The Liturgy of the Word - Part 5

Part five of a series I'm writing for inclusion in the weekly Parish Bulletin for the Catholic Parishes of Dungog & Gresford

This eight-part series was originally published on the original The Doohan Discourse across May and June 2023.

When the Deacon or Priest has reached the Ambo, the appointed passage from one of the Gospels is proclaimed by them, drawing in parts from the same ritual format as the First and Second Readings that have preceded it.

The GIRM has this to say about the particular significance of the Gospel:

The reading of the Gospel constitutes the high point of the Liturgy of the Word. The Liturgy itself teaches the great reverence that is to be shown to this reading by setting it off from the other readings with special marks of honour, by the fact of which minister is appointed to proclaim it and by the blessing or prayer with which he prepares himself; and also by the fact that through their acclamations the faithful acknowledge and confess that Christ is present and is speaking to them and stand as they listen to the reading; and by the mere fact of marks of reverence that are given to the Book of the Gospels. (n.60)

The first thing to note, perhaps, is that the proclamation of the Gospel properly belongs to a Deacon. Therefore, if a Deacon is present, they will always proclaim the Gospel.

Only if a Deacon is not present, should a priest proclaim the Gospel, and then the preference is that the Presider does not proclaim the Gospel unless no other option is available. This is the case we encounter in most parishes, but it is not the normal practice.

This is because the proclamation of the Gospel is a ministerial act, not a presidential act, i.e., it is not something that is attached to the role of the Presider.

The second thing to note is that the proclamation of the Gospel begins with the greeting “The Lord be with you”, but without the extending of the hands. Again, this distinguishes the action as a ministerial rather than a presidential act. Following the announcement of where the passage comes from, there is a response from the Assembly which is not present for the First or Second Readings. This response highlights the particular significance of the reading coming from the Gospel.

At the conclusion of the Gospel’s proclamation, there is a similar ending, i.e., “The Gospel of the Lord”, though the book is no longer held up to the Assembly when the Deacon or Priest says this. This older habit misplaced the focus from the verbal proclamation of the Gospel to the book itself, which is not the focus.

After the Assembly’s response, the Deacon or Priest kisses the book from which the Gospel has been proclaimed. Strictly speaking, only the Book of the Gospels should be reverenced in such a way, but the dearth of such books, particularly in smaller parishes, means that kissing the Lectionary has grown to be an acceptable adaption at this point of the liturgy.

Kissing the Book of the Gospels (or the Lectionary) is only the second item that an ordained minister reverences with a kiss during the liturgy—the other is the Altar at the beginning and end of Mass. Both the Altar and the Book of the Gospels are intimately connected with Christ, which is the reason they are honoured in such a way.

With the proclamation of the Gospel concluded, the Liturgy of the Word continues with the Homily—but we’ll talk about that in Part 6!

To be continued...