We are planning a catholic wedding and we have chosen 2 beautiful readings. My question is on the wording of beginning the readings. We have chosen Colossians 3: 12-17 & Philippians 4: 6-9 And I am typing these readings up for family to read. Is this the correct wording for beginning:

A READING FROM A LETTER FROM PAUL TO THE COLOSSIANS AND

A READING FROM A LETTER FROM PAUL TO THE PHILIPPIANS

I want to make sure these are worded properly.

Thanks!

-- Krista J (cmaj@accessus.net), December 07, 2002

Answers

Dear Krista, I LOVE these readings! Good choice! ...'whatever you do in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,giving thanks to God the Father through Him'.

The Church in liturgy usually says "A reading from THE letter of St. Paul to the Colossians."

..and likewise "A reading from THE letter of St. Paul to the Philippians".

In sacred scripture there is only one letter of Paul's to those people, he wrote 2 to the Corinthians, in that case you would introduce a reading with " a reading from St. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians"..{or from his second letter}

Oh blessings on your plans! Theresa

-- Theresa Huether (Rodntee4Jesus@aol.com), December 07, 2002.

Jmj

Hello, Krista.
I don't want to distress you, but I need to reply by giving you more information than just the answer to your question ("Is this the correct wording for beginning [the readings]?").

The Church usually gives an engaged couple a list of suggested readings from which they are encouraged to choose. Ordinarily, there should be an Old Testament [O.T.] reading, a responsorial psalm, a New Testament [N.T.] (non-gospel) reading, a gospel acclamation (alleluia and versicle, outside of Lent), and a Gospel reading. You can see the list (and texts) of the suggested readings and psalms here.

The reason I bring this to your attention is that I have never attended a Mass at which two passages from epistles of St. Paul have been read. During the Sundays of the liturgical year, there is usually an O.T. reading and a N.T. reading before the Gospel, although the O.T. reading is sometimes replaced by a reading from the Acts of the Apostles. I don't think that it would be against the Church's liturgical law for you to have the two readings from St. Paul, but I'm not certain of that. I think that you must discuss this with the pastor of your parish church. In fact, I think that you need to discuss two other matters with the pastor:

(1) You are planning to use Philippians 4:6-9, but that passage is not on the list of suggested readings. I believe that your pastor would have to give his consent to its use. He may or may not ask you to choose one of the O.T. passages instead -- though your current choice certainly is a beautiful passage: "Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you."

(2) The fact that you are asking us how to introduce the readings tells me that you are not working from a Lectionary -- the official book of readings found on the pulpit or lectern (sometimes called the ambo). The Lectionary contains the required introductory words, as well as the official text of the readings -- a text from which your readers are not permitted to stray. In other words, after you have settled on a group of readings, with the agreement of your pastor, he could photocopy the text from the lectionary, so that you can make it available to your family and the readers. No one is allowed to add, change, or delete any words that are in a reading.

The lectionary text that the pastor can photocopy for you will have the introductory phrase that your readers must use. You asked if this would be correct: "A READING FROM A LETTER FROM PAUL TO THE COLOSSIANS." From my days as a reader, more than ten years ago, I know that it will be "... from THE letter ..." rather than "... from A letter ...". The one thing about which I am uncertain, though, is this ... In the new Lectionary (which started to be used in 1997, I believe), it may be permissible (or required) to insert the word "Saint" before "Paul." You'll find out soon, I'm sure. Oh, one last thing ... The texts that I linked for you, above, may be from the old Lectionary, so you may find that the newly approved translation is somewhat different in your parish's new Lectionary.

Krista, I hope that your wedding is beautiful and that your marriage will be happy and fruitful.
God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), December 07, 2002.

thank you John, for that very important information. I guess i was thinking Krista was going to choose between the two New Testament readings. Theresa

-- Theresa (Rodntee4Jesus@aol.com), December 07, 2002.

Hi, Theresa. I just wanted to let you know that you posted while I was writing, so I did not see your message until afterwards.
I noticed that you did include the word "Saint" before "Paul." I know that "St." was definitely not used in the old Lectionary, but I wasn't sure about the new one.
JFG

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), December 07, 2002.