Michael Brooks
The Catholic Church follows a three-year cycle of Sunday readings, known as Year A, Year B, and Year C. Each year in the cycle is dedicated to a different Gospel: Matthew, Mark, and Luke, respectively. The liturgical year begins with Advent, and during the Easter season, the First Reading is from the Acts of the Apostles, while during other liturgical seasons, it is from the Old Testament. The cycle of readings aims to provide a varied selection of Scripture, ensuring exposure to the whole Bible and emphasizing the Word of God.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cycle | Three-year cycle (Year A, Year B, Year C) |
| Cycle years | Dedicated to different Gospels: Year A – Gospel of St. Matthew, Year B – Gospel of St. Mark, Year C – Gospel of St. Luke |
| Liturgical year | Begins in Advent |
| Cycle determination | Add the digits of the calendar year and see if they are divisible by three. If yes, then it is Year C |
| Cycle change | Readings change every year |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Catholic readings follow a three-year cycle (Years A, B, and C)
Catholic readings follow a three-year cycle, consisting of Years A, B, and C. This cycle was established by the Catholic Church to provide a varied selection of readings from the Bible, giving the lay faithful exposure to the Word of God and enriching their understanding of Scripture. Each year in the cycle focuses on a different Gospel: Year A on the Gospel of St. Matthew, Year B on the Gospel of St. Mark, and Year C on the Gospel of St. Luke. The Gospel of St. John is typically used for solemnities and during Holy Week.
The liturgical year in the Catholic Church begins with the first Sunday of Advent, marking the transition from one lectionary cycle to the next. For example, if the sum of the digits of the calendar year is divisible by three, then it is designated as Year C in the cycle. This was the case in 2019 (2 + 0 + 1 + 9 = 12, divisible by 3).
While the readings change annually, certain elements of the Mass remain constant, including the Collect, Prayer over the Offerings, Prayer after Communion, and Entrance/Communion Antiphons. These elements are proper to the day rather than the readings.
The cycle of readings at Mass serves to connect Catholics not only to the seasons of the liturgical year but also to the daily feast or saint being commemorated. The readings are chosen to create a vignette for meditation, offering a digestible portion of beauty and continuity that supports both the liturgical year and individual prayer lives.
Ave Maria: Catholic Hymn or Not?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Each year is dedicated to a different Gospel
The Catholic Church follows a three-year cycle of Sunday readings, also known as liturgical years. Each year is dedicated to a different Gospel:
Year A
Year A is dedicated to the Gospel of St. Matthew. The liturgical year of 2020 was Year A.
Year B
Year B follows the Gospel of St. Mark. The Gospel of St. Mark is shorter than the others, so it is usually supplemented with readings from Matthew and Luke.
Year C
Year C is dedicated to the Gospel of St. Luke.
How to Determine the Current Year in the Cycle
To determine which year the Catholic Church is currently in, one simply needs to add the digits of the calendar year. If the sum is divisible by three, then it is Year C. For example, the sum of the digits of 2019 (2 + 0 + 1 + 9) is 12, which is divisible by three, making 2019 a Year C.
John Michael Talbot: Catholic or Not?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![St. Joseph Sunday Missal Prayerbook and Hymnal for 2026 [Paperback] Catholic Book Publishing Corp](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71N-HHa6foL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
The liturgical year begins in Advent
The liturgical year in Western Christianity begins with Advent, a season of preparation for both the celebration of Jesus' birth at Christmas and his expected second coming at the end of time. The word "Advent" comes from the Latin "adventus" or "ad-venire", both meaning "coming" or "arrival".
Advent begins with First Vespers (Evening Prayer I) on the Sunday closest to November 30 and ends before First Vespers on Christmas Eve. The liturgical colour for Advent is purple, symbolising prayer, penance, and preparatory sacrifices. The season is marked by the Advent wreath, a garland of evergreens with four candles, three purple and one rose, which is lit on the third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday.
The readings during Advent are focused on vigilance and preparation, calling on Christians to be alert and ready for Christ's second coming, rather than engaging in speculation about when it will occur. The theme of the readings and teachings during Advent is often the preparation for the Second Coming and the Last Judgement. The Sunday readings relate to the first coming of Jesus Christ as saviour, as well as his Second Coming as judge.
The liturgical year follows a three-year cycle of Sunday readings at Mass, with each year dedicated to a different Gospel: Year A to the Gospel of St. Matthew, Year B to the Gospel of St. Mark, and Year C to the Gospel of St. Luke. The Gospel of St. John is used for solemnities and during Holy Week. The three-year cycle was established by the Second Vatican Council to provide more variety in the readings and to emphasise the Word of God, allowing the lay faithful to explore the riches of the Bible.
Catholic Energies: Non-Profit Powering Communities
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![St. Joseph Sunday Missal Prayerbook and Hymnal for 2025 [Paperback] Catholic Book Publishing Corp](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/711pTpsvKkL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
The readings change yearly, but some elements remain the same
The Catholic Church follows a three-year cycle of Sunday readings, labelled Year A, Year B, and Year C. Each year is dedicated to a different Gospel: Year A to the Gospel of St. Matthew, Year B to the Gospel of St. Mark, and Year C to the Gospel of St. Luke. The Gospel of St. John is typically used for solemnities and during Holy Week. The liturgical year begins with the first Sunday of Advent.
While the readings change yearly, some elements remain the same. These include the Collect, Prayer over the Offerings, Prayer after Communion, and the Entrance/Communion Antiphons. The First Reading during the Easter Season is always taken from the Acts of the Apostles, while during other liturgical seasons, it is taken from the Old Testament. The First Reading shares the same theme with the Gospel, and the Psalm is usually a response to God's Word given in the First Reading.
The three-year cycle was established by the Catholic Church after the Second Vatican Council to provide a more varied selection of readings from the Bible. This was intended to put more emphasis on the Word of God and to expose the lay faithful to a broader range of Scripture.
The year of the cycle can be determined by adding the digits of the calendar year. If the sum is divisible by three, then it is Year C. For example, 2 + 0 + 1 + 9 = 12, so 2019 was Year C.
Baptismal Words: Catholic Changes and Their Meaning
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The cycle aims to expose people to more Scriptures
The Catholic Church has three liturgical years, namely Year A, Year B, and Year C. Each year is dedicated to a different Gospel: Year A to the Gospel of St. Matthew, Year B to the Gospel of St. Mark, and Year C to the Gospel of St. Luke. The Gospel of St. John is typically used for solemnities and during Holy Week, and the shorter Gospel of Mark is usually supplemented with readings from Matthew and Luke in Year B.
The three-year cycle of readings was established to provide a varied selection of readings from the Bible, giving lay followers a more comprehensive knowledge of the Word of God and exposing them to the riches of the Bible. The cycle aims to expose people to more Scriptures by providing a different selection of readings each year, ensuring that Catholics are not only exposed to the same limited set of Scriptures annually.
The liturgical year begins with the first Sunday of Advent, marking the transition from one lectionary cycle to another. To determine the cycle year, one can add the digits of the calendar year; if the sum is divisible by three, it is Year C. For example, 2 + 0 + 1 + 9 = 12, making 2019 a Year C.
The cycle of readings at Mass aims to connect individuals to the seasons of the liturgical year and the feast of the day. The readings create a vignette for meditation, offering a digestible section of beauty and continuity that supports the liturgical year and individual prayer life. However, these readings do not serve as a comprehensive course in salvation history, and Catholics are encouraged to engage with Scripture beyond these readings to deepen their understanding of their faith.
The True Nature of John the Baptist's Relationship with Jesus
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Church has three liturgical years, Year A, Year B, and Year C, which are built around the readings from the three synoptic Gospels, namely Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
The readings change every year.
Each of the three years is dedicated to a different Gospel. Year A is dedicated to the Gospel of St. Matthew, Year B to the Gospel of St. Mark, and Year C to the Gospel of St. Luke.
One simple way to determine the cycle year is to add the digits of the calendar year and see if they are divisible by three. If it is divisible by three, then it is "Year C". For example, 2 + 0 + 1 + 9 = 12, so 2019 is "Year C".
Here are some examples of Catholic readings for the year 2025:
- January: Catholic Readings for January 2025 - From January 1 to January 31.
- February: Catholic Readings for February 2025 - From February 1 to February 28.
- March: Catholic Readings for March 2025 - From March 1 to March 31.
![NEW ST. JOSEPH WEEKDAY MISSAL, Vol. II: Pentecost to Advent [Hardcover] catholic-book-publishing](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61bXJqSKWFL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
