Season Of Easter - Liturgical Calendar - Liturgy Office

Documentation

• Summary sheet for Liturgy Preparation Groups [in preparation]
• General Norms for the Liturgical Year & Calendar 22–26 [pdf]
• Introduction to the Lectionary [pdf]
• Directory on Popular Piety
• Celebrating the Paschal Feasts
  • Celebrating the Paschal Feasts [pdf]

4. The Easter Triduum and the Easter Season

b. Sundays

100. The gospel readings for the first three Sundays recount the appearances of the risen Christ. The readings about the Good Shepherd are assigned to the Fourth Sunday. On the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Sundays, there are excerpts from the Lord’s discourse and prayer at the last supper.

The first reading is from Acts, in a three-year cycle of parallel and progressive selections: material is presented on the life ofthe primitive Church, its witness, and its growth.

For the reading from the apostles, 1 Peter is in Year A, 1 John in Year B, Revelation in Year C. These are the texts that seem to fit in especially well with the spirit of joyous faith and sure hope proper to this season.

c. Weekdays

101. As on the Sundays, the first reading is a semicontinuous reading from Acts. The gospel readings during the Easter octave are accounts of the Lord’s appearances. After that there is a semi continuous reading of the Gospel of John, but with texts that have a paschal character in order to complete the reading from John during Lent. This paschal reading is made up in large part of the Lord’s discourse and prayer at the last supper.

d. Solemnities of the Ascension and Pentecost

102. For the first reading the solemnity of the Ascension retains the account of the Ascension according to Acts. This text is complemented by the second reading from the apostolic reflections on Christ in exaltation at the right hand of the Father. For the gospel reading, each of the three Years has its own text in accord with the differences in the Synoptic Gospels.

In the evening Mass celebrated on the vigil of Pentecost four Old Testament texts are provided; anyone of them may be used, in order to bring out the many aspects of Pentecost. The reading from the apostles shows the actual working of the Holy Spirit in the Church. The gospel reading recalls the promise of the Spirit made by Christ before his own glorification. For the Mass on Pentecost itself; in accord with received usage, the account in Acts of the great occurrence on Pentecost is taken as the first reading. The texts from Paul bring out the effect of the action of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church. The gospel reading is a remembrance of Jesus bestowing his Spirit on the disciples on Easter evening; other optional texts describe the action of the Spirit on the disciples and on the Church.

Introduction to the Lectionary