Sacraments — Word of God
The Great Sacrament of the National Church
The Sacrament of the Word of God
As explained in the Eleven Great Principles of the PNCC (No. 6), the Word of God (heard and preached) is: A great Sacrament of Christ's and the National Church, as set forth in the ideals of its Divine Founder. It is the preaching and hearing of the Word of God.
God addressed mankind most plainly through Jesus Christ. When, therefore, a priest of the National Church takes from the treasury of Eternal Light, Strength and Life; when he repeats the Gospel of the Saviour in the self same spirit as the great Mediator; when he interprets, simplifies, extends and sounds its depth, according to the needs of the time, he is fulfilling the highest duty attainable by man, for he is proclaiming the will of God, the laws which are eternal, holy and creative. Likewise those who hear the Word of God worthily, with confidence and sincerity, are united with the Lord God, are coworkers with Him. Through such an act they become reborn; are strengthened in their resolves; are prepared for any eventuality and are God's heirs of the Universe.
This power of the Word of God was proclaimed by Christ the Lord in these sayings: "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes Him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live." (John 5:24-25)
The Liturgy of the Word of God
The Word of God heard and preached is a sacrament in the Polish National Catholic Church. The Liturgy of the Word of God is then the rite of the Sacrament of the Word of God when a homily or sermon is preached after the Readings and the Gospel are heard.
The Readings and the Gospel are assigned by the Church from the Holy Bible in accordance with the liturgical season or the Mass theme. The Readings and the Gospel are chanted at a Solemn Mass.
THE READINGS
The celebrant at the altar or he, the deacon or the lector at the lectern introduces and reads a lesson or passage from one of the books of the Holy Bible, except from the four books of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At the end of the Reading the reader says or sings:
C.: This is the Word of the Lord.
R.: Thanks be to God.
The Gradual Verse is now read by the celebrant from the missal at the altar or by him, the deacon or the lector at the lectern. (This verse is taken from the Holy Bible in accordance to the theme of the Mass.)
At this time a second Reading may be introduced, read and concluded in the same manner as the first.
The Alleluia Verse follows or in Lent the Tract. Either one is read by the celebrant from the missal at the altar or by him or the deacon at the pulpit. (These verses are taken from the Holy Bible in accordance to the theme of the Mass.) The Alleluia Verse is said or sung with the following responses:
C.: Alleluia, alleluia.
R.: Alleluia, alleluia.
C.: . . . alleluia, alleluia.
R.: Alleluia, alleluia.
[From Easter Sunday through Pentecost Sunday]
C.: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
R.: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
C.: . . . alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
R.: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
THE GOSPEL
The Gospel is the reading or proclamation of the Gospel (which is Greek for "Good News") of Jesus Christ taken from one of the first four books of the New Testament in the Holy Bible. The authors ascribed to those four books are Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, who are also known as the four Evangelists.
If a deacon proclaims the Gospel he bows to the celebrant and says:
Deacon: Father (Bishop), give me your blessing.
C.: The Lord be in your heart and on your lips
that you may worthily proclaim His Holy Gospel.
Deacon: Amen.
If the celebrant proclaims the Gospel he bows to the altar and says:
C.: Almighty God, cleanse my heart and my lips that I may worthily proclaim Your Holy Gospel.
The Gospel is usually read from the pulpit or sometimes from the altar. It may also be read in the midst of the congregation within a Gospel Procession.
With his hands joined the celebrant or deacon says or sings:
C.: The Lord be with you.
R.: And also with you.
C.: A reading from the Holy + Gospel according to . . .
With the right thumb, sign your forehead, lips and heart with a cross.
R.: Glory be to You, Lord.
If incense is used, the celebrant or deacon now incenses the Gospel to glorify Christ just as we honor Him by standing while the Gospel is proclaimed.
After the proclamation of the Gospel the celebrant or deacon raises the book and says or sings:
C.: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
R.: Praise be to You, Lord Jesus Christ.
The Gospel is now kissed and returned to its place.
When the Mass is sung and a homily is preached, everyone kneels and sings the following hymn as the celebrant kneels at the foot of the altar.
THE HYMN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
All: Holy Spirit, come inspire us!
Send Thy sevenfold gifts upon us.
As we hear Thy Word most solemn,
Teach our hearts to know Thy wisdom.
THE SACRAMENT OF THE WORD OF GOD
A homily or sermon may be preached at this time. The homilist may be a deacon, priest or bishop. At the pulpit the homilist says:
C.: Praised be the Lord Jesus Christ.
R.: Now and forevermore.
The homilist quotes a verse from the Holy Bible, then begins and also ends the homily by saying:
C.: In the name of the Father + and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
R.: Amen.
| 
Home
» 
