AN OVERVIEW OF THE LENT LECTIONARY

The General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar says this about Lent:

“27.  Lent is a preparation for the celebration of Easter.  For the Lenten liturgy disposes both catechumens and the faithful to celebrate the paschal mystery:  catechumens, through the several stages of Christian initiation; the faithful, through reminders of their own baptism, and through penitential practices.

The “Introduction” to the Lectionary for Mass (1988) tells us that the readings for the Sundays of Lent are chosen in the following way:

Gospels

1^st Sunday:       the Temptation of Jesus (in three Synoptic accounts)

2^nd Sunday:       the Transfiguration of Jesus (in three Synoptic accounts)

3^rd Sunday:       in Cycle C, Luke 13:1-9 (parable of the fig tree)

4^th Sunday:       in Cycle C, Luke 15: 1-32 (parable of the prodigal son)

5^th Sunday:       in Cycle C, John 8: 1-11 (the woman taken in adultery)

The Introduction talks about the 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th Sundays in this way:

“The Gospels about the Samaritan Woman, the Man Born Blind, and the Raising of Lazarus have been restored in Year A.  Because these Gospels are of major importance in regard to Christian initiation, they may also be read in Year B and Year C, especially in places where there are catechumens.  Other texts, however, are provided for Year B and Year C:  for Year B, a text from John about Christ’s coming glorification through his Cross and Resurrection; and for Year C, a text from Luke about conversion (with one from John as well—Ed.).

First Readings

The Old Testament Readings are about the history of salvation, which is one of the themes proper to the catechesis of Lent.  The series of texts for each Year presents the main elements of salvation history from its beginning until the promise of the New Covenant.

1^st Sunday:       in Cycle C, the offering of the first-fruits (Deuteronomy 26:4-10)

2^nd Sunday:       in Cycle C, the covenant with Abram (Genesis 15:5-18)

3^rd Sunday:       in Cycle C, God calls Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-15)

4^th Sunday:       in Cycle C, entrance into Promised Land/Passover (Joshua 5:9a, 10-12)

5^th Sunday:       in Cycle C,  “Behold, I am doing something new” (Isaiah 43:16-21)

In Cycle A, the First Reading has a strong typological relationship with the Gospel for the day.  In Cycles B and C, however, the First Readings were selected thematically.  In Cycle C, the theme could be “responding to God’s merciful call:” the recalling of the Exodus event at the first-fruits; the covenant with Abram; the call and commissioning of Moses; the entrance into the promised land; and God’s announcement of doing “something new” in His relationship with His people.

Second Reading

The Introduction has this to say about the choice of the Second Readings in Lent:

“The readings from the Letters of the Apostles have been selected to fit the Gospel and the Old Testament readings, and to the extent possible to provide a connection between them.”