The Rite
In the middle ages the Old Testament Reading was deleted from the Divine Service. It was also absent in The Lutheran Hymnal (1941). In recent years its use has become more and more prevalent. Our Christian faith is built on and springs out of Old Testament roots. We hear a Word from the Lord as it was given to people long ago, but that is still important for us today. We remember and are instructed by the God of our fathers. This reading usually relates to the Gospel for the day. During the Easter season, the Old Testament Reading is replaced by a reading from Acts of the Apostles.
The Gradual is an arrangement of Psalm and Scripture verses for each season of the church year. “Gradual” comes from the Latin gradus meaning “step,” Originally this was chanted from a step of the altar. The Gradual is a response to the first reading and a bridge to the second reading. It is a traditional part of the liturgy and should not be omitted, unless a Psalm is spoken or chanted in its place. In the Early Church there is evidence that psalms were read between the reading at the time of Tertullian (first and second centuries). We do not, however have clear evidence that this was a responsive reading until the fourth century. This practice of singing between the Scripture readings goes back to the Hebrew Synagogue where Psalms were sung between the readings.
In LSB, the Gradual is different from its historic form. The term “Gradual” is now generic and designates the Scripture and Psalm verses between the readings. Originally, however, this consisted of two parts; “the first part was sung between the Old Testament lesson [sic] and Epistle, the second between the Epistle and the Gospel. When the number of lessons was conventionally reduced to two[1], the two separate settings were combined into one.” (Piepkorn 21)
The Sequence Hymn: “Traditionally a sequence hymn was sung after the Gradual psalmody. Technically a Sequence Hymn is one that has been written specifically for this point in the service.” (Piepkorn 21)
The Epistle is usually a portion of one of the letters of one of the Apostles, and is read in the Divine Service today just as it was read in the first century to its first recipients. At times this reading is from the Acts of the Apostles or the Revelation of St. John and is called the Second Reading rather than the Epistle.
The formula for announcing the readings is very simple. In LSB the formula is unfortunate. I prefer “The Old Testament reading for [Sunday in the Church year] is written in …” (rather than “is from”). This reinforces the teaching that the Word of God was “written for our instruction” (Romans 15:4) and repeats the ge,graptai (“it is written”) statements of Christ (e.g., St. Matthew 4:4; St. Mark 7:6; St. Luke 4:8; 19:46). It is not necessary to include the verse locations of the readings.
The appointed Alleluia and Verse: In the fourth century (Milan) the Alleluia was sung during the Gospel Procession. In the Mozarabic Rite (in what is now Spain and Portugal) of the sixth–eighth centuries, it was sung after the Gospel. In the mid-sixth century, in Rome, it was only used at Easter, while in Africa it was used every Sunday. By the sixth century the Alleluia was sung in Rome for the entire Easter season. Its extension to further use is attributed to Gregory the Great.
In Setting Three, the congregation may chant just the Alleluia (which is Hebrew for “praise the Lord”) or chant it before and after the verse. The verse is chanted by the pastor (or may be chanted by a cantor or a choir). There are special verses appointed for each Sunday of the Church Year and they match the theme of the readings and the Gospel of the Day. These provide a bridge connecting the first two readings and the Holy Gospel. During the Easter Season, we may use a nine-fold Alleluia in Divine Services Three and Four. “The Alleluias are sung at the beginning, middle, and end of the appointed verses” (LSB: Liturgy Accompaniment Edition 189).
In Settings One and Two the Common Alleluia and Verse or the optional Verse for Lent are ICET liturgical texts with music composed by Hillert (Alleluia Verse in Setting One and Lenten Verse in Settings One and Two) and Nelson (Alleluia Verse in Setting Two). The Verses in these settings come from LBW (1978) and LW (1982).
In the Holy Gospel we hear a reading from the accounts of Jesus’ life and message, death and resurrection. When the Gospel is announced the people greet Christ, who comes in the Gospel, with the acclamation “Glory be to Thee, O Lord.” When the reading is concluded the people sing out again in joy, “Praise be to Thee, O Christ.”
In the Creed (from the Latin “credo,” meaning “I believe”) we express our unity in the faith — the core beliefs confessed by the Holy Christian (i.e., catholic) Church wherever it is found. The use of the Creed was originally in connection with the Sacrament of Baptism. But as the church increasingly found herself battling Christological heresies it found its way in to the Divine Service (or Mass). The Nicene Creed has traditionally been associated with the celebration of Lord’s Supper. The Apostles’ Creed is used at other services. If Holy Baptism is celebrated within the service, the Apostles’ Creed is confessed at the Baptism and the Nicene Creed is also confessed at this point in the service. If there is a Baptism but no Lord’s Supper, the Apostles’ Creed is omitted here to avoid needless duplication of the same creed.
The Ceremony
“Historically, none of the Readings at the Divine Service were read from the Lectern, which was reserved for use at … Matins and Vespers, if there was a lectern at all. … Actually the lectern is an ornament that a Lutheran church can well dispense with …” (Piepkorn 19). Anciently (and today in churches with no lectern) these were read from the “horns” (corners) of the altar. In the Old Testament, the altar in the Tabernacle and Temple actually had horns at each corner. The corners curved up to keep the sacrificial animals from rolling off. We no longer have such corners, but have retained the nomenclature. The Old Testament and Epistle were traditionally read from the Epistle side (the right front corner as one faces the altar). Then the Holy Gospel was read from the Gospel “horn” (the left front corner as one faces the altar). Then the sermon on the Holy Gospel was preached from the pulpit. For this reason, I find it interesting and unfortunate that most Lutheran chancels have the pulpit on the Epistle side, rather than the Gospel side of the altar.
The pastor should not make eye contact with the congregation as he reads. It is important to note that this is God’s Word, not his. At the conclusion of the reading he may pause before he looks up to the congregation saying: “This is the Word of the Lord.”
It is inappropriate to make any interpretation to any of the readings whether before, during or after a reading. In this way we preserve the perspicuity of the Scripture and avoid undue human influence upon the work of the Holy Spirit. The people of God are allowed to hear the Word of God as it stands. There is a time for the interpretation of God’s Word and this is the Sermon (or Homily).
God says that He exalts His Name and His Word above all things (Psalm 138:2). Therefore, if God so exalts His Word, our attitude during the reading of Holy Scripture in the Divine Service is one of awe-filled attention and reverence. Movement in and out of the nave and private conversations are inappropriate; and show disrespect to our Lord, the pastor, and our fellow worshipers. That Almighty God would even give us His Word to read and hear, is a gracious gift to be received with humble and reverent gratitude. “The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him” (Habakkuk 2:20).
Realizing that there are times when one must leave the Nave, it is both reverent and respectful to God, our fellow worshipers, and our Pastor to remain in the Narthex or in a back pew until an appropriate time (e.g., a hymn or voluntary) to return to our seat. We see superior etiquette displayed at the theater or symphony than in many churches today; when entrance into the theater or concert hall is prohibited during the performance. If such is the case for showing respect to human entertainers and audience, how much more should we show respect for God’s Word, the servant who brings it to His people, and our fellow parishioners who long to hear this means of grace!
The pastor and any assistants face the altar during the Gradual (or Psalm), and the Alleluia and Verse. The people stand in in honor of Christ as they prepare to hearing the Gospel.[2] This marks the Holy Gospel as distinct from the other readings because now we hear the very words and deeds of Jesus Himself.
At the announcement of the Holy Gospel the presiding minister may make the sign of the cross upon his forehead, lips and heart. This corresponds to the prayer: “The Lord be in my mind, on my lips and in my heart, that I may worthily proclaim the Gospel.” If a deacon reads the Gospel, he may ask the presiding minister for a blessing, at which time he will make the sign of the cross on the deacon’s forehead, lips and heart and pray the same prayer.
There may be a Gospel processional, especially on Festivals, when the crucifer and taperers (acolytes carrying processional torches/candles) lead the officiant into the midst of the nave. This signifies that when the Gospel is read Christ is in the midst of the people and that this Gospel is taken into the world. During the Gospel processional the Book is held high. When the Processional Cross is used (carried by crucifer), it leads the Gospel processional into the nave. The crucifer may be flanked by taperers which proclaim Jesus and His Word as the “Light of the world.”
After the reading of the Holy Gospel the presiding minister may kiss the book with the prayer spoken sotto voce: “By the words of the Gospel may our sins be done away.”
Since the Creed is a solemn confession the presiding minister leads it from the altar. Any assistants also face the altar. The congregation may join the presiding minister in the ceremony of the Creed. “As the celebrant … says: “I believe, “ he may raise and extend his hands; as he says, “In one,” he may join his hands; and as he says, ‘God,’ he may bow his head. He may also bow his head at the Holy Name of Jesus and, if he wishes, at the words ‘worshiped and glorified.’ He may bow from the waist at the words, ‘And was incarnate’ and remain bowed through the words, ‘Was crucified also for us;’ he raises himself erect again before the words, “Under Pontius Pilate.’ (The explanation given for this was that the soldiers of the Roman procurator knelt and bowed before Our Lord in mockery during His Passion)” (Piepkorn 26).
Bowing during the creed at ‘And was incarnate by the Holy Spirit … and was crucified’ “expresses reverent awe over God’s grace in becoming man in order to redeem us. Luther speaks at length about the meaning of these words and how we should show our appreciation and reverence for the Incarnation” (Lang, Ceremony and Celebration 69). He illustrates this with a colorful story of the devil assaulting a “coarse and brutal lout … so hard it made his head spin” for standing “there like a stick of wood” (Lang, Ceremony and Celebration 69-70)
We make the sign of the cross upon ourselves at the end of the Creed signifying our confession that it is only by the cross of Christ that we will be a part of “the life of the world to come.”
__________
[1] as in The Lutheran Hymnal
[2] This rubric does not apply for Daily Offices (i.e., Matins, Vespers, Morning and Evening Prayer) and Prayer Services (Service of Prayer and Preaching). In these services the congregation remains seated for all the readings.
Works Cited
Lang, Paul H. D. Ceremony and Celebration. 1953. Emmanuel Press, 2012.
The Lutheran Hymnal. Concordia Publishing House, 1941.
Lutheran Service Book. Concordia Publishing House, 2006.
Lutheran Service Book: Liturgy Accompaniment Edition. Concordia Publishing House, 2006.
Peipkorn, Arthur Carl. The Conduct of the Service. Concordia Seminary Press, 1965.
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