The second reading of the Liturgy of the Word always comes from the New Testament. It comes from the letters of the apostles or from the book of Revelation (the Apocalypse).
These readings are organised differently to the way the gospel and the first reading are organised. The way they are organised is technically called ‘continuous reading’.
What this involves is that passages from one of the letters of the apostles or the book of Revelation are read progressively Sunday by Sunday. To explain, this year (Year A of the Lectionary), from the second Sunday of the year, we read from St Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians according to the following chapters and verses:
2nd Sunday: Ch. 1. v 1-3;
3rd Sunday: Ch. 1. v 10-13 + 17;
4th Sunday: Ch. 1. v 26-31;
and so, the series goes on reading passages of that letter until the 9th Sunday when we begin to read from St Paul’s Letter to the Romans until the 25th Sunday when we begin to read from his Letter to the Philippians until the 29th Sunday when we begin to read from his First Letter to the Thessalonians which we read for the rest of the Ordinary Sundays of the year.
The passages chosen from the letters are those which are seen as being more applicable to the wider range of congregations listening to them today. So, in First Corinthians, St Paul deals with some which were very particular to the rather troublesome Corinthian church; such passages tend to be left aside, even though they are always there in the New Testament of course.
The second reading is different in Lent and Easter, Advent and Christmas. In these high times the second reading tends to be attuned to the season or feast.
There is no response to the second reading. The Alleluia or Verse before the Gospel looks forward to the Gospel rather than back to the second reading.
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Laura Facci says:
Very interesting Father Frank . Thank you for your teaching and guidance.