The Lectionary in Sunday and Daily Worship

The reading of Scripture was always an important part of worship. When the first Christians gathered to "break bread," they kept the Jewish synagogue custom of "breaking the word" as well. In these readings, God speaks a message of redemption and salvation. Even before the Church had the written Gospel accounts, they shared letters written by early Christian missionaries (Col. 4:16; 2 Pet. 3:15-16), along with the instruction by the Apostles (Acts 20:7).  Eventually, the Christian story was written down  and read to the assembly.

Jesus Christ is present among the faithful through his word.  The Church says, "it is he himself who speaks when the holy Scriptures are read in the Church" (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, #7). A profound relationship exists between the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. "The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she venerates the Body of the Lord, in so far as she never ceases, particularly in the sacred liturgy to partake of the bread of life and to offer it to the faithful from one table of the Word of God and the Body of Christ" (Divine Revelation, #21).

Since the Second Vatican Council, the Church has radically reformed the Liturgy of the Word, going back to the earliest tradition of three readings on Sundays and Holy Days:  

• First Reading from the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), chosen to harmonize with the Gospel message indicating the unity and continuity of both Testaments.
• Second Reading from a non Gospel New Testament. Depending on the season, the reading is taken from a letter (Epistle), from the Acts of the Apostles or the Book of Revelation. Although these readings are not consciously integrated with the Gospel reading, they speak of our concrete experience of living out the Gospel message.
• Third Reading from a Gospel, the stories in which we meet Jesus, the heart of our faith.  

Following the directives of Vatican II, a  Lectionary, was developed with a three-year three cycle of readings for Sunday and Holy Days to give the faithful a chance to hear as much of the Scriptures as possible. Cycle A proclaims the Gospel of Matthew; Cycle B proclaims the Gospel of Mark; Cycle C proclaims the Gospel of Luke. Since the Gospel of John focuses on the risen life of Christ, it is read primarily during the Lent/Easter season and secondarily during the Advent/Christmas season. During the weekdays, every Mass has two readings. The first is from the Old Testament or from a letter. During the Easter Season the reading is from the Acts of the Apostles or the book of Revelation. The second reading is from a Gospel. There is a one year cycle of readings for the Gospels, and it is repeated each year. The first reading has a two-year cycle. A different reading is read on alternate years. The first is read on odd numbered years and the second on even numbered. There are special readings for the feasts of our Lord and his mother Mary, for important feasts of the saints, and for special needs and occasions.

Seasons of the Church Year

The seasons of the Church year revolve around the principal events in the life of Christ: his birth and his death.  Through the cycle of feasts and seasons, the Church recalls the story of salvation. Through the readings, the Church offers us an opportunity to journey with Christ in our daily lives. Each of the great feasts of the Liturgical year - Christmas and Easter, has a preparatory period and a follow-up season:

I.  The Christmas Cycle

• A. Preparatory period: Advent

Advent is a time of waiting. It is a time of joy in anticipation of the incarnation of Christ. The Liturgical Year begins with the first Sunday of Advent. The four weeks of Advent remind us of the three-fold comings of Christ:

• The birth of Jesus, which fulfilled the expectation of the Messiah
• The re-birth of Jesus in our own lives
• The awaiting of the second advent,
  or final coming of Christ

• B. Follow-up Season: Christmas

During this time we deepen our faith in the mystery of the incarnation, the Son of God made flesh. The feast of Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord conclude the Christians season

Kay's Book Season of Emmanuel provides the reader with daily commentaries on the gospel from the First Sunday of Advent through the Feast of Epiphany. For details see Kay's Writings.

II. Ordinary Time

"Ordinary Time" refers to those Sundays of the Liturgical Year that are outside the seasons of Advent/Christmas, Lent/Easter. Although the bulk of these Sunday extend from the close of the Easter season to the end of the Liturgical Year, several of these Sundays occur between the end of the Christmas season, and the beginning of the Lenten Season.

III. The Easter Cycle

A. Preparatory period: Lent

• Lent is a time of joy in anticipation of the resurrection of Christ. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and continues for six weeks. The "forty days" of Lent recall the forty years the Israelites spent on their desert journey to the promised land, and the forty days Jesus spent in prayer and fasting in preparation for his ministry.
• During Lent those who are being prepared for baptism enter their final preparation. (The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults - the R.C.I.A.).
• Lent is a time of reflection for all the faithful on their spiritual needs. It is a time to practice the three-fold discipline: prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
• Holy Week calls to mind the events in which Christ's blood was poured out for our salvation.
• Lent draws to a close with the celebration of the Triduum:

The Triduum:  Holy, Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
The Triduum is not three separate days, but is really one long feast celebrating Christ's great love poured out for us that we might be transformed into his mystical body, the Church. Holy Thursday is the celebration of his sacrificial body and blood given to us in the Eucharist. Good Friday commemorates the Lord's crucifixion and death. The highlight of the Liturgical Year is the Church's celebration of Easter, which begins with the vigil on Holy Saturday. During the Easter Vigil the Elect are baptized. In baptism we die to our old lives by turning away from sin, and rise to new life in Christ.

B. Follow Up Season: Easter, Ascension and Pentecost

• Easter is the high point of the Christian mystery. On Easter, we celebrate the victory of Christ over sin and death.  On Easter we sing Alleluia (Praise God) once again, not only with our voices, but with our "life and deeds" (St. Augustine)
• Through his ascension to the right hand of God, Christ promised to send the Holy Spirit to empower the Church
• The outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost is called the birthday of the universal church. Through the Spirit the Church realizes her call to preach the Gospel of Christ to the whole world.

Kay's Book 90 Days provides the reader with daily commentaries on the gospel from Ash Wednesday through the Feast of Pentecost. For details see Kay's Writings.

IV Ordinary Time

Once again, the Church returns to Ordinary Time, the longest season in the Church calendar. Ordinary Time reflects the rhythm and tempo of our lives. The season helps us to  meditate on the mighty works of God through Jesus Christ and the sending of the Spirit. It is a time to grow in our faith in response to God's invitation to follow Christ.

The crowning of the year of faith is the feast of Christ the King, the proclamation of Jesus Christ as the glorious King of all the world, through whom all things are redeemed. As the year closes, we look forward to Christ's coming again in glory to reign as Lord forever. With the Church throughout the ages we pray: "Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!" (Rv 22:20).