Lectionary, volume 2
Season of the Year (Ordinary Time)
Sundays (3 year cycle) and Weekdays (2 year cycle)
Solemnities during Ordinary Time
This new 2020 edition, although still retaining the official text, has been extensively modified to break up the solid blocks of text that the original lectionary included. It made sense to save space and print an already enormous document in a smaller printed volume. But this decision has not aided the worshipping community.
This Lectionary text above all others, which is designed to be proclaimed by readers and lectors of varying ability and competence, must be designed to make the living word of God come alive and allow readers to retain their place and understand the structure and intent of the original sacred authors.
Large blocks of text have been broken down into smaller units, often of a single sentence or two. The main feature of this edition is to indent all sections of direct speech. This allows the more dynamic nature of the gospels especially to be highlighted. This has added about 350 pages to the current edition.
The Jerusalem Bible text from 1966 is not designed to highlight the narrative and dialogical dynamics of the various voices that interact. Nevertheless the church teaches us that the scriptures form a significant and primary part of the communication that God is drawing us into. Anything that aids this communication and allows for a more complete participation in the sacred mystery is to be commended.
