Lectionary Basics
by Tim Isbell
#lectionarysermons
"Like a great waterwheel, the liturgical (Christian calendar) year goes on relentlessly irrigating our soul, softening the ground of our hearts, nourishing the soil of our lives until the seed of the word of God itself begins to grow in us, comes to fruit in us, ripens us in the spiritual journey of a lifetime." -- Joan Chittister
On this website are many references to Lectionary, which all refer to the Revised Common Lectionary. This is a set of scriptures for each Sunday and Holy Day over a 3-year period, which guides a church through all the major themes of Christian faith. Here's an illustration that helps visualize the lectionary and its connection to the Christian Calendar.
For every Sunday and Holy Day, the lectionary provides a robust set of at least 4 readings:
Old Testament reading - These readings are typological, meaning they complement or contrast with the gospel in some way. For the second half, the lectionary adds a stream of semi-continuous Old Testament readings that lend themselves to reading through a book or books in sequence. In Year A, these cover the patriarchs and the Exodus. In Year B, they cover the monarchs. And in Year C, they cover the prophets.
Wisdom Literature reading - These are mostly from the Psalms.
Gospel reading - Year A features Matthew; Year B features Mark; Year C features Luke. John is scattered throughout the years and is especially prevalent around Easter.
Epistle reading - This virtually always connects with the gospel.
Gloria and Larry Wall, parishioners in New Life Nazarene Church, developed a great lectionary website a few years ago. Gloria's Webpage gathers a wide range of conventional lectionary information in one place. It also includes something I have not seen anywhere else: a daily Bible reading plan that guides readers through the entire biblical text in 3 years. Every day's reading connects with the following Sunday's lectionary scriptures!
When you go to Gloria's Web page, be sure to take a look at Gloria's Frequently Asked Questions. There you will find a delightful description of the lectionary and its use at New Life.
Especially if you are new to reading the Bible, check out Bible Reading Strategies, and especially look at the part subtitled "Lectionary Reading Plan."
Finally, if you are a preaching pastor, please be sure to check out the Revised Common Lectionary preaching resources found at Lectionary Preaching.
For more on the Revised Common Lectionary, check out Much Fine Gold by Gail Ramshaw.