Liturgy Cycle Readings

CYCLE OF READINGS DURING THE LITURGICAL YEAR The liturgical year begins on the first Sunday of Advent and concludes on the Saturday following the feast of Christ the King. LITURGICAL YEAR Advent runs for 4 weeks and part of the 5th week until Christmas Day. It has two parts a until December 16th preparing for Second Coming of Jesus.

The fact that the Lectionary cycles accomplish all this is something to inspire wonder. The Limitations of Liturgy. Serving these goals, however, means that the readings at Mass do not serve others. One limitation is that the readings, especially those from the Old Testament, can jump around.

The cycle of readings at Mass throughout the year has been established by the Church more specifically, with the Second Vatican Council's reform of the Liturgy, and by the authority of the Pope, a new Roman Missal and Lectionary has been established. There are two cycles of readings weekdays and Sundays feast days.

Here is a quick guide to understanding the three-year cycle of Sunday readings at Mass. Prior to the Second Vatican Council, the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church had a yearly cycle of readings

A Lectionary provides the readings and the responsorial psalm assigned for each Mass of the year Sundays, weekdays, and special occasions. The readings are divided by the day or the theme baptism, marriage, vocations, etc. rather than according to the books of the Bible. The Sunday cycle is divided into three years, labeled A, B, and C

The start of a new liturgical year, beginning with the first Sunday of Advent, also marks the transition from one lectionary cycle A, B, or C to the next. These cycles are a result of the Second Vatican Council, which ordered a change in the Sunday readings at Mass so that Catholics would become more familiar with the text of the Bible.

Questions about the Scriptures used during Mass Do we read from the Bible at Mass? Readings from Scripture are part of every Mass. At least two readings, one always from the Gospels, 3 on Sundays and solemnities make up the Liturgy of the Word.In addition, a psalm or canticle is sung. These readings are typically read from a Lectionary, not a Bible, though the Lectionary is taken from the Bible.

Catholic Sunday Readings for the Three Liturgical Years. In the Catholic Church we have three Liturgical Years namely Year A, Year B and Year C. Each Liturgical Year starts with the first Sunday of Advent and also marks the transition from one lectionary cycle A, B, or C to the next.

The Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship directed that it be used beginning on November 30, 1969, the First Sunday of Advent for the 1970 liturgical year. Thus, while the tables published in the Lectionary itself begin with 1969, the first set of readings actually used was Cycle B Sundays and Year II weekdays.

The online Revised Common Lectionary is a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, a division of the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries. Subscribe to the Weekly Readings Subscribe to the Daily Readings