Word of God Sunday

Since the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) and the restructuring of the Liturgy of the Word within Mass, lectors and readers have concluded their Scripture Readings at Mass with the phrase “This is the Word of the Lord,” more recently shortened to simply “The Word of the Lord.” Once that statement is made, the congregation responds “Thanks be to God!” In the case of the Gospel, the deacon or priest proclaims “The Gospel of the Lord” to which the faithful respond “Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!”

Sunday, Jan. 26 was set aside in the Catholic Church throughout the world as Sunday of the Word of God. This designation came about when, on Sept. 30, 2019, Pope Francis issued the apostolic letter “Aperuit Illis” instituting the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time each year as the Sunday of the Word of God, a Sunday “devoted to the celebration, study and dissemination of the word of God.” At Mass, we will hear the existing readings from the three-year Lectionary, as they highlight God’s word in different ways.