that is true when someone else flat out denies it?
Fabricated????????????????????????????
Every word is true. My mom was exposed to SB beliefs for decades and appears to have assimilated very little of it.
You think that is a lie?
Why don’t you answer my question first before you begin yours?
Why don’t you answer my question first before you begin yours?
Not a Roman Catholic one.
It is estimated a Roman Catholic who attends only Sunday Mass and Major Feasts will hear 40.8% of the NT and 3.7% of the OT over a three year period.
Pre-Vatican II results were worse with only 16.5% of the NT and 1% of the OT were heard.
http://catholic-resources.org/Lectionary/Statistics.htm
This would not even be considered Bible study in Evangelical circles.
The Roman Catholic is leaving 59.2% of the NT unheard and an astounding 96.3% of the OT unheard.
What is your "church"'s calendar? And what "bible" do you subscribe to?
Calendar? You have to have a calendar to tell you what to read and when?
I personally use the NASB and the Greek for the NT. The NASB is the most literal English translation available of the original languages.
I'm enrolled in my last NT Greek Exegesis class. We're studying James this semester.
For this class we're required to write to papers. One, a background paper on James and then an exegetical paper on one of seven passages selected by the professor.
Only academic commentaries are allowed for the exegetical paper and we must use a minimum of six. We have to break down the Greek, explain it, understand the context, etc.
That's real Bible study to me.
I'm trying to pick up Hebrew.
Which Bible does the Roman Catholic read?
I can't answer to what you "wonder" about.
LOL! Have you looked in a clean mirror lately? Are you now identifying as a Protestant since you reject your Pope(s) and Vatican II? You know, Martin Luther was excommunicated and a hit was put out on him for doing far less.
I'm enrolled in my last NT Greek Exegesis class. We're studying James this semester.
For this class we're required to write to papers. One, a background paper on James and then an exegetical paper on one of seven passages selected by the professor.
Only academic commentaries are allowed for the exegetical paper and we must use a minimum of six. We have to break down the Greek, explain it, understand the context, etc.
Pride, even false pride, is a sin.
If you read and study only James in one semester, how can you read the entire bible in a year?
I can read the Bible myself without nutty study groups.
Thanks. I’m always looking for good titles for our RCIA lending library.
LOL
Martin Luther was a Catholic priest. So was Jorge Bergoglio.
Tell me the difference between the two.
Most welcome!
Go to Ealgeone's post #68. He gives statistics about what the average Catholic receives of actual Bible reading in the three-year Mass cycle. My really simple question was, is a Catholic aware of how little they actually hear of the Bible in Mass. No rambling, nothing abstract about it. Are YOU aware of this? yes or no?
But can you understand it on your own without a priest to tell you what it means?
Roman Catholics have been telling everyone else you cannot do that.
And you condemned BOTH! How are you not also a Protestant? A rose by any other name....
And all of the daily readings which include the Old Testament and the Psalm for that day.
Neither you nor ealgeone has explained how the entire Bible is read in your “protestant” church services in a year or whatever calendar y’all go by.
Why don’t you two go talk amongst yourselves and get your story(s) straight.
The above statement is false. But I'm not surprised, coming from you.
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