We all know the responses we say at Mass. However, have you ever thought of them, not as responses but as prayers?

For the past few weeks I’ve been contemplating the response given to the first and second readings at Mass. Thanks be to God. My initial thoughts were that it was rather flat in that it didn’t evoke any type of feeling from me. It was merely an obligatory response. Even when I put it in conjunction with the phrase that prompts it, The Word of the Lord, it still felt like a hollow response. I love language and am fascinated by the choice of words used within the Mass. My favorite is the concluding Doxology of the Eucharistic prayers and I could probably ponder that for hours due to the richness of the words and what they convey. So to participate in the Mass weekly saying the same response in the Liturgy of the Word with no feeling was making me uncomfortable and I wanted to find out why.

The Scripture readings are God’s word to the world, in every time and in every situation. These words were inspired by God and directed through human efforts yet they still convey the faith and morals God wanted to express. I do enjoy both reading and hearing the Scriptures proclaimed. I tried to think of a more powerful meaning to the phrase before the response. The Word of the Lord really does define what is read, and in trying to find something with more vigor, the only thing I could equate to it is, “God is speaking this to you.” That’s a bit overwhelming to think about, and I don’t think I would want to hear that twice every Sunday at Mass. However, that does shape my perspective of a response. What would you say to that? 

God’s Word to us is a gift. He speaks to us in both the Old and the New Testaments. When we listen to them and study them, we get to know God better. When I receive something I see as a blessing from God, anything from an easy merge onto a busy highway to a rediscovered five-dollar bill at the bottom of my purse, or even seeing me through a challenging day, I do my best to thank God for it. I use the language I would use to any other person who does something nice, “Thank you, God!” But what if I changed my language? What if, instead of the words currently used in our culture, I switch to saying “Thanks be to God”? 

I shouldn’t be surprised, but after a few weeks of using “Thanks be to God” in my prayers to God, that phrase has become vibrantly alive! I’ve realized in saying and praying it, that it is a reminder that all Thanks should Be directed To God. It underscores that everything I have is a gift from God and that I rely solely on Him. While I may continue to say “Thank you” to people in the course of everyday life, every time I do, I’m also thanking God for putting that person in that place and time to help me or share God’s gifts with me. For example, saying “thank you” to someone who holds open a door for you is also a “thank you” to God for putting that person there to see and acknowledge you and to share the gift of God’s love, even if they don’t even realize that’s what they are doing. Everyone is made in God’s image and likeness and little things that we may chalk up to “being nice” or “having manners” is a reflection of God’s love for us. 

As Catholics, we may be dismissed from Mass, but we are called to live Mass in our everyday lives. Diving deeper into just this one response has opened a treasure chest of meaning, one that prompts more reflection. Let us give thanks to God for the richness of faith and pray to always be ready to explore the faith rather than allowing it to go stale and be merely words that are spoken.