THE ROMAN MISSAL RESTORED BY DECREE OF THE SECOND ECUMENICAL COUNCIL OF THE VATICAN AND PROMULGATED BY AUTHORITY OF POPE PAUL VI LECTIONARY FOR MASS FOR USE IN THE DIOCESES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SECOND TYPICAL EDITION Volume I: Sundays, Solemnities, Feasts of the Lord and the Saints NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS CATHOLIC BOOK PUBLISHING CORP. New Jersey 1998 3 CONTENTS Decree of the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, 1st Edition ......................7 Decree of the Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, 2nd Edition ......................................................................................................8 Decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments ....................................................................................................10 Decree of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.........................................11 INTRODUCTION: PREAMBLE Chapter I: General Principles for the Liturgical Celebration of the Word of God ..................................................................................................13 FIRST PART: THE WORD OF GOD IN THE CELEBRATION OF MASS Chapter II: The Celebration of the Liturgy of the Word at Mass ............................16 Chapter III: Offices and Ministries in the Celebration of the Liturgy of the Word within Mass ..............................................................................20 SECOND PART: THE STRUCTURE OF THE ORDER OF READINGS FOR MASS Chapter IV: The General Arrangement of Readings for Mass................................23 Chapter V: Description of the Order of Readings ....................................................29 Chapter VI: Adaptations, Translations and Format of the Order of Readings....................................................................................................33 TABLES Table I: Principal Celebrations of the Liturgical Year ..............................................36 Table II: Order of the Second Reading for Sundays in Ordinary Time ..................38 Abbreviations of the Books of the Bible ...................................................................39 PROPER OF SEASONS SUNDAY READINGS Season of Advent..................................................................................................43 Season of Christmas ............................................................................................95 Season of Lent ....................................................................................................167 Easter Triduum and Season of Easter ..............................................................301 Ordinary Time .....................................................................................................499 5 SACRED CONGREGATION FOR THE SACRAMENTS AND DIVINE WORSHIP Prot. CD 240/81 DECREE REGARDING THE SECOND TYPICAL EDITION The Order of Readings for Mass, first published in editio typica in 1969, was promulgated on 25 May of that year by special mandate of the Supreme Pontiff Paul VI, in accordance with the requirement of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, in order to provide Bishops’ Conferences with the references for the individual biblical readings at Mass with a view to the preparation of lectionaries in the vernacular languages in the different regions. In that edition were lacking the biblical references of readings for celebration of the sacraments and other rites that have been published since May 1969. More- over, following the issuing of the Neo-Vulgate edition of the Sacred Scriptures, it was laid down by the Apostolic Constitution Scripturarum thesaurus of 25 April 1979 that thereafter the text of the Neo-Vulgate must be adopted as the typical edition for liturgical use. Since the first editio typica is no longer available, it seemed opportune to prepare a second edition, having the following features with regard to the previous one: 1. The text of the Introduction has been expanded. 2. In compliance with the Apostolic Constitution Scripturarum thesaurus, the Neo-Vulgate edition of the Sacred Scriptures has been used in indi- cating the biblical references. 3. There have been incorporated all the biblical references to be found in the lectionaries for the celebration of sacraments and sacramentals that have been published since the first edition of the Order of Readings for Mass. 4. The biblical references have also been added for readings for certain Masses “for various needs” and for readings in other Masses which were inserted into the Roman Missal for the first time in its second edition of 1975. 5. As regards the celebrations of the Holy Family, the Baptism of the Lord, the Ascension, and Pentecost, references have been added for optional readings in such a way that biblical texts arranged for cycles A, B, and C in the Lectionary for Sundays and feasts are completed. 8 11 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT B FIRST READING The kingdom of David shall endure for ever before the Lord. A reading from the second Book of Samuel 7:1–5, 8b–12, 14a, 16 hen King David was settled in his palace, W and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God dwells in a tent!” Nathan answered the king, “Go, do whatever you have in mind, for the LORD is with you.” But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said: “Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Should you build me a house to dwell in? “ ‘It was I who took you from the pasture and from the care of the flock to be commander of my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth. I will fix a place for my people Israel; I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place without further disturbance. Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old, since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. 86 96 December 25 THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD (Christmas) 13 At the Vigil Mass A B C These readings are used at Mass celebrated on the evening of December 24, either before or after Evening Prayer I of Christmas. The texts that follow may also be used for Masses on Christmas Day, with the option of choosing from one or other of the three sets of readings according to the pastoral needs of each congregation. FIRST READING The Lord delights in you. A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 62:1–5 or Zion’s sake I will not be silent, Ffor Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her vindication shines forth like the dawn and her victory like a burning torch. Nations shall behold your vindication, and all the kings your glory; you shall be called by a new name pronounced by the mouth of the LORD. You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD, a royal diadem held by your God. No more shall people call you “Forsaken,” or your land “Desolate,” but you shall be called “My Delight,” and your land “Espoused.” For the LORD delights in you and makes your land his spouse. As a young man marries a virgin, your Builder shall marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you. The word of the Lord. 97 19 SECOND SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS A B C FIRST READING The wisdom of God lives in his people. A reading from the Book of Sirach 24:1–2, 8–12 isdom sings her own praises and is honored in God, Wbefore her own people she boasts; in the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth, in the presence of his power she declares her worth, in the midst of her people she is exalted, in holy fullness she is admired; in the multitude of the chosen she finds praise, and among the blessed she is blessed. “The Creator of all commanded and said to me, and he who formed me chose the spot for my tent, saying, ‘In Jacob make your dwelling, in Israel your inheritance, and among my chosen put down your roots.’ “Before all ages, in the beginning, he created me, and through all ages I shall not cease to be. In the holy tent I ministered before him, and in Zion I fixed my abode. Thus in the chosen city I have rested, in Jerusalem is my domain. I have struck root among a glorious people, in the portion of the LORD, his heritage; and in the company of the holy ones do I linger.” The word of the Lord. 141 [38] PALM SUNDAY, AT THE MASS — A, B, C 259 RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 22:8–9, 17–18, 19–20, 23–24 r (2a) My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? All who see me scoff at me; they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads: “He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him, let him rescue him, if he loves him.” r My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Indeed, many dogs surround me, a pack of evildoers closes in upon me; they have pierced my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones. r My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? They divide my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots. But you, O LORD, be not far from me; O my help, hasten to aid me. r My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? I will proclaim your name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise you: “You who fear the LORD, praise him; all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him; revere him, all you descendants of Israel!” r My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? 322 41 EASTER SUNDAY A B C THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD At the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter Nine readings are assigned to the Easter Vigil: seven from the Old Testament and two from the New. If circumstances demand in individual cases, the num- ber of prescribed readings may be reduced. Three selections from the Old Tes- tament, however, should be read before the epistle and Gospel, although when necessary, two may be read. In any case, the reading from Exodus about the escape through the Red Sea (reading 3) should never be omitted.