Grace Thompson
The Catholic Lectionary is a collection of scripture readings for Christian worship on a given day. It is arranged in two cycles, one for Sundays and one for weekdays, with the former divided into three years, labelled A, B, and C. The readings are typically divided by day or theme (baptism, marriage, etc.) and are not arranged according to the books of the Bible. The Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings are available online at DailyLectio.net and provide a three-year cycle of daily scripture readings. The Sunday lectionary in Spanish can be found at St Mark's Press Leccionario Domenical.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Readings | Scripture readings for Christian or Judaic worship on a given day |
| Cycle | A three-year cycle |
| Days | Sunday and weekday cycles |
| Scripture | Readings from the Old Testament, New Testament, Gospels, Psalms, Canticles, Epistles, and Acts of the Apostles |
| Occasions | Readings for feasts of the saints, common celebrations, ritual Masses (weddings, funerals, etc.), votive Masses, and various needs |
| Seasons | Readings for Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter |
| Years | Year I, Year II, Year A, Year B, and Year C |
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What You'll Learn
The three-year cycle of readings
The Catholic Church has organized the Lectionary, or the book in which the scheduled readings are arranged, to ensure that the congregation is exposed to the whole Bible. The Sunday readings follow a three-year cycle, labelled A, B, and C. Each year, the Gospels are read semi-continuously, with a different focus on one of the synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The Gospel of John is read during the Easter season of every year and during other liturgical seasons, including Advent, Christmas, and Lent, where appropriate.
In Year A, the Gospels are mostly from Matthew. The Old Testament reading is selected to reflect a theme from the Gospel, and the Psalm often does the same. The second reading, usually an Epistle, typically follows the order of the preceding Sunday. In Year B, the Gospels are mostly from Mark. Year C is mostly Luke.
The Sunday cycle is divided into three years, while the weekday cycle has a two-year cycle, with odd-numbered years labelled Cycle I and even-numbered years labelled Cycle II. The weekday lectionary includes a reading from the Old Testament, Acts, Revelation, or the Epistles; a responsorial Psalm; and a reading from one of the Gospels. These readings are generally shorter than those appointed for Sundays. The pericopes for the first reading along with the psalms are arranged in a two-year cycle. The gospels are arranged so that portions of all four are read every year.
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Readings for Sundays and weekdays
The Catholic Lectionary follows a three-year cycle of daily scripture readings, with the lessons for each day varying according to the year and liturgical season. The liturgical seasons include Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time.
The Sunday Lectionary readings are available online and are currently in Year C. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2025, the Lectionary will enter Year A. Each year, the Sunday readings are drawn from a different Gospel: Year A focuses on Matthew, Year B on Mark, and Year C on Luke.
The weekday readings reflect on the Sunday lessons. They include First Readings for Weekday Masses, Responsorial Psalms, Alleluia Verses, and Gospel Readings from the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). John's Gospel is used more frequently on weekdays and special Masses.
In addition to the regular Sunday and weekday readings, there are also special services with dedicated lessons, such as Advent Lessons and Carols, Christmas Lessons and Carols, and Nine Lessons for Christmas Eve.
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Readings for special occasions
The Lectionary is a collection of readings and responsorial psalms assigned for each Mass of the year, including Sundays, weekdays, and special occasions. The readings are organised by day or theme (such as baptism, marriage, and vocations), rather than by Bible books. Introductions and conclusions are included with each reading, and individual readings are referred to as pericopes, a Greek word meaning "section" or "cutting".
The Sunday Lectionary is arranged in a three-year cycle of years labelled A, B, and C. For example, 2021 was Year B, 2022 was Year C, and 2023 is Year A. In Year A, readings are mostly taken from the Gospel of Matthew; in Year B, the Gospel of Mark and chapter 6 of the Gospel of John; and in Year C, the Gospel of Luke. The Gospel of John is read during the Easter season across all three years.
The weekday cycle, on the other hand, is divided into two years: Year I and Year II. The first reading on weekdays may come from either the Old or New Testament, and typically, a single book is read semi-continuously until completed before moving on to a new book.
In addition to the Sunday and weekday cycles, the Lectionary offers readings for various special occasions, including feasts of the saints, common celebrations, ritual Masses (weddings, funerals, etc.), votive Masses, and other specific needs. For instance, the Lectionary Page website provides lessons for special services such as the Dedication of a Church, Advent Lessons and Carols, Christmas Lessons and Carols, and Nine Lessons and Carols for Christmas Eve.
The Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings are available online at DailyLectio.net, providing a three-year cycle of daily scripture readings that follow and supplement the RCL Sunday lections. The readings from Thursday to Saturday prepare for the upcoming Sunday lessons, while the readings from Monday to Wednesday reflect on the previous Sunday's lessons.
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The liturgical year
After the Christmas season, some Anglican traditions observe an Epiphany season, which begins on the Eve of the Epiphany (January 6 or the Sunday after January 1) and ends on the Feast of the Presentation (February 2 or the Sunday after January 27). This is followed by Ordinary Time, a period without specific denominational observances.
The next significant season in the liturgical year is Lent, a time of preparation and reflection that precedes the Easter festival. The Easter cycle, including Lent and Easter, is one of the two central cycles of the liturgical year, with the other being the Christmas cycle. These two cycles structure the liturgical year and are marked by their respective festivals and seasons of preparation.
The Revised Common Lectionary provides a three-year cycle of readings for Sundays and a two-year cycle for weekdays. This means that the readings for each Sunday and weekday are repeated every three and two years, respectively. The cycles are labelled as Years A, B, and C for Sundays, and Years I and II for weekdays.
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Online resources
There are several online resources that can help you locate readings in the Catholic Lectionary. Here is a list of some useful websites:
The Lectionary Page
This website offers a comprehensive index of lessons for Years A, B, and C, as well as Holy Days. It also provides calendars for past years, going as far back as 2013. The Lectionary Page was created to support those who need access to the lesson texts of the Episcopal (TEC) Eucharistic Lectionary. It also offers the Sunday Lectionary in Spanish. Additionally, you can find The Book of Common Prayer in both its current and historical versions on this website.
Catholic-Resources.org
This website provides a wealth of links to other lectionary-related websites and resources. It includes links to liturgical calendars, daily gospel reflections, daily meditations, and homilies from various priests. It also offers resources for specific days, such as Advent and Christmas, as well as seasons like Lent and Easter.
Liturgy Planner Online
Liturgy Planner Online is a commercial website that offers liturgical planning for every Sunday and Holy Day. It includes resources such as hymn suggestions and articles from U.S. and Canadian Bishop Conferences.
The Text This Week
This website, created by Jenee Woodard, offers Revised Common Lectionary resources, Scripture study, and worship links for students, teachers, and preachers. It provides scriptural resources for each week's readings and each biblical book.
Desperate Preacher's Site
This ecumenical website, founded by Frank Schaefer, allows users to click on a date from January 1 to December 31 of the current or past years to access lections.
Lectionary Resources for the Episcopal Church
Maintained by Charles Wohlers, this website offers readings for download in RTF format, including Roman Catholic readings using the NRSV translation. It includes tables of readings for Liturgy and Daily Prayer for upcoming weeks, as well as monthly overview calendars.
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Frequently asked questions
The Lectionary is a listing of scripture readings for Christian or Judaic worship on a given day. The readings are divided by the day or theme (baptism, marriage, etc.) rather than according to the books of the Bible.
The Catholic Lectionary follows a 3-year cycle of readings. The year of the cycle begins on the First Sunday of Advent, usually in late November. The Sunday cycle is divided into three years, labelled A, B, and C. The weekday cycle is divided into two years, Year I and Year II.
The Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings are available online at DailyLectio.net. The Sunday lectionary in Spanish can be found at St Mark's Press Leccionario Domenical.
In Year A, readings are mostly from the Gospel of Matthew. In Year B, the Gospel of Mark and chapter 6 of the Gospel of John are read. In Year C, the Gospel of Luke is read. The Gospel of John is read during the Easter season in all three years.
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