The Lectionary

Mr. Pablo CuadraReligion Class

What is a Lectionary?• The Lectionary if the official

liturgical book of the Roman Missal containing the texts of the Holy Scriptures used in the Roman Catholic Liturgy or worship.

• The Lectionary for Sunday worship is organized into a three year cycle of readings: A,B, and C.

Did you know?

• The first edition of the Lectionary as it is known today in Catholic worship was first introduced on the First Sunday of Advent on November 30, 1970. Seven years after the liturgical reforms of Vatican II mandated its revision in 1963.

What Gospels correspond to each cycle?

• Cycle A is mostly Matthew• Cycle B is mostly Mark• Cycle C is mostly Luke

• The Gospel of John is used during Easter, Lent. Advent and Christmas (where appropriate)

• The year A cycle begins at Advent near the end of those years whose number is evenly divisible by 3. For instance, 2007

• Remember: Advent marks the beginning of the Liturgical year of the Church. Not January 1.

• For instance, the cycle for the year 2008 which is A started December 2, 2007.

• Cycle A is followed by B, and cycle B is followed by C. This cycle repeats itself every three years.

Did you know?

• The Roman Missal is the official liturgical text for the rubrics, prayers, blessings, and scriptural texts of the Roman Catholic Liturgy.

• The Roman Missal since Vatican II is published into two parts:A. Sacramentary– containing the rubrics, prayers of the Eucharist.B. Lectionary--- containing the Scriptural readings used in worship.

How many readings are used for the Sunday Mass?

• Officially Three:A. A reading from the Old TestamentB. A reading from the New Testament such as: Epistles, Acts of the Apostles or RevelationC. The Gospel

• Technically Five: If we include the responsorial psalm and the text from the Alleluia when is not an adaptation.

What is the practice in the Eastern Catholic Churches with regards the Lectionary?

• The Byzantine Lectionary is a repeating one year cycle that was developed at the Great Church in Constantinople, which was the very center of Christianity in the Eastern Roman Empire.

• With a few exceptions, the Lectionary is unchanged since the seventh century. It contains two cycles: 1) The Movable Feasts (which are based upon the date of Pascha (Easter)) and 2) The Fixed Feasts.

• A particular day of the liturgical year may have more than one set of readings, those based on the movable cycle and those based upon the fixed.

• In some cases the readings of the Movable Cycle outrank those of the Fixed Cycle (for example: Pascha) and in other cases the Fixed Cycle outrank those of the Movable Cycle (for example: Christmas Day). Readings given are for the Divine Liturgy.

What is the custom in the Catholic Church regarding the Book of the Gospel?

• The Gospel book is a more elaborate book part of the Lectionary that is used for ceremonial purposes and for the proclamation of the Gospel reading during Sunday and Pontifical Masses, if the lectionary is not used.

• The first reading, psalm and second reading are read from the Lectionary, if the book of the Gospel is used.

During the Mass who are the people appointed to carry the Book of the Gospel?

• The Deacon always has preference in the carrying the book of the Gospel and in proclaiming the Gospel during the liturgy of the Eucharist.

• If no deacon is present then the lector may carry it in procession.

• Lectors proclaim the readings of the mass, but not the Gospel. This is reserved to ordain ministers.

• Faculties to preach and proclaim the Gospel can be given by the bishops to seminarians in their training and to lay people in extra-ordinary circumstances.

Editions of the Lectionary• The lectionary is published in

each country through different editions the most common are:

• Lectionary for Sunday Masses and Solemnities cycles: A,B and C.

• Lectionary for Week day masses cycles: I and II (it can also be published as a separate unit)

• Lectionary for Common of Saints, Votives, Various needs.

Lectionary for Weekday Masses

• The lectionary for weekday masses is divided into two cycles I and II.

• Cycle one: is used for the years that end with an odd number such as: 2007.

• Cycle two: is used for the years that end with an even number such as: 2008.

How many readings are used for weekday Masses?

• Officially: twoA reading from the Old Testament or New Testament (readings alternate)

The Gospel

from either Mark, Matthew and Luke (same each year)

• Technically: four

if we include the psalm (or canticle) and the text of the alleluia if it not an adaptation.

Did you know?• The Revised Common Lectionary is a

Lectionary used by mainline protestant churches that is very similar to the one use by Catholics on Sunday.

• This Lectionary is the fruit of ecumenical work among the different Christian bodies including the Catholic Church.

• The lectionary is used by churches like: Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, The American Baptist churches, USA among others.

• Most of these churches follow the same readings Catholic use on Sundays for the celebration of the Eucharist.

Pre-Vatican II LectionaryBefore the renovations made by Vatican II:

• Same readings were used year after year, on the same Sundays and feast days.

• Most Masses had only two readings: one called "The Epistle" and the other "The Gospel"

• Readings were rarely from the OT, only on a few feasts, vigils, ember days, and within some liturgical octaves

• Most weekday Masses did not have proper readings, but used readings from the prior Sunday or a saint's day.

Felix Just S.J.

Vatican II The fathers of the council mandated the renovation of the Lectionary in 1963.

As a result the following improvement were made:

• A. Three readings are now used for Sunday Masses and Solemnities.

• B. A more extensive variety of readings integrated into a three year cycle: A,B,C.

• C. Proper readings for weekday masses incorporated into a two year cycle I and II.

• D. Readings for feasts and special needs.

• E. A more profound and extensive coverage of the Holy Scriptures compared with the pre-Vatican II version.

Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can;and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;That I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with HimForever in the next.

Amen.

The End

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