The Lectionary

Mr. Pablo Cuadra

Religion 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
Testament
B. A reading from the New
Testament such as:
Epistles, Acts of the Apostles
or Revelation
C. 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: two
A 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 Lectionary
Before 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 Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
 The End

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