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Year of Renewal in Worship and Prayer Part 2—The of the Word Archdiocese of San Francisco Ritual Study “C”

The

For your bulletin or newsletter For ministers and study groups The Gospel Procession The procession with the of the is not a Do you have in your mind a of words to mandatory ritual element in the , but it does add live by? Many of us do. Many Christians’ little considerable distinction to the proclamation of the collections will no doubt include quotes from one or Gospel. When performed regularly and with care, it more of the Gospels. The Church as a whole and will lead a community to revere the Gospels with even individual Christians revere the Gospels of Jesus greater passion. Christ. They hold a special place in the Church’s The Gospel Procession should be carefully rehearsed so Tradition. In the Church’s worship, when the that it may be carried out with due grace and . Gospel is Times of rehearsal with the ministers provide proclaimed, we REMEMBERING opportunities to discuss the significance of various hear the voice of the WORD of symbols that are present in the liturgy. Whether it be Christ. The the Book of the Gospels, or the , the introduction to the GOD , or candles, the ministers of the liturgy Book of the treat these symbols with respect and devotion, not Gospels tells us, “Be doers of the word only during the liturgy itself but at all times. How “While the whole and not hearers only. disconcerting it is to see a processional cross being corpus of the James 1:22 carried before or after Mass as if it were just another Scriptures is stick or pole, or the Book of the Gospels being treated as venerated by the Church as the word of God, the if it were any old book off the shelf. In an age when Gospels have always been proclaimed as the very words and explanations are overabundant, sometimes voice of her Bridegroom.” we do best to give renewed attention to the non-verbal

elements of the Mass — sacred signs and rites that carry It’s no surprise, then, that we give special honor to meaning because of the realities they signify. the Book of the Gospels, a that contains all of the Gospel texts from the For Discussion for Mass for Sundays, feast days and ritual masses. • How well does our community treat sacred symbols? Is As the or takes the Book of the there a way to handle the symbolic elements of the Gospels from the altar, we honor it by liturgy with reverence without becoming overly accompanying it to the ambo with incense, candles scrupulous? • and singing the or, during , one of the Are there any efforts we could make to better coordinate the procession with the Book of the Gospels with the seasonal acclamations. The procession and our singing of the Gospel Acclamation? How are they accompanying song are the way that we embody the related? reverence for the Gospel that we hold in our minds and hearts. For Faith Sharing • The Gospel has changed my life in the following way … Question of the Week • The symbolic elements of the Mass that are the most • How is our community witnessing to the Gospel by our powerful for me are ...

For further : Lawrence J. Johnson, : A Study of the Structural Elements of the Order of the Mass (Revised ). Washington, DC: Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions, 1981, 2003. 41-43. Paul Turner, Let us Pray: A Guide to the of Sunday Mass. Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 2006. 70-73.