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DWELL IN THE WORDFormation for Lectors and PsalmistsArchdiocese of Cincinnati

Presenters: Emily Strand, M.A. and

Fr. Paul Colloton, OSFS, D.Min.“Sower at Sunset,” VanGogh (1888)

MEET YOUR PRESENTERS

+ LET US RECALL GOD’S PRESENCE AMONG US

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LET US LISTEN TO THE WORD

https://youtu.be/k5lEnpPVA6k(Wisdom 7: 26, 27b-30)

LET US SING OUR PRAISE“Holy Wisdom, Lamp of Learning” (R. Duck)

displayed with permission: AOC OneLicesnseA-702663

https://youtu.be/ZszyI7T82PM

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LET US PRAYprayer adapted by Diana Macalintal for Give Us This Day, May 2020 edition

AMEN +

THIS EVENING WE WILL:

�Share a few words for our times�Engage with Theology of the Word of God�Engage with Theology of our Liturgical Ministry�Meet a bold witness to faith and ministry

�Invitation to think about practical applications

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photo: BoredPanda.com

SOME WORDS FOR OUR TIMES

� “unprecedented”� “uncertain”� “cancelled” or “postponed”� “the new normal”� “social distancing”� “we’re all in this together”

SOME WORDS FOR OUR TIMES

� “How are you?”� “Yes, I have time.”� “I miss you.”� “Thank you.”� “I’m sorry.”� “Remember when…” and “I’ll see you soon.”� “I love you.”

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THE POWER OF WORDS

� dabar: Hebrew for both “word” and “deed”� evidenced in Genesis 1-2: God creates through speech

� Throughout scripture, when God speaks, stuff happens.

� “Your all-powerful word from heaven’s royal throne leapt into the doomed land,a fierce warrior bearing the sharp sword of your inexorable decree.” (Wisdom 18:15-16a)

� “Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

THE SYMBOLIC POWER OF WORDS

� “… the Greek verb symballein means ‘to throw together’ or ‘to put in a relationship.’ Its opposite is diaballein, from the Greek root diaballein, meaning ‘to break apart’ or ‘to separate.’” (Kevin W. Irwin, The Sacraments: Historical Foundations and Liturgical Theology, 253)

� Words which recount scriptural events and realities invite us into union with those events and realities, here and now…

� …Just as certain words invite us to loving relationship with one another (and others don’t).

THE SACRAMENTAL POWER OF WORDS

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

All things came to be through him,and without him nothing came to be.

What came to be through him was life,

and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1: 1-5)

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LET US STAND AND SING“Praise To You, O Christ Our Savior” (B. Farrell)

! " 44Refrain

#$ %$ $ $Praise to you, O

$ $ $ $ $Christ, our Sav-ior,

$ $ $ $ $Word of the Fa-ther,

$ $ $ $ &call-ing us to life;

! " #$ %$ $ $Son of God who

$ $ $ $ $leads us to free-dom:

$ $ $ $ $ $ $glo-ry to you, Lord Je-sus

#& 'Christ!

! "Verses

$ $ $ #$ %$2.!You3.!You4.!You

1.!Youareareare

arethethethe

theoneWordWord

Wordwhomwhowho

who

$ $ $ $ $ $proph -callsbinds

callsetsusus

ushopedtoand

outandbeu -

oflongedser -nites

dark -for;vants;us;

ness;

! " $ $ $ #$ ($YouYouYou

Youareareare

arethethethe

theoneWordWord

Wordwhowhosewho

who

$ $ $ $ &speakson -calls

leadstolyus

ususlawto

in -to -isbe

today;love;one;

light;

! " $ $ $ #$ ($YouYouYou

Youareareare

arethethethe

theoneWordWord

Wordwhomadewho

who

$ $ $ $ $ $leadsfleshteach -

bringsuswhoes

usto

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throughoura -for -

thefu -

monggive -

des -ture:us:ness:

ert:

! " $ $ $ $ $ $ $Glo -Glo -Glo -

Glo -ryryry

rytototo

toyou,you,you,

you,LordLordLord

LordJe -Je -Je -

Je -sussussus

sus&

D.C.)Christ!

Christ!

Christ!

Christ!

Text: Bernadette Farrell, b.1957Tune: Bernadette Farrell, b.1957© 1986, Bernadette Farrell. Published by OCP Publications.

Praise to You, O Christ, O ur Savior

displayed with permission: AOC OneLicesnseA-702663

https://youtu.be/mybxBzhONyU

THE POWER OF PROCLAMATION

� What does it mean to “proclaim” rather than to “say” or “read aloud”?

� Proclaim: to effect, to enact� Vigil reading from Exodus

� “Lord, send out your Spirit…”

� Requires attentive listening and cooperation with what is proclaimed…

� …especially when it requires us to change.

image: the National Archives

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“[…] the word of God unceasingly calls to mindand extends the plan of salvation, whichachieves its fullest expression in the liturgy. Theliturgical celebration becomes therefore thecontinuing, complete, and effective presentationof God’s word.”

– Lectionary for Mass: Introduction ¶4

PROCLAMATION IN THE LITURGY

WHAT IS OUR ROLE?

“But in order that the liturgy may possess its fulleffectiveness, it is necessary that the faithful cometo it with proper dispositions, that their minds beattuned to their voices, and that they cooperatewith divine grace, lest they receive it in vain.”

− Sacrosanctum Concilium ¶11

“The treasures of the Bible are to be openedup more lavishly, so that a richer share inGod’s word may be provided for the faithful.In this way a more representative portion ofholy Scripture will be read to the people inthe course of a prescribed number of years.”

− Vatican Council II: Sacrosanctum Concilium ¶51

VATICAN II AND THE WORD

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VATICAN II AND THE WORD

�significantly re-emphasized role of scripture in liturgy

�gave greater emphasis to homily as means of breaking open scripture

�restored the Prayers of the Faithful�increased volume of scripture in liturgy

A RICHER SHARE

� formerly a one-year cycle of readings� 17% of New Testament and <1% of the Old Testament

� now a three-year (Sunday) and two-year (weekday) cycle

� 13.5 percent of the Old Testament (not counting the Psalms)� 54.9 percent of the non-Gospel New Testament

� 89.8 percent of the Gospels

� 71.5 percent of the entire New Testament � source: Fr. Charles Grondin, “Percentage of the Bible in the Lectionary” on Catholic.com;

referring to Felix Just, SJ, Catholic Resources for Bible, Liturgy, Art and Theology

REVISED LECTIONARY FOR MASS (1969) � Far greater exposure to the whole canon of scripture than

previously� conscientious ordering of Scripture

� Second Reading: “semi-continuous” from New Testament� First Reading and Gospel: relate, bring insight to one

another� Responsorial Psalm: bridge of meaning, emotive response to

First Reading and Gospel

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WHAT HAVE BEEN THE FRUITS OF THIS “RICHER SHARE”?

Please add your thoughts in the chat.

“When this dynamic [of speaking, listening to and appropriating God’s word] occurs in the liturgy, the proclaimed word recreates us in God’s image and likeness and reshapes us to adjust how we look at and live life.”

- Kevin W. Irwin, The Sacraments: Historical Foundations and Liturgical Theology, 252

INTEGRATION OF LITURGY AND LIFE

Level 1: We show up, we observe the formalities of the rite

Level 2: We become Christ’s Body, a place of divine encounter for the world

Level 3: We become credible witnesses to God in the world; we live the divine life

Mark Searle, Called to Participate (Liturgical Press, 2006)

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BLESSED AMONG US: FRANZ JÄGERSTÄTTER

https://youtu.be/nMtrwfz6p5M

What was different about this man? Why could he so clearly see the truth about the Nazis, when so many refused to?

Bl. Franz Jägerstätter (1907-1943, beatified, 2007), feast day May 21

Asked by his pastor to serve his parish as “sexton” (sacristan + server/Mass coordinator + janitor/maintenance)

Learned the necessary Latin responses in “an amazingly short time”

Remembered as “a thoroughly dedicated sexton who had done his work exceptionally well”

“A thoroughly devout man” who “objected strongly to people talking and gossiping in the sacristy, and he made a hard and fast rule that anyone who did not belong there had to stay out.”

Gordon Zahn, In Solitary Witness: the Life and Death of Franz Jägerstätter (Beacon Press, 1964)

A Hidden Life, Film, directed by Terrence Malick (2019)

art by William Hart McNichols

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On his grave marker:“Franz Jägerstätter

[Family Farmer] and Sexton”

photo: agensir.it

Beloved: Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.

For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the Spirit. (1 Peter 3: 15-18)

“WITNESS” IN GREEK IS “MARTYR”

� All ministry is rooted in Baptism into the death and life of Christ (both/and)

� How can we give ourselves more fully to our ministry of Proclamation?

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PRACTICAL SKILLS-BUILDING FOR LECTORS AND PSALMISTS

Next week

See you next week!

Question and Answer