Paul Turner www.paulturner.org

A Long Look at the Lectionary for Mass

“Do This in Memory of Me”

The Priest at Mass29 September 2015

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Overview

❖ The organization of the readings

❖ Samples of responsorial psalms

❖ Rubrics pertaining to the lectionary

❖ Other uses of the lectionary

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How much of the bible is heard at mass?

❖ Before Vatican II

❖ 1% of the Old Testament

❖ 17% of the New Testament

❖ After Vatican II

❖ 14% of the Old Testament

❖ 71% of the New Testament

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Ordinary Time Sunday Gospels

❖ Week 3 begins a semicontinuous reading from Matthew (A), Mark (B) or Luke (C)

❖ From Jesus’ public ministry to his sayings about the second coming

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Ordinary Time Sunday Gospels

❖ Week 2: always from John’s Gospel

❖ Cana in Year C

❖ Weeks 16 to 20 of Year B from John 6

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Ordinary Time Sunday 1st Readings

- Chosen to correspond with Gospel and show unity between Old and New Testaments

- Principal passages from the Old Testament are represented on Sundays

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Ordinary Time Sunday 2nd Readings

❖ Semicontinuous readings from letters of Paul and James

❖ [they do not necessarily fit the other readings]

❖ 1st Corinthians is spread over 3 years at beginning of Ordinary Time

❖ Hebrews divided into years B and C

❖ In general these readings are “short and readily grasped”

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For Example

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From Year B

15th to 21st Sunday: Ephesians

22nd to 26th Sunday: James

27th to 33rd Sunday: Hebrews (first half)

Christ the King: Revelation

Ordinary Time Weekday Gospels❖ Weeks 1-9: Mark

❖ Weeks 10-21: Matthew

❖ Weeks 22-34: Luke

❖ All of Mark 1-12 except for two places in 6 read around the Epiphany

❖ miracle of the loaves & Jesus walking on the water

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Ordinary Time Weekday Gospels

❖ Passages from Matthew and Luke with material not in Mark

❖ but those presented distinctively or needed for progression appear more than once

❖ Jesus’ entire final discourse from Luke concludes year

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Ordinary Time Weekday 1st Reading

❖ Readings alternate each Testament every few weeks

❖ Daniel and Revelation come at the end of the year

❖ Omitted: Obadiah, Zephaniah, Song of Songs, Esther, Judith

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For example, in Year I❖ Weeks 25-27

❖ Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah, Nehemiah, Baruch, Jonah, Malachi, Joel

❖ Weeks 28-31

❖ Romans

❖ Weeks 32-33

❖ Wisdom & Maccabees

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Advent Sundays❖ Gospels: Lord’s coming at the

end of time (1st Sunday), John the Baptist (2nd and 3rd), events preparing for the Lord’s birth (4th)

❖ OT readings are prophecies about the Messiah, especially from Isaiah

❖ 2nd readings are exhortations and proclamations in keeping with the season

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Advent Weekdays

❖ Starts with a semicontinuous reading of Isaiah

❖ The Gospel is chosen with the first reading in mind

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Advent Weekdays

❖ From Thursday of the second week the Gospels concern John the Baptist

❖ The first reading either continues Isaiah or is inspired by the Gospel

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Advent Weekdays

❖ From December 17 the Gospels are events leading to the birth of Christ from Matthew and Luke

❖ The first reading is a prophecy chosen in light of the day’s gospel

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Lent Sunday Gospels

❖ 1st Sunday: The Temptation of Jesus

❖ 2nd Sunday: The Transfiguration

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3rd, 4th & 5th Sunday Gospels

❖ Year A:

❖ The Samaritan woman

❖ The Man born blind

❖ The Raising of Lazarus

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3rd, 4th & 5th Sunday Gospels

❖ Year B: John anticipating the Cross and Resurrection

❖ Jesus predicting the destruction of the Temple

❖ Jesus converses with Nicodemus

❖ “Unless a grain of wheat”

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3rd, 4th & 5th Sunday Gospels

❖ Year C: Luke/John on conversion

❖ Jesus cursing the fig tree

❖ The prodigal son

❖ The adulterous woman

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Lent Sunday Readings

❖ OT History of Salvation - proper to the catechesis of Lent

❖ 2nd readings provide a connection with others when possible

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Lent Sunday Readings - Year C

Deut: confession of faith Rom: confess and believe Lk: Temptation

Gen: covenant with Abraham Phil: changing our bodies Lk: Transfiguration

Ex: burning bush 1 Cor: rock was Christ Jn: fig tree

Joshua: the Promised Land

2 Cor: be reconciled to God Jn: Prodigal Son

Is: God brings life to desert

Phil: sufferings lead to resurrection Jn: Adulterous woman

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Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

❖ Gospel on Lord’s Solemn Entry (Year B option of John)

❖ Passion from the synoptics

❖ 1st reading: Song of Suffering Servant

❖ 2nd reading: Philippians

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Lent Weekdays

❖ Gospels and Old Testament readings are related to each other, usually concerning Lent disciplines

❖ Fourth Week begins semicontinuous reading of John

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Sunday Gospels of Easter Time

❖ 1-3: appearances of the risen Christ

❖ 4: Good Shepherd

❖ 5-7: the Lord’s discourse and prayer at the Last Supper

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Sunday Readings of Easter Time

❖ 1st readings all from Acts of the Apostles

❖ 2nd readings

❖ A: 1 Peter

❖ B: 1 John

❖ C: Revelation

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Easter Weekdays❖ 1st reading is

semicontinuous from Acts of the Apostles

❖ Gospels of Octave are appearances of the risen Lord

❖ then a semicontinuous reading of John, largely the final discourse and prayer

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26th Sunday in Ordinary Time B

Psalm 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14

(cf. 9a)  The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.

The law of the LORD is perfect,

refreshing the soul; the decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.

The fear of the LORD is pure,

enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just.

Though your servant is careful of them, very diligent in keeping them, Yet who can detect failings? Cleanse me from my unknown faults!

From wanton sin especially, restrain your servant; let it not rule over me. Then shall I be blameless and innocent of serious sin.

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27th Sunday in Ordinary Time B

Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6

(cf. 5)  May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.

Blessed are you who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways! For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored.

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home; your children like olive plants around your table.

Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD. The LORD bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

May you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel!

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The book itself

❖ Storing the lectionary and the Book of the Gospels

❖ LM 37: in the celebration, the books should not be replaced by other pastoral aids

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❖ GIRM 118b, 128: place lectionary in ambo before mass

❖ 117, 120d: place Book of the Gospels on altar or carry it in procession

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❖ 172: a deacon walks next to the priest or in front of him, carrying the Book of the Gospels

❖ 173, 195: the one carrying the Book of the Gospels makes no reverence to the altar and places the book on it

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❖ 120d: If no deacon, a reader carries the Book of the Gospels slightly elevated and sets it on the altar

❖ unites the liturgy of the word and of the eucharist

❖ the only objects kissed

❖ getting fed two ways

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❖ 194: the reader wears “approved attire”

❖ 339: “In the Dioceses of the United States of America, acolytes, altar servers, readers, and other lay ministers may wear the alb or other appropriate and dignified clothing.”

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❖ CB 72 a reader going to the ambo bows to the altar if entering sanctuary or crossing it

❖ observing silence after the reading

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❖ singing the chants before and after readings

❖ the psalm should be sung from the ambo (GIRM 309, LM 22) or another suitable place (GIRM 61)

❖ The Sequence on Easter and Pentecost, optional on Corpus Christi and Sorrowful Mother

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❖ GIRM 133, 175, ministers with thurible and lighted candles may lead procession from altar to ambo; LM 17 ministers may carry “other symbols of reverence that may be customary”

❖ GIRM 133 everyone turns toward the ambo for the gospel

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❖ OM 15, GIRM 134, 175, LM 17 the priest or deacon traces the cross on the Book of the Gospels and then on his forehead, mouth and breast, the people do the same

❖ OM 15, GIRM 134, 175 the minister may incense the book before reading and kiss it after

❖ GIRM 175 the Book of the Gospels may be moved to the credence table or some other dignified place

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Other uses of the lectionary

❖ Homily: “Through the course of the liturgical year the homily sets forth the mysteries of faith and the standards of the Christian life on the basis of the sacred text” (LM 24).

❖ GIRM 65: or another text from the ordinary or proper of the mass of the day

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Universal Prayer - LM43

❖ The priest’s introduction and concluding prayer may draw on scriptures of the day and the homily

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Lectionary catechesis

❖ RCIA 75/1: “A suitable catechesis is provided by priests or deacons, or by catechists and others of the faithful, planned to be gradual and complete in its coverage, accommodated to the liturgical year, and solidly supported by celebrations of the word.”

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26th Sunday in Ordinary TimeO God, who manifest your almighty power

above all by pardoning and showing mercy,

bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us

and make those hastening to attain your promises

heirs to the treasures of heaven.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son….

[Gelasian Sacramentary, Ordinary Time Sundays]

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27th Sunday in Ordinary TimeAlmighty ever-living God,

who in the abundance of your kindness

surpass the merits and desires of those who entreat you,

pour out your mercy upon us

to pardon what conscience dreads

and to give what prayer does not dare to ask.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son….

[Gelasian Sacramentary Ordinary Time Sundays]

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26th Sunday - ICEL Year B

Pour our your Spirit, O God, over all the world

to inspire every heart

with knowledge and love of you.

Grant that we who confess Jesus as Lord

may shun whatever is contrary to this faith

and give witness to your love

that has saved us in Christ,

for he lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit

God for ever and ever.

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27th Sunday - ICEL Year B

Creator God,

in Christ you call man and woman

to the fullness of glory

for which you created them in your image.

Heal our hardened hearts,

renew our obedience to your spoken will

and conform our lives to your gracious design.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son….

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26th Sunday Antiphons

❖ Entrance: All that you have done to us, O Lord, you have done with true judgment, for we have sinned against you and not obeyed your commandments. But give glory to your name and deal with us according to the bounty of your mercy.

❖ [Dn 3:31, 29, 30, 43, 42]

❖ Communion: Remember your word to your servant, O Lord, by which you have given me hope. This is my comfort when I am brought low.

❖ [Ps 119 (118): 49-50]

❖ Or: By this we came to know the love of God: that Christ laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for one another.

❖ [1 Jn 3:16]

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27th Sunday Antiphons

❖ Entrance: Within your will, O Lord, all things are established, and there is none that can resist your will. For you have made all things, the heaven and the earth, and all that is held within the circle of heaven; you are the Lord of all.

❖ [see Est 4:17]

❖ Communion: The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to the soul that seeks him.

❖ [Lam 3:25]

❖ Or: Though many, we are one bread, one body, for we all partake of the one Bread and one Chalice.

❖ [see 1 Cor 10:17]

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Concluding points

❖ The Lectionary for Mass is one of the most successful liturgical forms of the Second Vatican Council

❖ Knowing the context helps one make a liturgical reading, not just a biblical reading

❖ Other liturgical sources also have value

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Bibliography

❖ Introduction to the Lectionary for Mass

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❖ Adrien Nocent, The Liturgical Year, 3 vols., Introduced, Emended, and Annotated by Paul Turner (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2013-2014)

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❖ Patrick Regan, Advent to Pentecost: Comparing the Seasons in the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms of the Roman Rite, (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2012)

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❖ Foundations for Preaching and Teaching: Scripture Backgrounds for 2015, (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 2014)

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❖ Paul Turner, Let Us Pray: A Guide to the Rubrics of Sunday Mass, updated, (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2012)

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❖ Paul Turner, Pastoral Companion to The Roman Missal (Chicago: World Library Publications, 2011)

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