The Lectionary

8/14/2019 The Lectionary

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The Lectionary

Mr. Pablo Cuadra

Religion Class


2/17

What is a Lectionary?

The Lectionary if the officialliturgical book of the Roman

Missalcontaining the texts of

the Holy Scriptures used in

the Roman Catholic Liturgyor worship.

The Lectionary for Sunday

worship is organized into athree year cycle of readings:

A,B, and C.


3/17

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.


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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 (whereappropriate)

The year A cycle begins at Advent near theend of those years whose number is evenlydivisible by 3. For instance, 2007

Remember: Advent marks the beginning ofthe Liturgical year of the Church. NotJanuary 1.

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

Cycle A is followed by B, and cycle B isfollowed by C. This cycle repeats itself everythree years.


5/17

Did you know?

The Roman Missal is the official liturgical text forthe rubrics, prayers, blessings, and scripturaltexts of the Roman Catholic Liturgy.

The Roman Missal since Vatican II is publishedinto two parts:

A. Sacramentary containing the rubrics,

prayers of the Eucharist.B. Lectionary--- containing the Scripturalreadings used in worship.


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How many readings are used for

the Sunday Mass? Officially Three:

A. A reading from the OldTestament

B. A reading from the NewTestament such as:

Epistles, Acts of the Apostlesor Revelation

C. The Gospel

Technically Five:

If we include the responsorialpsalm and the text from theAlleluia when is not anadaptation.


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What is the practice in the Eastern Catholic

Churches with regards the Lectionary?

The Byzantine Lectionary is a repeating oneyear cycle that was developed at the GreatChurch in Constantinople, which was the verycenter of Christianity in the Eastern RomanEmpire.

With a few exceptions, the Lectionary isunchanged 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 havemore than one set of readings, those based onthe movable cycle and those based upon thefixed.

In some cases the readings of the MovableCycle outrank those of the Fixed Cycle (forexample: Pascha) and in other cases the FixedCycle outrank those of the Movable Cycle (forexample: Christmas Day). Readings given arefor the Divine Liturgy.


8/17

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.


9/17

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 thelector 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 proclaimthe Gospel can be given by the

bishops to seminarians in their

training and to lay people in extra-

ordinary circumstances.


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Editions of the Lectionary

The lectionary is published ineach country through differenteditions the most common are:

Lectionary for Sunday Massesand Solemnities cycles: A,B andC.

Lectionary for Week daymasses cycles: I and II (it canalso be published as a separate

unit)

Lectionary for Common ofSaints, Votives, Various needs.


11/17

Lectionary for Weekday Masses

The lectionary forweekday masses isdivided into two cycles Iand II.

Cycle one: is used for theyears that end with anodd number such as:2007.

Cycle two: is used for theyears that end with aneven number such as:2008.


12/17

How many readings are used for

weekday Masses? Officially: two

A reading from the Old

Testament or New Testament

(readings alternate)

The Gospelfrom either Mark, Matthew and

Luke (same each year)

Technically: four

if we include the psalm (orcanticle) and the text of thealleluia if it not an adaptation.


13/17

Did you know?

The Revised Common Lectionary is aLectionary used by mainline protestantchurches that is very similar to the oneuse by Catholics on Sunday.

This Lectionary is the fruit of ecumenical

work among the different Christianbodies 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 samereadings Catholic use on Sundays forthe celebration of the Eucharist.


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Pre-Vatican II LectionaryBefore the renovations made byVatican II:

Same readings were used yearafter year, on the same Sundaysand 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, emberdays, and within some liturgicaloctaves

Most weekday Masses did nothave proper readings, but usedreadings from the prior Sunday ora saint's day.

Felix Just S.J.


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Vatican II

The fathers of the council mandated therenovation of the Lectionary in 1963.

As a result the following improvement weremade:

A. Three readings are now used for SundayMasses and Solemnities.

B. A more extensive variety of readingsintegrated into a three year cycle: A,B,C.

C. Proper readings for weekday massesincorporated into a two year cycle I and II.

D. Readings for feasts and special needs.

E. A more profound and extensive coverageof the Holy Scriptures compared with thepre-Vatican II version.


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Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenityto 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 lifeand supremely happy with Him

Forever in the next.Amen.


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The End

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