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Formed in Christ

Liturgy of the Word -- The Gospel

Friday, November 7, 2025Faith

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One scholar has said that the four Gospels are really four accounts of the passion and death of Jesus, each with an introduction of varying length.

Father Robert M.
O'Grady

The focal point of the Liturgy of the Word is the proclamation of the Gospel. Its importance is highlighted by the acclamation about which we wrote last week.
Only one who is ordained can read the Gospel at Mass. So, it is the office of a deacon (if present), or a priest, either a concelebrant (if no deacon is present) or the principal celebrant, or a bishop, if there is neither a deacon nor a priest present at the Mass.
If the one proclaiming the Gospel is able, or more accurately, musically talented enough, he may chant the Gospel, but this should only be done on more solemn occasions, e.g., Easter, Christmas, or Pentecost.
While the Gospel is often proclaimed from the Lectionary -- certainly a legitimate option -- it is really preferable for it to be proclaimed from the Book of the Gospels.
There are four Gospels from which texts for Sunday Mass are chosen: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which are how they are arranged in the New Testament. According to widespread agreement, the chronological order is Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John. Keeping in mind that there are various reasons why one or another might suggest another order, they all seem to have been written between A.D. 55 and A.D. 100.
It is important to bear in mind, whether we are hearing the Gospel proclaimed at Mass or reading and praying it personally outside of Mass, that the Gospel was first proclaimed and handed on orally.

Each of the Gospel authors, as it were, paints a picture of Jesus. This is partly the rationale for the selection from the Gospels being in a three-year cycle -- Matthew in Year A, Mark in Year B, and Luke in Year C. John's Gospel is proclaimed in the Easter season, some days of the Christmas season, and during the year of Mark, when part of his famous "Bread of Life" discourse in chapter six is proclaimed on the Sundays of Week 17 through 21 inclusive.
Over the whole of one year, we see each author's "picture" of Jesus.
A parallel might be from U.S. history. Let's say you want a biography of Ulysses S. Grant. There are more than a few out there. One might be an overall view or a general biography. Another might focus on his military career, while his two presidential terms would be another. The more of them you have, the better picture you have of the great general.
A Gospel is a particular type of biblical book. In the entire Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, there are only four.
One scholar has said that the four Gospels are really four accounts of the passion and death of Jesus, each with an introduction of varying length. The greatest similarity among the four Gospels is exactly the "passion narrative." This central proclamation of the "good news" -- imagine calling that "good news" -- is to tell us what God has accomplished for us in Jesus: our redemption and the promise of salvation.
Those three accounts are read on Palm Sunday in the respective years, while the Passion from John's Gospel is proclaimed every Good Friday.
The introductory parts (i.e., before the passion) portray Jesus according to the sacred author's plan and with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew presents Jesus as the Messiah who was expected by the Jewish people. He is the fulfillment of the expectations of God's people in the Old Testament. Matthew tries to remind his mixed community of Jewish converts and Gentile believers that this Jesus is certainly for all, but he is also the long-expected Messiah.
Mark relates Jesus as the suffering servant who willingly gives himself for us.
Luke emphasizes the universality of both redemption and the possibility of human salvation to all the nations.
John narrates Jesus as the Eternal Son of the Father who has completely revealed the Father to us. Unique to this Gospel is the recognition that John presents Jesus as fully in charge of everything that happens to him. In John's vision, Jesus is in no way a victim. Since he is God, he is absolutely in control.
Every once in a while, there are headlines about the discovery of another gospel. And inevitably that's what they are, "another" gospel. They apply the title to their composition, and they may have had some hearers of it, but they did not have "staying power," primarily because they lacked the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but also because, when placed against one or all of the four Gospels, they fall dramatically short.
They are not, as we hear announced at the end of the proclamation, "The Gospel of the Lord."
Next week and for several weeks following, we'll be addressing the homily. It is an integral part of the Liturgy of Word.