A Catholic Notebook: The Liturgy

Showing posts with label The Liturgy. Show all posts

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Catholic Resources on Bible, Liturgy, Art & Theology

From an amazing site: Catholic-Resources.org
I am going to link to this page on my sidebar so it can found quickly.
The main page includes information on the Bible, Liturgy, Art, and Theology.

The Catholic Lectionary for Mass (1998 USA Edition)
tables compiled by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.

Readings for the Sundays of Advent
NOTE: The new "Liturgical Year"always begins on the First Sunday of Advent, not on Jan. 1:
Advent 2010 is part of the 2011 liturgical year (Sunday Cycle A), which begins on November 28, 2010.
Advent 2011 will be part of the 2012 liturgical year (Sunday Cycle B), which begins on November 27, 2011.
Advent 2012 will be part of the 2013 liturgical year (Sunday Cycle C), which begins on December 2, 2012.
See the Calendar of Lectionary Cycles and Movable Liturgical Feasts for other years.

Date	#	Sunday	First Reading	Responsorial Psalm	Second Reading	Alleluia Verse	Gospel
11/28/10	1	1^st Sunday of Advent - A	Isa 2:1-5	Ps 122:1-2, 3-4a, 4b-5, 6-7, 8-9	Rom 13:11-14	Ps 85:8	Matt 24:37-44
12/5/10	4	2^nd Sunday of Advent - A	Isa 11:1-10	Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17	Rom 15:4-9	Luke 3:4+6	Matt 3:1-12
12/12/10	7	3^rd Sunday of Advent - A	Isa 35:1-6a, 10	Ps 146:6c-7, 8-9a, 9b-10	Jas 5:7-10	Isa 61:1 (cited in Lk 4:18)	Matt 11:2-11
12/19/10	10	4^th Sunday of Advent - A	Isa 7:10-14	Ps 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6	Rom 1:1-7	Matt 1:23	Matt 1:18-24
11/27/11	2	1^st Sunday of Advent - B	Isa 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7	Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19	1 Cor 1:3-9	Ps 85:8	Mark 13:33-37
12/4/11	5	2^nd Sunday of Advent - B	Isa 40:1-5, 9-11	Ps 85:9ab+10, 11-12, 13-14	2 Pet 3:8-14	Luke 3:4+6	Mark 1:1-8
12/11/11	8	3^rd Sunday of Advent - B	Isa 61:1-2a, 10-11	Luke 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54	1 Thess 5:16-24	Isa 61:1 (cited in Lk 4:18)	John 1:6-8, 19-28
12/18/11	11	4^th Sunday of Advent - B	2 Sam 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 (diff)	Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27+29	Rom 16:25-27	Luke 1:38	Luke 1:26-38
12/2/12	3	1^st Sunday of Advent - C	Jer 33:14-16	Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10+14	1 Thess 3:12–4:2	Ps 85:8	Luke 21:25-28, 34-36
12/9/12	6	2^nd Sunday of Advent - C	Bar 5:1-9	Ps 126:1-2a, 2b-3, 4-5, 6	Phil 1:4-6, 8-11	Luke 3:4+6	Luke 3:1-6
12/16/12	9	3^rd Sunday of Advent - C	Zeph 3:14-18a	Isa 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6	Phil 4:4-7	Isa 61:1 (cited in Lk 4:18)	Luke 3:10-18
12/23/12	12	4^th Sunday of Advent - C	Mic 5:1-4a	Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19	Heb 10:5-10	Luke 1:38	Luke 1:39-45

Notes:

The numbers in the first column are the official section numbers from the Ordo Lectionum Missae, second typical edition, 1981; they are identical to the section numbers from the first edition, 1969.
Titles in the second column are linked directly to the readings provided on the website of the USCCB, if available.
Readings which are new or different from the 1970 Lectionary are marked in the table above; click on the underlined links (new) or (diff) for detailed explanations.

Rationale: The official "Introduction" to the Lectionary (Second Edition, 1981) briefly explains the rationale for the reading choices for the Sundays of Advent:

"Each Gospel reading has a distinctive theme: the Lord's coming at the end of time (First Sunday of Advent), John the Baptist (Second and Third Sunday), and the events that prepared immediately for the Lord's birth (Fourth Sunday). The Old Testament readings are prophecies about the Messiah and the Messianic age, especially from the Book of Isaiah. The readings from an Apostle contain exhortations and proclamations, in keeping with the different themes of Advent." (Lectionary for Mass, "Introduction," chap. 5, par. 93)

Related Resources:

1998 USA Lectionary (Main Page)

Season of Advent	Season of Christmas	Season of Lent	Season of Easter
Solemnities of the Lord	Ordinary Time - Year A	Ordinary Time - Year B	Ordinary Time - Year C

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Hiding the Alleluia During Lent

Question: Why Don't Roman Catholics Sing the Alleluia During Lent?

Answer:
Throughout the liturgical year, the Catholic Church makes certain changes to the Mass to reflect the liturgical season. Next to the change in the color of the priest's vestments, the absence of the Alleluia during Lent is probably the most obvious.

The Meaning of the Alleluia

The Alleluia comes to us from Hebrew, and it means "praise Yahweh." Traditionally, it has been seen as the chief term of praise of the choirs of angels, as they worship around the throne of God in Heaven. It is, therefore, a term of great joy, and our use of the Alleluia during Mass is a way of participating in the angels' worship. It is also a reminder that the Kingdom of Heaven is already established on earth, in the form of the Church, and that our participation in Mass is a participation in Heaven.

Our Lenten Exile

During Lent, however, our focus is on the Kingdom coming, not on the Kingdom having come. The readings in the Masses for Lent and in the Liturgy of the Hours focus heavily on the spiritual journey of Old Testament Israel toward the coming of Christ, and the salvation of mankind in His death and resurrection.
We, too, are on a spiritual journey, toward the Second Coming and our future life in Heaven. In order to emphasize that journey, the Church, during Lent, removes the Alleluia from the Mass. We no longer sing with the choirs of angels; instead, we acknowledge our sins and practice repentance so that one day we may again have the privilege of worshiping God as the angels do.

The Return of the Alleluia at Easter

That day come triumphally on Easter Sunday—or, rather, at the Easter Vigil, on Holy Saturday night, when the priest chants a triple Alleluia before he reads the Gospel, and everyone present responds with a triple Alleluia. The Lord is risen; the Kingdom has come; our joy is complete; and, in concert with the angels and saints, we greet the risen Lord with shouts of "Alleluia!"

SOURCE: About Catholicism