Ethan Walker
The Catholic Church has a three-year cycle of Sunday readings, called Years A, B, and 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 read during Holy Week and the Easter season. The year of the cycle can be determined by adding the digits of the calendar year and checking if the number is divisible by three. If it is, then it is Year C. For example, in 2019, 2 + 0 + 1 + 9 = 12, which is divisible by three, so 2019 was Year C.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cycle of readings | 3 years: Years A, B, and C |
| Year A | Gospel of St. Matthew |
| Year B | Gospel of St. Mark |
| Year C | Gospel of St. Luke |
| Gospel of St. John | Used during Easter and Holy Week |
| First Readings | From the Old Testament |
| Second Readings | From the NT Epistles |
| Holy Days of Obligation | Christmas Day and Easter Sunday |
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What You'll Learn
Sunday readings repeat every three years, following Years A, B and C
In the Catholic Church, there are three Liturgical Years, namely Year A, Year B, and Year C. Each Liturgical Year starts with the first Sunday of Advent and marks the transition from one lectionary cycle (A, B, or C) to the next. These lectionary cycles were introduced after the Second Vatican Council ordered a change in the Sunday Mass Readings. The change aimed to familiarize Catholics with the entire Holy Bible, providing a more varied selection of readings. As a result, a three-year cycle of Catholic Sunday Readings was established, centred around the three synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
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. The Gospel of St. John is typically used during solemnities and Holy Week, and in Year B, the shorter Gospel of Mark is supplemented with readings from Matthew and Luke.
To determine the current cycle year, a simple method is to add the digits of the calendar year and check if the sum is divisible by three. If it is, then it is "Year C." For instance, for the year 2019, the sum of its digits is 12 (2 + 0 + 1 + 9 = 12), which is divisible by three, making 2019 "Year C."
The liturgical year typically begins in Advent, so the year 2020 started the "Year A" cycle in December 2019. To confirm the current year in the cycle, one can refer to the USCCB liturgical calendar, which specifies the year for the Sunday readings.
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Year A follows the Gospel of St. Matthew
The Catholic Church follows a three-year cycle of Sunday readings at Mass. Each of the three years is dedicated to a different Gospel. Year A follows the Gospel of St. Matthew, which is the first book of the New Testament of the Bible and one of the three synoptic Gospels. It tells the story of Jesus, his resurrection, and his mission to the world.
The Gospel of Matthew is believed to have been written for the converted Jews. It emphasizes the demands of Christian discipleship and the breaking-in of the new and final age through Jesus's ministry, death, and resurrection. The Gospel begins with a narrative prologue that includes a genealogy of Jesus, starting with Abraham and King David, and the miraculous events surrounding his virgin birth.
The Gospel of Matthew is structured with alternating narrative and teaching sections, often referred to as "books." These include the Sermon on the Mount, the missionary discourse, the parable discourse, the "church order" discourse, and the eschatological discourse. Matthew's narrative is usually shorter than that of other Gospels, as he suppresses many details. However, he modifies and adds to the traditional material, presenting Jesus's teachings with elegance and order.
The Gospel of Matthew also reflects the struggles and conflicts between the evangelist's community and other Jews, particularly with its criticism of the scribes, chief priests, and Pharisees. Matthew avoids using the word "God," preferring the term "Kingdom of Heaven" instead, in keeping with Jewish tradition.
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Year B follows the Gospel of St. Mark
The Catholic Church follows a three-year cycle of Sunday readings at Mass. Each year in the cycle 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.
Year B, or the year of St. Mark, is characterised by the urgency of Mark's Gospel. Mark's Gospel is believed to have been written by St. Mark, who was St. Peter's assistant. It is said that Mark wrote down everything he remembered from Peter's preaching, without recording them in order. The Gospel of St. Mark deals chiefly with the Galilean ministry of Christ and the events of the last week in Jerusalem.
Mark's Gospel has been interpreted as portraying the disciples of Jesus in a negative light, showing their lack of perception of Jesus, rejection of the "way of suffering", and flight and denial. However, recent studies argue that Mark is not as negative towards Peter as previously thought. The portrayal of the disciples may be used to correct "erroneous" views in Mark's community or to mirror the convert's experience of initial enthusiasm followed by an awareness of suffering.
The Gospel of St. Mark is also noted for its breathless nature, with stories that are vivid and arresting. The urgency in Mark's Gospel reflects the importance of conversion and turning to Jesus without delay. The pace of the narrative shifts after Mark 8:26-31, with numerous miracle stories and preaching in Galilee before 8:26, and a focus on teaching the disciples in gentile areas or hostile Judea after 8:31.
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Year C follows the Gospel of St. Luke
The Catholic Church follows a three-year cycle of Sunday readings at Mass. Each year in the cycle 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. Luke is believed to have been composed around AD 80-90 and was authored by an anonymous writer. St. Luke was not a Jew; his style proves that he was Greek. He was educated, a man of means, probably urban, and someone who respected manual work. He had a great knowledge of the Septuagint and of Jewish customs, which he acquired either as a Jewish proselyte or after he became a Christian, through his close intercourse with the Apostles and disciples.
The Gospel of St. Luke begins with a preface addressed to "Theophilus", which means "Lover of God". The gospel opens in Galilee and moves gradually to its climax in Jerusalem. It tells of the origins, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. It also includes the Sermon on the Plain, which contains two blocks of material, each with a different focus and tone. The first part begins with a parable about eyes and blindness, and the second part focuses on the "mouth".
St. Luke's Gospel also includes the story of Jesus' baptism, where Jesus claims God's authorization and a special role and status that authorize him to speak and act with power. Luke's version of Jesus' baptism differs from that of Matthew in that he records only four beatitudes, not ten. These four beatitudes are identical to four in Matthew: poor, hungry, weeping, and ostracized.
In addition to the Gospel of St. Luke, Year C may also include readings from the Acts of the Apostles, which, together with the Gospel, make up a two-volume work that accounts for 27.5% of the New Testament.
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The Gospel of St. John is used during Holy Week and the Easter season
The Catholic Church follows a three-year cycle of Sunday readings at Mass. Each of the three years 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 used during solemnities, such as Holy Week and the Easter season.
The Gospel of St. John is the only one that does not include a Eucharistic institution during the Last Supper account. Instead, it records the foot washing as an instruction for the entire life of the community, charity, and humility that should govern the Church. This is perhaps the most distinctive rite that can be used during the Holy Thursday liturgy.
During the Good Friday service, which usually begins at 3 p.m., the time of Christ's death, the Gospel is the Lord's Passion as recorded by St. John. Holy Communion is distributed from the reserved Sacrament of Holy Thursday.
On Easter Sunday, the Gospel is always taken from John chapter 20, in which Mary Magdalene finds the stone removed from Christ's tomb and runs to tell Peter and the other disciple, who return to find the tomb empty. A liturgical practice that is always done on Easter Sunday is the use of the Easter Sequence, "Victimae Paschali Laudes" ("Christians, to the Paschal Victim offer your thankful praises"), immediately before the proclamation of the Gospel.
In the season of Lent, the Lectionary uses passages from John that focus on who Jesus is. In the Easter season, the focus shifts to being the Church. The Gospel of St. John is quite appropriate for this season as it draws our attention to who Jesus is and challenges us to make a personal response to him.
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Frequently asked questions
The Sunday readings are based on a three-year cycle, with each year 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 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".
Yes, on certain Holy Days of Obligation, such as Christmas Day and Easter Sunday, the same readings are assigned every year.
The First Readings are from the Old Testament, chosen to complement the themes of the Gospel Readings. The Second Readings are from the NT Epistles and usually unrelated to the First Reading and Gospel.
