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     The Liturgy of the Word is one of the principal parts of the mass. Contrary to common misconceptions, Catholic worship is steeped in and founded upon sacred scriptures. In the early parts of each mass, lay readers participate in the reading of an Old Testament selection and a New Testament selection, the latter often taken from one of the epistles. Between these two readings, the commentator, often accompanied by the choir, engages the congregation in the reading of a Psalm, by way of call and response.