The Lamb’s Supper, Lesson 4.5

The Lamb's Supper: The Bible and the Mass

Lesson Four: Fulfilled in Your Hearing: The Liturgy of the Word

Lesson Objectives

  1. To understand Scripture as the living Word of God.
  2. To understand the place of Scripture at the center of the liturgy.
  3. To see Scripture as an encounter with Christ, the living Word of God.
  4. To see how the Liturgy of the Word prepares us for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

V. Study Questions

1. How is the Liturgy of the Word like the Eucharist?
2. In what ways does Luke's story of the road to Emmaus parallel our Christian liturgy?
3. In what ways did Moses' proclamation of the Law parallel our Christian liturgy?
4. What fundamental change in perspective happened the moment Jesus proclaimed in the synagogue, "Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing"?
5. What made the writings of Peter and Paul different from ordinary human writings?
6. Where were many of the Apostles' letters first heard?

For prayer and reflection:

Do we always keep in mind that we are meeting Christ when we hear the Word of God proclaimed at Mass? How can we better show our love and reverence for the Word?

Begin Lesson 5

Lesson Outline

  1. Communion with the Word of God
    1. The Lord Be With You
    2. The Word on the Road
  2. God-Breathed
    1. No Ordinary Book
    2. Inspired Oracles of God
  3. The Word in the Liturgy of Israel
    1. The Place of Scripture
    2. The Liturgy of the Synagogue
  4. The Word in the Liturgy of the Church
    1. The Scripture Fulfilled
    2. Meeting Christ in Scripture
  5. Study Questions

Other Lessons

  • Lesson One: A Biblical Introduction to the Mass
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. 1. To understand basic Catholic beliefs about the relationship between the Bible and the Liturgy.
    2. To understand the biblical basis for the Mass.
    3. To understand how in the Mass, the written text of the Bible becomes Living Word.

    Begin Lesson One

  • Lesson Two: Given for You - The Old Testament Story of Sacrifice
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To understand the biblical background to the Penitential Rite and the Gloria in the Mass.
    2. To understand how God is worshipped in the Old Testament.
    3. To understand the biblical notion of sacrifice as it is presented in the Old Testament.

    Begin Lesson Two

  • Lesson Three: One Sacrifice for All Time
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To understand the death of Jesus Christ on the cross as a sacrifice.
    2. To see the parallels between the Old Testament sacrifices and the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
    3. To understand how that sacrifice is re-presented to us in the Mass.

    Begin Lesson Three

  • Lesson Five: Heaven On Earth: The Liturgy of the Eucharist
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To understand the deep biblical foundations for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
    2. To see how the Book of Revelation describes the liturgy of heaven.
    3. To understand how the Mass we celebrate on earth is a participation in the liturgy of heaven.

    Begin Lesson Five

  • Lesson Six: Memory and Presence: Communion as the Coming of Christ
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To understand the deep biblical foundations of Jesus’ command that the Eucharist be celebrated “in memory of Me.”
    2. To see how Scripture portrays Jesus as the Passover Lamb and how that portrayal is reflected in the Mass.
    3. To understand the Eucharist as parousia, the “coming” of Christ, and as the “daily bread” we pray for in the Our Father.

    Begin Lesson Six