The Word Among Us App

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father” (John 1:14).

Most daily Mass goers are familiar with the Mass aide “Word Among Us,” the Catholic devotional designed to help people read daily scripture and pray the Mass. Over 500,000 people in 120 countries worldwide subscribe to “Word Among Us.”

If you’re not a daily Mass attender, but wish you had a greater familiarity and understanding of the Mass, “Word Among Us” is a must-have tool. If you’re new to the Catholic Church or  still struggling with the revised responses, “Word Among Us” can help you follow along.

You can use “Word Among Us” to follow and pray the Entrance Antiphon, Collect, Penitential Act, Kyrie, Gloria, Profession of Faith, Liturgy of the Eucharist, Eucharistic Prayer, Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, Prayer over the Offerings, Communion Antiphon, Prayer after Communion, and a Communion Meditation.

I like having the prayers available to read the Gospel and Communion Meditation before Mass. In this way I can (1) be more aware of the Gospel’s content, which allows me to listen more deeply when read at Mass and (2) talk personally to God during the few moments after receiving Him, already having entered into the meditation topic before Mass.

In hopes of encouraging Catholics to experience God’s presence, every month “Word Among Us” provides personal witness and testimonies, enriching essays , and meditations based on the Mass readings. They also highlight heroic Christians and spotlight Saints, all within a wide monthly theme to broaden your spiritual horizon.

Other resources within each monthly edition help with Marriage & Family, Personal Spirituality, and Heroes of Faith. Electronic subscriptions have access to a searchable past issues archive reaching back to September 2009—that’s a lot of great articles and meditations.

In addition to the traditional print format, “Word Among Us” is now very affordably available in more modern forms: online via your browser, on Kindle for android, and also on IOS devices.

I have tested  “Word Among Us” in all of its formats, print and electronic, and personally find the  browser-based option most affordable ($11.95 a year) and comfortable to use.  Android users will love the Kindle for Android version ($1.99 month/30 Day free trial). Finally, I tested it out on my son's IPhone ($1.99 month/2 week free trial) and found it wonderfully convenient.

The most difficult thing about using “Word Among Us” on smartphones or a tablet is getting over the self-consciousness of “playing” on your device during Mass. In reality, of course, it’s no different than using a missal, but I still worried people might think I was playing Candy Crush Saga during Mass!

If you do plan to try using your device at Mass, make sure the sound is muted for incoming emails, phone calls, etc., so they don't make distracting noises during Mass.

If you are not sure you are ready to enter the electronic age at Mass, a great option for those who want the benefits of “Word Among Us” print edition while easing their way into using an electronic version is the free, full-web access for print edition subscribers.

Any way you choose to access it, “Word Among Us” is definitely a fantastic spiritual aid.

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Copyright 2013 Jen Haganey