How To Pray the Mass, Part 4: Responsorial Psalm
Sing a New Song Unto the Lord!
As we continue our prayerful walk through the Mass, we now come to the Liturgy of the Word. Many things could be said (and have been said!) about this important part of the Mass. Today, however, let’s take a closer look at on one particular section: the Responsorial Psalm.
From the earliest days of the Church, Christians have carried on the Jewish custom of singing the Psalms - those lyrical hymn-prayers of the Old Testament that express the whole range of human emotion and experience of God. No matter what’s happening in your day, there’s a Psalm for you!
At Mass, the Responsorial Psalm is not chosen at random. Rather, it has been selected by the Church to harmonize with the readings of the day (especially the First Reading and the Gospel). Just a few examples to show this in action:
On Palm Sunday, when we read the Passion narrative, we sing Psalm 22 (which Jesus quoted from the Cross).
On the Solemnity of Mary’s Assumption, we sing Psalm 45 (which speaks about the Queen Mother standing beside the King in glory)
On the 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B, when we are reading through Jesus’ Bread of Life discourse, we sing Psalm 34 (“Taste and see the goodness of the Lord”)
Next time you’re at Mass - whether on a Sunday or a weekday - pay attention and see if you can determine the connection between the readings and the Psalm. Often this makes a great “starting point” for prayer!
The term “responsorial” can be understood in two ways. The first has to do with the manner in which the Psalm is sung: the cantor sings the verses, and the congregation responds with the refrain. This is an excellent time to put “active participation” into practice. Even if you aren’t confident in your singing voice, you can pray along with the words, singing or speaking them under your breath. The Lord is happy with whatever you can offer!
The second meaning of the word “responsorial” has to do with the location of the Psalm within the Liturgy of the Word. It falls immediately after the First Reading and is meant to be our response to that reading. Having heard the Word of God (typically from the Old Testament), we are invited by Mother Church to enter into dialogue by using more of God’s Word!
Finally, we can’t fail to mention that not all “Responsorial Psalms” are from the Book of Psalms. Some of them are actually “Canticles” from the Old and New Testament: the Song of Hannah, the Prayer of Tobit, the Canticle of Mary, etc. In every age, God’s people have felt the need to express their prayer to Him in poetry and song! Have you ever tried composing your own canticle, just for you and the Lord?