Our Response to God's Word

Ask any Christian what our response to the readings at Eucharist is and the immediate answer will be either: 'Thanks be to God' or 'The Responsorial psalm.' Yet, the psalm that follows the first reading, although it is called 'Responsorial Psalm' is not a response, strictly speaking; it is rather a meditation on the reading: it picks up the key message of the reading and expands on it. Of this part, the General Instructions say: "The psalm is usually taken from the lectionary, since the texts there provided are closely related to the preceding reading. By reason of its connection with the reading, its character is very different from that of the processional songs. It stimulates reflection on God's saving deeds on behalf of his people." This means that normally no other 'hymn' or 'song' should substitute for the psalm, unless it is the same psalm put to music. And again, a brief of silence should precede the psalm to allow the people to pick out the key point of the reading for themselves. Also, since its character is different from that of a reading, some person other than the proclaimer of the reading should lead this meditation.

While the psalm looks back to the reading just concluded, the Alleluia antiphon which is always sung, looks ahead and provides the people with the gist of the Gospel proclamation. It prepares the community to focus on the key point of the Gospel. So, these two intervening chants are not a response but a part of the proclamation itself and serve a totally different function.

The real response to the Word of God is faith - a deeper grasp of God's ways, which as Isaiah says, are not like our ways: 'as far as the east is from the west so different are my thoughts from your thoughts' [55:8-11]. In his Gospel John tells us that 'there are many other signs that Jesus worked in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book; these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ...' So, the proclamation is aimed at producing a deeper faith in us.

An example of the ideal faith response that the Word should produce in us is found in Habakkuk, where the prophet says:

Though the fig tree does not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vine,
the produce of the olive fail,
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will find joy in the God of my salvation…
he makes my feet like hinds' feet
he makes me tread upon my high places. (Hab. 3:17-19)

On Sundays our enlivened faith is expressed through the Profession of faith and the Prayers of the faith-ful(l). However, more often than not routine overpowers us here as the Creed is recited mechanically, with little or no meaning. It would help if the Celebrant attempted to specify the actual point of "believing" in this particular Eucharist. He could link the Creed with the key 'insight' into God's nature gained in the readings. E.g. when the homily brings out God's eagerness to forgive sinners, the Celebrant could introduce the Creed with words like: 'As we pray the Creed now, we profess our firm belief that God continues to offer us his forgiveness right here in the Eucharist'! This little introduction should make the recitation of the Creed much more personal and meaningful.

As for the Prayers of the Faithful, it is important to ensure that they stem from our deepened faith. Hence, ideally they should be linked with the Scripture proclaimed. We begin with a Scripture quote taken from the day's readings and then build on it. Again, these prayers are called Universal prayers and hence should cover the needs of the entire Church and world. They should not revolve round our personal concerns only. Self-centredness, even in spiritual matters is not a sign of God's presence in our lives.

Besides, the Liturgy of the Word is a dialogue and hence both parties God and we should communicate. And so, it stands to reason that every Eucharist should contain at least a few petitions which are inspired by the readings themselves. Even if these are not made aloud, the assembly should be encouraged to make them personally and silently as their response to God's message to them. Then, of course, there is the response that is made through our changed way of behaving - that is when the Word produces its fruit in our lives!

A helpful way to work out a meaningful and personal response is to answer God's question which the readings place before us: 'Have you seen how much I love you? Have you understood who you are in my sight?' Each Eucharist must lead to a deeper understanding of God's tremendous love for each of us. Now this is something personal and hence silence must be allowed the people to discover this for themselves. The clearer their experience of God's love, the more wholehearted the surrender they will make. And isn't this the key question in the Eucharist: how open are we to make Covenant with God?

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