By Jay Sorgi
for the Register
The Eucharist is said to be the source and summit of our Catholic faith. Yet the Mass involves two liturgies, and the Liturgy of the Word sets the table for us to receive the Body and Blood of Christ.
Shelby Heldt, a member of the evangelization team at St. Mary Church in Ashland and its mission parish St. Joseph Church in Greenwood, is helping parishioners prepare weekly for the Liturgy of the Word through their “Bring Your Bibles to Mass” initiative.
As someone who grew up transporting herself to Mass at the age of 14 because she was the only family member who attended, she said she never felt as strong as her Protestant friends who could “dive into the Word” and both quote and understand Scripture. However, a podcast series opened her doors to the treasures of the Bible.
“I started every day getting into my Word, and I felt like it was just so life-giving,” said Heldt, a musician who is also a member of the parish choir. “There were things that the Holy Spirit was bringing me that I don’t know if I would have necessarily gotten just in my one-on-one prayer time.”
She sees that her parish’s initiative is something families could do together in looking up the readings and Gospel days before Mass, to help them contemplate, discuss and discern the message God is giving that week through Scripture.
The program includes a monthly blessing of congregants’ Bibles by pastor Father Robert Matya on the first Sunday of each month, to encourage people to make the carrying of the Good Book to Mass part of their weekly practice.
“I was really excited the first weekend that we launched it,” Heldt said. “Father Matya said, ‘I think I blessed 45 Bibles today.’ People are really jumping in.”
Heldt shared that when they launched the initiative, she briefly spoke to parish members, asking who likes action movies or might be a movie buff, seeing countless hands being raised.
“Literally, the Bible is the most action-packed story you will ever read. Anything and everything, you’ll find in there,” she said. “I hope that people, by bringing their Bible to Mass and opening to those Gospel readings, it’s just a first step into diving deeper wherever the Holy Spirit’s guiding them.”
Heldt said she desires to foster people’s love of the beauty of the Eucharist as the center of the Mass, and sees the Liturgy of the Word as sacred synchronicity with the Body and Blood.
“He is there in the Mass and He wants to be one with you. It’s so beautiful,” she said. “In addition to that, He’s given us His Word so that when we find ourselves in different circumstances, whether it’s a trial or a tribulation, we can relate to some of the things that we read in His Word.”
She said the story of God’s saving love through history doubles as the most descriptive text ever about the human condition, one which says God gets us. It hits home for Heldt, who said she felt different as she was growing up.
“The fact that each one of us was created in His image, we were given specific strengths, gifts, and talents that were not by mistake. We’re all different. And through Baptism, those charisms that we’re given, we’re meant to utilize those to bless the world,” she said.
“Our world is so fallen. But yet through our faith, through His word and the teachings, we have this almost blueprint of what we should be doing.”
Heldt said families may feel a a bit of discomfort in the beginning as they delve in, but the process will help families bond, as well as grow in their Catholic faith.
“It’s a new thing that they’re doing, and there’s going to be questions that maybe the kids or the parents have that they don’t have answers to, but then there’s an opportunity to come to Mass and hear the homily. ‘Oh, okay, now this question is now answered,’” she said.
“Or they can set up a conversation with Father Matya, or they can talk to another family who maybe they are growing closer to through parish activities and say, ‘Hey, I have this question about this Gospel reading. What did you think?’ It’s blessing after blessing and opportunity to build relationships not only as a family unit, but then as a parish family.”
The Bring Your Bible to Mass program also has particular programs geared for children and for adults. The program for youth asks more basic questions, often for young people who have never opened their Bibles on their own before.
“Is it the Old Testament or the New Testament? ‘What is one thing that stood out to you? Read it again. Did that same thing stand out, or did a different thing stand out? What do you feel like the Holy Spirit is wanting you to take away from this reading? And then what are two to three things that you’re grateful for?” she said.
“I think it’s always really important to encompass it with a gratitude piece because even if you’re walking through a hard season, you can still think about all the things that God’s blessed you with.”
The Prepare and Proclaim program from the Diocese of Lincoln suggests reading the USCCB Mass Readings ahead of time to begin taking in what their meanings may be, and especially to understand what God is weaving between the Scriptural passages to be read on Sundays. Learn more at www.lincolndiocese.org/prepareandproclaim.
