Why the "Celebrated" Word ?

In the Catholic Church we are comfortable with the knowledge that the Lord is present among us; at Mass, we know that we receive him when we go to Holy Communion. We are a people who are not disturbed by the idea of the Lord's presence.

In 1963, the Second Vatican Council produced its first great document, which was about the Sacred Liturgy. In section 7, there is a teaching about the presence of the Lord: "Christ is present in the sacrifice of the Mass, not only in the person of his minister...but especially under the Eucharistic elements. By his power he is present in the sacraments, so that when someone baptises it is really Christ himself who baptises." This is familiar to most of us, and is part of our spiritual lives.

What may be less familiar is what follows: "He is present in his word, since it is he himself who speaks when the holy Scriptures are read in the Church." The readings at Mass, therefore, are another way in which the Lord is really present among us; in his celebrated Word the Lord speaks to us today as clearly as he spoke to his disciples.

Those who read, therefore, need to know this. Such a marvellous task - to be the mouthpiece of the Lord, to speak his words - demands care, reverence and preparation. The simple aim of this production is to help our readers achieve that, so that our diocese may hear the Lord's words more clearly.

How to use this Guide

This publication only talks about those readings which are proper to the parish reader. It makes no mention of the Psalms and Acclamations because ideally these should be sung by a cantor or choir. The Gospels too are only mentioned in as much as they help our understanding of the readings. 'The Celebrated Word' is a guide for the preparation of the readings, and this is the first point that must be emphasised. To achieve a true proclamation of the living word of God, there is no substitute for careful preparation of the texts. This preparation must consist of three things:

1. Understanding The reader should understand as clearly as possible what he or she is reading. This means checking pronunciations and meaning of words, difficult names, awkward phrases.

2. Technique The reader should work out where to pause and breathe in order to get the meaning across; also there should be some consideration of voice, tone, speed and 'colour'.

3. Prayer This is the word of God. Therefore before it can be proclaimed it must be prayed. In silence we see what God says to us - then we proclaim it to others.

To prepare your readings, always have a copy of the text in front of you: read it carefully, then look at the comments in this booklet; go back to the reading, and look at it again. Then spend some time in quiet prayer, asking the Lord to help make the message clear. This booklet is aimed at helping you in the process of preparation, so that all those you serve by reading may listen to the Word of the Lord more diligently, and so hear the Lord speak more clearly.