Readings for the Conferral of the
Sacrament of Marriage

Introduction:

The Lectionary for Mass contains a large number of scriptural readings that can be used at Wedding Masses and at celebrations of Marriage outside of Mass. Most Catholic wedding ceremonies include a "Liturgy of the Word," at which several short selections from the Old Testament and/or New Testament are read. The couple can choose to have either two or three main readings, along with a "Responsorial Psalm" and a short "Gospel Alleluia" before the Gospel.

If three main scripture readings are chosen, then the normal sequence of readings is as follows:

• First Reading (usually from the Old Testament, or—during the Easter Season—from the Acts of the Apostles)
• Responsorial Psalm (usually sung; taken from the Book of Psalms or another biblical canticle)
• Second Reading (usually from the New Testament letters)
• Gospel Alleluia (always sung; including a short scriptural verse)
• Gospel (always from one of the four canonical Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John)

If only two main scripture readings are chosen, then the normal sequence of readings is as follows:

• First Reading (from various books and letters of the Old Testament or New Testament)
• Responsorial Psalm (usually sung; taken from the Book of Psalms or another biblical canticle)
• Gospel Alleluia (always sung; including a short scriptural verse)
• Gospel (always from one of the four canonical Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John)

Overview of Readings:

The following readings are prescribed in the Lectionary for Mass, sections 801-805:

Themes of the Readings:

Here are brief synopses of the main readings (the "headings" given above the readings in published editions of the Lectionary), along with the recommended refrains for the Responsorial Psalms and the texts of the Alleluia verses.

Readings from the Old Testament (9 selections)

1. Genesis 1:26-28, 31a – “Male and female he created them.”
2. Genesis 2:18-24 – “The two of them become one body.”
3. Genesis 24:48-51, 58-67 – “In his love for Rebekah, Isaac found solace after the death of his mother.”
4. Tobit 7:6-14 – “May the Lord of heaven prosper you both. May he grant you mercy and peace.”
5. Tobit 8:4b-8 – “Allow us to live together to a happy old age.”
6. Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31 – “The woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
7. Canticles 2:8-10, 14, 16a; 8:6-7a – “Stern as death is love.”
8. Sirach 26:1-4, 13-16 – “Like the sun rising in the Lord’s heavens, the beauty of a virtuous wife is the radiance of her home.”
9. Jeremiah 31:31-32a, 33-34a – “I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.”

Readings from the New Testament (13 selections)

1. Romans 8:31b-35, 37-39 – “What will separate us from the love of Christ?”
2. Romans 12:1-2, 9-18 (or 12:1-2, 9-13) – “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.”
3. Romans 15:1b-3a, 5-7, 13 – “Welcome one another as Christ welcomed you.”
4. 1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20 – “Your body is a temple of the Spirit.”
5. 1 Corinthians 12:31—13:8a – “If I do not have love, I gain nothing.”
6. Ephesians 5:2a, 21-33 (or 5:2a, 25-32) – “This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church.”
7. Philippians 4:4-9 – “The God of peace will be with you.”
8. Colossians 3:12-17 – “And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.”
9. Hebrews 13:1-4a, 5-6b – “Let marriage be held in honor by all.”
10. 1 Peter 3:1-9 – “Be of one mind, sympathetic, loving toward one another.”
11. 1 John 3:18-24 – “Love in deed and in truth.”
12. 1 John 4:7-12 – “God is love.”
13. Revelation 19:1, 5-9a – “Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.”

Responsorial Psalms (7 selections)

1. Ps 33:12+18, 20-21, 22 – “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.”
2. Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 – “I will bless the Lord at all times.” or “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”
3. Ps 103:1-2, 8+13, 17-18a – “The Lord is kind and merciful.” or “The Lord’s kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.”
4. Ps 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8, 9 – “Blessed the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s commands.” or “Alleluia.”
5. Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 – “Blessed are those who fear the Lord.” or “See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.”
6. Ps 145:8-9, 10+15, 17-18 – “The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.”
7. Ps 148:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-13a, 13c-14a – “Let all praise in the name of the Lord.” or “Alleluia.”

Alleluia Verses (4 selections)

1. 1 John 4:7b – “Everyone who loves is begotten of God and knows God.”
2. 1 John 4:8b+11 – “God is love. If God loved us, we also must love one another.”
3. 1 John 4:12 – “If we love one another, God remains in us and his love is brought to perfection in us.”
4. 1 John 4:16 – “Whoever remains in love, remains in God and God in him.”

Gospel Proclamations (10 selections)

1. Matthew 5:1-12a – “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”
2. Matthew 5:13-16 – “You are the light of the world.”
3. Matthew 7:21, 24-29 (or 7:21, 24-25) – “A wise man built his house on rock.”
4. Matthew 19:3-6 – “What God has united, man must not separate.”
5. Matthew 22:35-40 – “This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it.”
6. Mark 10:6-9 – “They are no longer two, but one flesh.”
7. John 2:1-11 – “Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee.”
8. John 15:9-12 – “Remain in my love.”
9. John 15:12-16 – “This is my commandment: love one another.”
10. John 17:20-26 (or 17:20-23) – “That they may be brought to perfection as one.”
    

Contents of Volume 4:
Commons | Rituals | Various Needs & Occasions | Votive Masses | Masses for the Dead

See also the Weekday Readings for the Liturgical Seasons:
Advent and Christmas | Lent | Easter | Ordinary Time: Year I | Ordinary Time: Year II | Saints and Feast Days

Source: Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition,
© 2001, 1998, 1992, 1986, 1970, Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C.

The Lectionary for Mass used in the USA is based on the Ordo Lectionum Missae, editio typical altera (Latin Lectionary, second edition, 1981).

For the full texts of the readings for the current and upcoming months,
please refer to the official web-site of the New American Bible, sponsored by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.