For our Catholic Massterclass today we’ll talk about the readings proclaimed during Mass.The proclamation of the Word of God has always been part of Christian worship. St. Justin Martyr, who lived in the 2nd century, mentions that something is always read from what we would call the Old Testament and also from the “memoirs of the apostles”, which is the New Testament. The exact structure of the Biblical readings has had a few different forms over time, but it’s always been there. Our current structure provides us with three readings, or four if you count the Responsorial Psalm. I’ve spoken about the layout of the readings in previous sessions of the Massterclass, so I won’t repeat what I said then. It is, however, worth our time to recall what St. Paul says: “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Having the Biblical readings in our worship is helpful for us because it keeps us close to God’s spoken voice, training us in righteousness, and it reveals God’s glory. Even if the readings sometimes feel distant or difficult to grasp, the Word of God still accomplishes what it intends (cf. Isaiah 55:11). Hopefully we can all understand that the reality of having the Sacred Scriptures is a gift, even if we don’t understand everything, which leads us to respond, “Thanks be to God!” at the conclusion of each reading.   And among all the readings, none is more sacred than the Gospel. We stand for the Gospel out of respect for the life of Jesus, which is the primary subject of the Gospels. Because of the sacredness of the Gospels, the priest quietly prays two brief prayers—one before and one after proclaiming the Gospel.   The first one is said as he bows before the altar on his way to the ambo: “Cleanse my heart and my lips, almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel.” There could be a reference here to the Call of Isaiah from Isaiah 6. The Lord brings him to the Temple where Isaiah sees the Lord in all of His glory. Isaiah realizes he is a man “of unclean lips” and begins to be worried about not being worthy to be in such a holy place. An angel brings a burning coal from a fire and touches it to Isaiah’s lips, cleansing him and making him ready for the mission God is about to give him as a prophet. The priest recognizes what a privilege it is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the congregation for the glory of God, so he asks the Lord for a similar purification from his own sinfulness, so that he may proclaim the Gospel worthily and well. The next time you hear the Gospel proclaimed at Mass, remember these hidden prayers of the priest, and silently make them your own.   The second silent prayer immediately follows the proclamation of the Gospel. While the congregation is proclaiming, “Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ,” the priest kisses the Gospel passage out of respect for the Word and says, “Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped away.” He is asking that even the proclamation of the Gospel would have such an effect in our lives that it would lead to the forgiveness of our sins, so that we may all be worthy to stand in the Lord’s presence in His holy temple.