Revised Common Lectionary Is Based On The Roman Catholic Lectionary

The Revised Common Lectionary used by many Canadian and U.S. Protestant Churches in their Sunday worship is based on the Roman Catholic Lectionary.  According to The Revised Common Lectionary, there are two types of lectionaries:  1) one containing a simple table of readings listing the given liturgical day or date and the Scripture references for the texts to be proclaimed; and 2) a full-text edition that reprints the specific texts from the Bible to be used during Sunday worship (such is the Roman Catholic Lectionary and the lectionaries of the Episcopal, Lutheran, and Methodist Churches in the U.S.).  

The Revised Common Lectionary also follows the same 3-year cycle of Gospel readings of the Roman Catholic Church (Year A-Matthew; Year B-Mark; and Year C-Luke).  The Roman Catholic lectionary is considered to be the cornerstone for the Revised Common Lectionary.  According to its instruction, the sequence of Gospel readings each year allows God’s people to be led to a deeper knowledge of Christ and faith in him.  The Gospel and the first reading are also closely connected from the First Sunday of Advent until Trinity Sunday.  From Trinity Sunday to the Feast of Christ the King, the Old Testament reading and Gospel may either be closely related or the Churches are allowed to proclaim a semi-continuous reading from the Old Testament.  Mention is also made regarding the reading of John’s Gospel during the Christmas Season, Lent, Easter, and in the year when Mark’s Gospel is proclaimed (sound familiar?) – John 6 is also proclaimed at this time.  Another major change for these churches is the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday along with the proclamation of the Lord’s Passion and readings for Holy Week.

While the Roman Lectionary is intended for the celebration of Mass, The Revised Common Lectionary makes provisions for its use in connection with the Lord’s Supper or only when a Scripture Service is celebrated.  Because many Protestant Churches do not celebrate the Lord’s Supper each Sunday, the readings in the Common Lectionary are sometimes lengthier.  This is different than the Roman Catholic Lectionary where the readings are shorter in length as a rule because it forms only one part of our worship with the Eucharist to follow.  

Another change in the use of the Scripture readings is that the Old Testament Scripture, now being more recognized as God’s Word, is the first reading during worship.  At one time, the Old Testament was not read in these Churches.  Just as the Catholic Church wanted to make more of the Scripture available for the faith of the people, so too these Protestant Churches acknowledge the existence of biblical illiteracy in their congregations.  Therefore, the use of more readings from Scripture is considered to be one of the most important gifts of the Roman and Common Lectionaries because they lead God’s people through his birth, baptism, ministry, death, and resurrection.  

You may be surprised to learn that The Revised Common Lectionary lists readings New Year’s Day, Epiphany, the Lord’s Baptism, Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, the Easter Vigil, and Trinity Sunday.  More fascinating is the list of readings for the Feast of the Lord’s Presentation on February 2; the Annunciation of the Lord on March 25; the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth on May 31; the Holy Cross on September 14; All Saints on November 1; and Christ the King.  

Is there any doubt that God is bringing about a greater unity among the Christian Churches?    

Father Sauer continues this series in the Feb, 3 issue of The Message.