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The Sunday readings for Lent are from Cycle B, except for three Sundays during Lent at the 9 AM Mass only.
The exceptions are because we celebrate special prayers, called Scrutinies, on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent for the adults preparing for baptism into our Catholic faith at Easter. In accordance with the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA), each week’s Scrutiny is linked with a specific powerful story of Jesus taken from the Cycle A readings for Lent.
| Sunday Readings for Lent, Cycle B... | Except for... |
| 1st Sunday of Lent March 9, 2003 Text of readings: www.usccb.org/nab/030903.htm |
N/A |
| 2nd Sunday of Lent March 16, 2003 Text of readings: www.usccb.org/nab/031603.htm |
N/A |
| 3rd Sunday of Lent March 23, 2003 Readings: Ex 20:1-17 or 20:1-3, 7-8, 12-17; Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11; 1 Cor 1:22-25; Jn 2:13-25 Text: www.usccb.org/nab/032303a.htm |
9 AM Mass only Ex 17:3-7, Rom 5:1-2,5-8, Jn 4:5-42 Text: www.usccb.org/nab/032303b.htm |
| 4th Sunday of Lent March 30, 2003 Readings: 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23; Ps 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6; Eph 2:4-10; Jn 3:14-21 Text: www.usccb.org/nab/033003a.htm |
9 AM Mass only 1Sam 16:1b,6-7,10-13b, Eph 5:8-14, Jn 9:1-41 Text: www.usccb.org/nab/033003b.htm |
| 5th Sunday of Lent April 6, 2003 Readings: Jer 31:31-34; Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15; Heb 5:7-9; Jn 12:20-33 Text: www.usccb.org/nab/040603a.htm |
9 AM Mass only Ez 37:12-14, Rom 8:8-11, Jn 11:1-45 Text: www.usccb.org/nab/040603b.htm |
| Palm Sunday April 13, 2003 Text: www.usccb.org/nab/041303.htm |
N/A |
| Easter Sunday April 20, 2003 Text: www.usccb.org/nab/042003.htm |
N/A |
Why do we switch to the Cycle A readings?
There are 3 annual cycles of the Sunday scripture readings, Cycle A, B, &
C. Each year at Advent, the beginning of the Church year, we begin a new cycle.
Last Advent, we began Cycle B. However, whenever we celebrate the Scrutiny prayers
(on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent) with those adults preparing for baptism
at Easter, we are called to use the readings from Cycle A. Why?
The imagery of the prayers used in the Scrutinies, also called "major exocisms" has been carefully chosen to echo the major themes of the Year A Gospel readings (water, light, and resurrection). The Gospel for the 3rd Sunday of Lent from Cycle A shows Jesus interacting with the Samaritan woman and offering her living water. On the 4th Sunday of Lent in Cycle A, we encounter Jesus and the man born blind who comes to see the Light. On the 5th Sunday of Lent in Cycle A, we witness the love and care of Jesus as he raises his friend Lazarus from the dead.
These 3 gospels from John are among the Church's most ancient instructional texts associated with baptism. Come & be renewed.
See also: Lent at St. Charles. For a further explanation of cycles, refer to www.usccb.org/nab/faq.htm, question #5.