Liturgy 101 - Parts of the Mass #7

Parts of the Mass – Liturgy of the Word

At the conclusion of the Collect, the Liturgy of the Word begins with the first reading, which is taken from the Old Testament and generally has a theme which is linked with the Gospel reading for the day. If we are alert to this link, salvation history is illuminated for us, and we can see the foreshadowing of the new covenant contained in the old.

In the past, the Liturgy of the Word was also known as the Mass of the Catechumens. It was so called because the catechumens (Greek, for “the instructed”) were dismissed following the Liturgy of the Word and not admitted to the Liturgy of the Eucharist, which was also known as the Mass of the Faithful.