Are Catholic Christians “Bible Christians?” The resounding answer is “Absolutely YES!” As Catholics we believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God written in the words of man. Catholics are indeed Bible Christians and perhaps there is no other aspect of our faith that exemplifies this than the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The structure of the Mass, its words and gestures, and even its built-in theology are embedded in the pages Sacred Scripture.
The handout for the class can be found here.
Read what class members say about the class here.
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Session 1, Part 1 – As Catholics the Mass is the center of our faith. Where does it come from? Is it based on Sacred Scripture? We begin with the rich symbolism that greets us as we come into church and the ritual acts that are performed.
Session 1, Part 2 – continues with a history of the Sign of the Cross, invoking the Lord by name, honor and reverence given the tabernacle, the altar, and the importance of singing. Then we take a look at each section of the Mass beginning with the Procession.
Session 2, Part 1 – This session includes the Introductory Rite, the history and significance of the altar, the Penitential Act and a line-by-line discussion of the Glory to God and its scriptural references.
Session 2, Part 2 – continues with the Collect or Opening Prayer and then begins a discussion of the Liturgy of the Word covering the First and Second Readings, the Responsorial Psalm, and the importance of the Lector in proclaiming God’s Word.
Session 3, Part 1 – This session discusses the link between the readings, the responsorial psalm and the gospel; the significance of the “Alleluia” gospel acclamation; and the rituals associated with the Gospel reading.
Session 3, Part 2 – covers the Gospel reading and Homily and how each allows God to reveal himself to us. The importance of the role of the homilist in interpreting sacred scripture is also discussed.