Year A Celebration 2013 2016 2019 2022 2025 2028 Page 1 st Sunday of Advent Dec 1 Nov 27 Dec 1 Nov 27 Nov 30 Dec 3 159 Immaculate Conception Dec 9* Dec 8 Dec 9* Dec 8 Dec 8 Dec 8 1426 2 nd Sunday of Advent Dec 8 Dec 4 Dec 8 Dec 4 Dec 7 Dec 10 163 3 rd Sunday of Advent Dec 15 Dec 11 Dec 15 Dec 11 Dec 14 Dec 17 168 4 th Sunday of Advent Dec 22 Dec 18 Dec 22 Dec 18 Dec 21 Dec 24 173 Christmas Dec 25 Dec 25 Dec 25 Dec 25 Dec 25 Dec 25 177 Holy Family Dec 29 Dec 30* Dec 29 Dec 30* Dec 28 Dec 31 198 2014 2017 2020 2023 2026 2029 Mary, Mother of God Jan 1 Jan 1 Jan 1 Jan 1 Jan 1 Jan 1 203 Epiphany of the Lord Jan 5 Jan 8 Jan 5 Jan 8 Jan 4 Jan 7 207 Baptism of the Lord Jan 12 Jan 9* Jan 12 Jan 9* Jan 11 Jan 8* 213 2 nd in Ordinary Time Jan 19 Jan 15 Jan 19 Jan 15 Jan 18 Jan 14 220 3 rd in Ordinary Time Jan 26 Jan 22 Jan 26 Jan 22 Jan 25 Jan 21 224 4 th in Ordinary Time Jan 29 Jan 29 Feb 1 Jan 28 229 Presentation of the Lord Feb 2 Feb 2 Feb 2 Feb 2 Feb 2 Feb 2 1334 5 th in Ordinary Time Feb 9 Feb 5 Feb 9 Feb 5 Feb 8 Feb 4 234 6 th in Ordinary Time Feb 16 Feb 12 Feb 16 Feb 12 Feb 15 Feb 11 238 7 th in Ordinary Time Feb 23 Feb 19 Feb 23 Feb 19 244 8 th in Ordinary Time Mar 2 Feb 26 249 9 th in Ordinary Time 253 Ash Wednesday Mar 5 Mar 1 Feb 26 Feb 22 Feb 18 Feb 14 260 1 st Sunday of Lent Mar 9 Mar 5 Mar 1 Feb 26 Feb 22 Feb 18 267 2 nd Sunday of Lent Mar 16 Mar 12 Mar 8 Mar 5 Mar 1 Feb 25 273 3 rd Sunday of Lent Mar 23 Mar 19 Mar 15 Mar 12 Mar 8 Mar 4 278 Saint Joseph Mar 19 Mar 20* Mar 19 Mar 20* Mar 19 Mar 19 1342 Annunciation Mar 25 Mar 25 Mar 25 Mar 25 Mar 25 Apr 9* 1347 4 th Sunday of Lent Mar 30 Mar 26 Mar 22 Mar 19 Mar 15 Mar 11 284 5 th Sunday of Lent Apr 6 Apr 2 Mar 29 Mar 26 Mar 22 Mar 18 292 Palm Sunday Apr 13 Apr 9 Apr 5 Apr 2 Mar 29 Mar 25 299 Holy Thursday Apr 17 Apr 13 Apr 9 Apr 6 Apr 2 Mar 29 321 Good Friday Apr 18 Apr 14 Apr 10 Apr 7 Apr 3 Mar 30 333 Easter Vigil Apr 19 Apr 15 Apr 11 Apr 8 Apr 4 Mar 31 360 Easter Sunday Apr 20 Apr 16 Apr 12 Apr 9 Apr 5 Apr 1 410 2 nd Sunday of Easter Apr 27 Apr 23 Apr 19 Apr 16 Apr 12 Apr 8 419 3 rd Sunday of Easter May 4 Apr 30 Apr 26 Apr 23 Apr 19 Apr 15 424 4 th Sunday of Easter May 11 May 7 May 3 Apr 30 Apr 26 Apr 22 430 5 th Sunday of Easter May 18 May 14 May 10 May 7 May 3 Apr 29 435 6 th Sunday of Easter May 25 May 21 May 17 May 14 May 10 May 6 440 Ascension May 19 May 25 May 21 May 18 May 14 May 10 445 7 th Sunday of Easter Jun 1 May 28 May 24 May 21 May 17 May 13 452 Pentecost Jun 8 Jun 4 May 31 May 28 May 24 May 20 456 *Transferred 8
The Introductory Rites Lift up your hearts! How do we come to the holy moment when we join with the whole of creation to sing to God what can be sung to God alone: Holy, holy, holy? First, Christ gathers us together. We come from our homes and assemble in this holy place. We greet one another as we would greet Christ, bless ourselves with holy water, and take our places. A procession forms. We sing, our many voices raised as the one, mighty voice of the Body of Christ. We sign ourselves with the cross. Depending on the season of the year, we may sing the song of the angels ( Glory to God ), bless water and be sprinkled with it, or cry out Lord, have mercy. The priest calls us to pray, and after a moment of silence, says words that gather all our praise and petitions into one prayer. Entrance Chant All stand. When the people are gathered, the Priest approaches the altar with the ministers while the Entrance Chant is sung. Greeting See the Entrance Antiphon of today s Mass. To find today s Mass, use the calendar table on pages 8 13. When the Entrance Chant is concluded, the Priest and the faithful, standing, sign themselves with the Sign of the Cross, while the Priest, facing the people, says: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The people reply: Amen. Introductory Rites 19
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Lectionary 73) For the past few weeks our readings have focused on what it means to be a disciple of the Lord. Today that focus is sharpened. Some have said that the greatest sin in the Church today is the sin of malaise. Look around you. Are those sitting around you in church today people who really let their light shine? For some people, the answer would be a resounding yes. For many others, sadly, we would have to answer in the negative. Do you know people who just light up a room by their very presence and attitude? We all know people like that. Today we are called out of our malaise to be people who do more than light up a room. Today we are called to light up the world! We need to ask God to strengthen our faith so that we can truly believe that the presence of Christ within each of us has the power to bring light to the darkness of racism and fear, the darkness of despair and malaise, the darkness of apathy and laziness. Today s Gospel is for the couch potatoes of the Church what some have called the pew potatoes. It is never too late to become someone who can bring light to the world. Let us pray that today is the day that God s light will shine through us. Entrance Antiphon Ps 95 (94):6 7 O come, let us worship God and bow low before the God who made us, for he is the Lord our God. Order of Mass, p. 19. The Gloria in excelsis (Glory to God in the highest) is said. Collect Keep your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care, that, relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace, they may be defended always by your protection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. 234 Year A
First Reading Isaiah 58:7 10 A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah Thus says the Lord: Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am! If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 112:4 5, 6 7, 8 9 R The just man is a light in darkness to the upright. Alternative psalm response: Alleluia. Light shines through the darkness for the upright; he is gracious and merciful and just. Well for the man who is gracious and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice. R He shall never be moved; the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance. An evil report he shall not fear; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. R Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 235
Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord Easter Vigil in the Holy Night (Lectionary 41) Imagine what it would be like to fly around the world tonight, gazing down upon the earth s surface. Shortly after sunset in each time zone one would see fires being lighted in the parking lots of suburban parishes; on sidewalks in front of churches in urban parishes; in fields adjacent to churches in rural parishes; on dirt roads in desert parishes; beneath swaying palm trees in jungle parishes; reflected off the surfaces of oceans, rivers, and lakes in parishes throughout the world. This bird s-eye view would present a visual testament to the enduring power of Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Tonight it is as if the entire Christian world gathers around one gigantic bonfire and shares the story of salvation. Tonight hundreds of thousands of people are plunged into the waters of Baptism for the first time. The sacred oil of chrism anoints the heads of millions as the Holy Spirit s gifts are sealed within them. Finally, in a procession that includes tens of millions of us, we approach the table of the Eucharist, where all our hungers are satisfied. It is no wonder that we fill our churches with booming alleluias this night and throughout the next fifty days. May Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, scatter the darkness of this night all over the world and save us from the power of sin. Because the Easter Vigil is part of the three-day-long liturgy of the Paschal Triduum, there are no introductory rites. The Vigil begins with the Solemn Beginning of the Vigil or Lucernarium. First Part: Solemn Beginning of the Vigil or Lucernarium The Easter Vigil begins with the lighting of a new paschal fire in the presence of the assembly. The Priest goes to the fire with the ministers, one of whom carries the unlit Easter candle. The Priest greets the assembly and addresses them in these or similar words: Dear brethren [ brothers and sisters ], on this most sacred night, in which our Lord Jesus Christ passed over from death to life, 360 Year A
the Church calls upon her sons and daughters, scattered throughout the world, to come together to watch and pray. If we keep the memorial of the Lord s paschal solemnity in this way, listening to his word and celebrating his mysteries, then we shall have the sure hope of sharing his triumph over death and living with him in God. Blessing of the Fire O God, who through your Son bestowed upon the faithful the fire of your glory, sanctify this new fire, we pray, and grant that, by these paschal celebrations, we may be so inflamed with heavenly desires, that with minds made pure we may attain festivities of unending splendor. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Preparation of the Candle The Priest may say the following in whole or in part as he scribes the design into the candle. Christ yesterday and today; the Beginning and the End; the Alpha; and the Omega. All time belongs to him; and all the ages. To him be glory and power; through every age and for ever. Amen. Easter Vigil 361
The Ascension of the Lord (Lectionary 58) Before Mass begins today, read the second reading. This section from Saint Paul s Letter to the Ephesians is one of the most reassuring in all of scripture. We live in a world in which rampant violence, genocide, terrorism, war, and torture have caused many people to lose hope. We need to hear these words loudly and clearly. More than an expression of wistful sentiment, they are the vision and vocation of all who put their faith in Christ. May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call. With these words we take up the mission of announcing the ways of peace to resolve conflict. We are called to stand up and proclaim hope that lifts the despair that breeds violence. As we prepare to conclude the celebration of the Easter season, let us remember that as baptized believers we have a responsibility to bring Christ to the world. Where the Solemnity of the Ascension is not to be observed as a Holyday of Obligation, it is assigned to the Seventh Sunday of Easter as its proper day. At the Vigil Mass This Mass is used on the evening of the day before the Solemnity, either before or after First Vespers (Evening Prayer I) of the Ascension. Entrance Antiphon Ps 68 (67):33, 35 You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; praise the Lord, who ascends above the highest heavens; his majesty and might are in the skies, alleluia. Order of Mass, p. 19. The Gloria in excelsis (Glory to God in the highest) is said. Ascension of the Lord 445
1072 Year C Lent The season of Lent is a very special time of spiritual growth, a time of deepened conversion and great graces that support and encourage the development of our relationship with the Lord. During this period of forty days, the Church orchestrates a broad range of pastoral resources to craft a coherent experience of renewal, both for those preparing for Baptism and for those already baptized. That renewal is primarily a liturgically-based experience, as it is the liturgy that sets the pace, provides the thematic focus, and invites us into celebrations that are meant to deepen and guide our progressive entry into the mystery of Christ which is at the heart of the Lenten journey. Following the rhythms of this season is easier if one understands the fundamental thrust of Lent as a time of preparation for the sacraments of Christian initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) which are celebrated at the Easter Vigil. The historical origins of Lent, as well as the focus of the liturgical reform of Vatican II, make clear the initiatory character of much of what the Church prescribes by way of prayers, readings, and rituals that fill the forty days. Even for those already initiated, the baptismal character of Lent is unmistakable, since during this time we are urged to prepare ourselves for the renewal of our baptismal commitment that we are asked to make at Easter. T he Lectionary readings that have been selected for the Sundays of Lent have a particular catechetical value. They represent the Church s instructions regarding the great themes of Christian initiation: covenant-making, conversion, rebirth in the Spirit, and so forth. Reading and praying over them with an eye to their significance for a baptismal spirituality will help to make sense of them in the way that they are intended. For example, when we
read Paul s teaching that Whoever is in Christ is a new creation (Fourth Sunday), we know that we are being invited to understand our Baptism as a work of grace as splendid as the first creation. For those seeking the fresh start that Baptism at the Easter Vigil will provide them, or for those of us reflecting on the deepest meaning of our own Baptism, Paul s perspective on our new life in Christ is invaluable. Lent is not just about moral conversion, nor even just about embracing penitential disciplines for their own sake. Rather, what is at stake in our Lenten journey is nothing less than our rebirth as a totally new creature, a child of God born of water and Spirit, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him (Fourth Sunday). Lent 1073
Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist June 24 (Lectionary 587) Saint John the Baptist is such an important figure in the history of Christianity that when the solemnity of his birth falls on a Sunday the Church supplants the ordinary Sunday with this commemoration. Today s Gospel tells the fascinating story of the birth and naming of John the Baptist. Be sure to read the Gospel for the Vigil Mass as well as the Gospel for the Mass during the Day to capture the entire narrative. Because he was the herald of the Lord, John the Baptist is an example for us. We, too, are called to announce the coming of the Lord in the moments of everyday life. At the Vigil Mass This Mass is used on the evening of June 23, either before or after First Vespers (Evening Prayer I) of the Solemnity. Entrance Antiphon Lk 1:15, 14 He will be great in the sight of the Lord and will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother s womb; and many will rejoice at his birth. Order of Mass, p. 19. The Gloria in excelsis (Glory to God in the highest) is said. Collect Grant, we pray, almighty God, that your family may walk in the way of salvation and, attentive to what Saint John the Precursor urged, may come safely to the One he foretold, our Lord Jesus Christ. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. 1352 Proper of Saints
Hail, Holy Queen (Salve, Regina) Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy; hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! The Holy Rosary 1. Begin on the crucifix and say the Apostles Creed. 2. On the first bead, say one Our Father. 3. On each of the next three beads, say the Hail Mary. 4. Next say one Glory Be. Then think of the first mystery in the group of mysteries selected for meditation and say one Our Father. 5. On each of the next ten beads, say one Hail Mary. Follow these with one Glory Be. 6. Repeat step 5 for each of the five mysteries. The Joyful Mysteries Monday and Saturday 1. The Annunciation of Gabriel to Mary (Luke 1:26 38) 2. The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth (Luke 1:39 56) 3. The Birth of Our Lord (Luke 2:1 21) 4. The Presentation of Our Lord (Luke 2:22 38) 5. The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple (Luke 2:41 52) The Sorrowful Mysteries Tuesday and Friday 1. The Agony of Our Lord in the Garden (Matthew 26:36 56) 2. Our Lord is Scourged at the Pillar (Matthew 27:26) 3. Our Lord is Crowned with Thorns (Matthew 27:27 31) 4. Our Lord Carries the Cross to Calvary (Matthew 27:32) 5. The Crucifixion of Our Lord (Matthew 27:33 56) 1450 Treasury of Prayers