Pope reflects on Liturgy of Word during General Audience

Dear brothers and sisters: In our catechesis on the Eucharist, we now turn to the culmination of the Liturgy of the Word in the Gospel and in the homily. The Gospel sheds the light of the mystery of Christ on the scriptural readings that precede it. By our acclamations and the rites that accompany its proclamation, we venerate the Gospel as the living and saving word of God, who speaks to us in the midst of the liturgical assembly and awaits our response. This dialogue between the Lord and his people continues in the homily, which seeks to make God’s word incarnate in our hearts and in our lives. The homily draws us more deeply into the mystery of the communion in Christ that we celebrate in the Eucharist. The homily makes demands on both the homilist and the congregation; both must be disposed to consider how the word of God applies to the here and now of our lives, even when its summons to conversion proves challenging or painful. Familiarity with the Gospel through private reading and reflection can enable us appreciate ever more fully the beauty and richness of the readings of each Sunday’s Mass.