Lectionary Statistics
How much of the Bible is included in the Lectionary for Mass?
Not as much as you might think, yet far more than was included in the Roman Missal before the Second Vatican Council!
The bishops assembled at Vatican II declared, "The treasures of the Bible are to be opened up more lavishly so that a richer fare may be provided for the faithful at the table of God's word. In this way the more significant part of the Sacred Scriptures will be read to the people over a fixed number of years" (Sacrosanctum Concilium, #51). As the following tables show, the current Lectionary for Mass does indeed offer a "richer fare" of biblical readings during the Eucharistic liturgy than was available before Vatican II. However, since many parts of the Bible (esp. the Old Testament) are still not included in the Lectionary, one must go beyond the readings used at Mass to cover the entire Bible.
The following tables compare the current edition of the Lectionary for Mass (1981 Latin, 1998/2002 USA editions)
with the pre-Vatican II Missale Romanum (substantially unchanged between 1570 and 1969, with a few modifications in 1951)
and the complete New American Bible (see the bottom of this page for a key to the column headings).
Readings from the Old Testament:
Before Vatican II, each Catholic Mass included only two biblical readings, which were normally referred to as "The Epistle" (since the first reading was almost always taken from one of the New Testament letters) and "The Gospel." Readings from the Old Testament were never used on Sundays, but only at the Easter Vigil, the Vigil of Pentecost, the feast of Epiphany and its octave, during Holy Week, and on some weekdays (esp. Ember days, weekdays of Lent, the feasts of some saints, and some votive Masses).
Since Vatican II, Masses on Sundays and major feast days include three biblical readings, the first of which is usually taken from the Old Testament (except during the Easter Season, when the first reading is from the Acts of the Apostles). The OT reading is normally very brief and thematically related to the Gospel reading of the day, so there is no detectable order or semi-continuous pattern from one Sunday to the next. Weekday Masses usually have only two readings, the first of which is taken from either the OT or the NT, according to a two-year weekday cycle.
OT | Name of Book | NAB | Pre-Vatican II Missal: Vigils & Feasts |
Current Lectionary: Sundays & Major Feasts |
Current Lectionary: Sundays & Weekdays |
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# Chap. | # Vv. Total | Vv. Used | % Used | Vv. Used | % Used | Vv. Used | % Used | ||
1 | Genesis | 50 | 1533 | 100** | 6.5 % | 138 | 9.0 % | 428 | 27.9 % |
2 | Exodus | 40 | 1213 | 28 | 2.3 % | 112 | 9.2 % | 208 | 17.1 % |
3 | Leviticus | 27 | 859 | 0 | 0 % | 9 | 1.0 % | 42 | 4.9 % |
4 | Numbers | 36 | 1289 | 0 | 0 % | 11 | 0.9 % | 81 | 6.3 % |
5 | Deuteronomy | 34 | 959 | 9 | 0.9 % | 52 | 5.4 % | 106 | 11.1 % |
6 | Joshua | 24 | 658 | 0 | 0 % | 9 | 1.4 % | 42 | 6.4 % |
7 | Judges | 21 | 618 | 0 | 0 % | 0 | 0 % | 51 | 8.3 % |
8 | Ruth | 4 | 85 | 0 | 0 % | 0 | 0 % | 21 | 24.7 % |
9 | 1 Samuel | 31 | 810 | 0 | 0 % | 31 | 3.8 % | 148 | 18.3 % |
10 | 2 Samuel | 24 | 695 | 0 | 0 % | 19 | 2.7 % | 110 | 15.8 % |
11 | 1 Kings | 22 | 817 | 0 | 0 % | 37 | 4.5 % | 166 | 20.3 % |
12 | 2 Kings | 25 | 719 | 0 | 0 % | 14 | 1.9 % | 100 | 13.9 % |
13 | 1 Chronicles | 29 | 943 | 0 | 0 % | 0 | 0 % | 0 | 0 % |
14 | 2 Chronicles | 36 | 821 | 0 | 0 % | 8 | 1.0 % | 17 | 2.1 % |
15 | Ezra | 10 | 280 | 0 | 0 % | 0 | 0 % | 21 | 7.5 % |
16 | Nehemiah | 13 | 405 | 0 | 0 % | 8 | 2.0 % | 19 | 4.7 % |
17 | Tobit | 14 | 245 | 0 | 0 % | 0 | 0 % | 71 | 29.0 % |
18 | Judith | 16 | 340 | 0 | 0 % | 0 | 0 % | 0 | 0 % |
19 | Esther | 16 | 272 | 0 | 0 % | 0 | 0 % | 7 | 2.6 % |
20 | 1 Maccabees | 16 | 922 | 0 | 0 % | 0 | 0 % | 54 | 5.9 % |
21 | 2 Maccabees | 15 | 556 | 0 | 0 % | 8 | 1.4 % | 35 | 6.3 % |
22* | Job | 42 | 1068 | 0 | 0 % | 11 | 1.0 % | 87 | 8.1 % |
24* | Proverbs | 31 | 915 | 0 | 0 % | 24 | 2.6 % | 47 | 5.1 % |
25 | Ecclesiastes | 12 | 222 | 0 | 0 % | 4 | 1.8 % | 34 | 15.3 % |
26 | Song of Solomon | 8 | 117 | 0 | 0 % | 0 | 0 % | 7 | 6.0 % |
27 | Wisdom of Solomon | 19 | 436 | 0 | 0 % | 42 | 9.6 % | 102 | 23.4 % |
28 | Sirach/Ecclesiasticus | 51 | 1372 | 0 | 0 % | 48 | 3.5 % | 208 | 15.2 % |
29 | Isaiah | 66 | 1291 | 24** | 1.9 % | 166 | 12.9 % | 322 | 24.9 % |
30 | Jeremiah | 52 | 1364 | 0 | 0 % | 38 | 2.8 % | 162 | 11.9 % |
31 | Lamentations | 5 | 154 | 0 | 0 % | 0 | 0 % | 8 | 5.2 % |
32 | Baruch | 6 | 213 | 30** | 14.1 % | 27 | 12.7 % | 44 | 20.7 % |
33 | Ezekiel | 48 | 1273 | 14** | 1.1 % | 48 | 3.8 % | 180 | 14.1 % |
34 | Daniel | 14 | 530 | 24** | 4.5 % | 5 | 0.9 % | 178 | 33.6 % |
35 | Hosea | 14 | 197 | 16 | 8.1 % | 11 | 5.6 % | 38 | 19.3 % |
36 | Joel | 4 | 73 | 0 | 0 % | 5 | 6.8 % | 27 | 37.0 % |
37 | Amos | 9 | 146 | 0 | 0 % | 13 | 8.9 % | 51 | 34.9 % |
38 | Obadiah | 1 | 21 | 0 | 0 % | 0 | 0 % | 0 | 0 % |
39 | Jonah | 4 | 48 | 10** | 20.8 % | 6 | 12.5 % | 39 | 81.3 % |
40 | Micah | 7 | 105 | 0 | 0 % | 4 | 3.8 % | 24 | 22.9 % |
41 | Nahum | 3 | 47 | 0 | 0 % | 0 | 0 % | 8 | 17.0 % |
42 | Habakkuk | 3 | 56 | 0 | 0 % | 5 | 8.9 % | 12 | 21.4 % |
43 | Zephaniah | 3 | 53 | 0 | 0 % | 8 | 15.1 % | 13 | 24.5 % |
44 | Haggai | 2 | 38 | 0 | 0 % | 0 | 0 % | 18 | 47.4 % |
45 | Zechariah | 14 | 211 | 0 | 0 % | 5 | 2.4 % | 24 | 11.4 % |
46 | Malachi | 3 | 55 | 0 | 0 % | 6 | 10.9 % | 18 | 32.7 % |
OT Summary:
OT Section | NAB | Pre-Vatican II Missal: Vigils & Feasts |
Current Lectionary: Sundays & Major Feasts |
Current Lectionary: Sundays & Weekdays |
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# Chap. | # Vv. Total | Vv. Used | % Used | Vv. Used | % Used | Vv. Used | % Used | |
Torah/Law | 187 | 5853 | 137 | 2.3 % | 322 | 5.5 % | 865 | 14.8 % |
Historical Books | 316 | 9186 | 0 | 0 % | 134 | 1.5 % | 862 | 9.4 % |
Wisdom Books (w/o Psalms) | 163 | 4130 | 0 | 0 % | 129 | 3.1 % | 485 | 11.7 % |
Four Major Prophets | 191 | 4825 | 92 | 1.9 % | 284 | 5.9 % | 894 | 18.5 % |
Twelve Minor Prophets | 67 | 1050 | 26 | 2.5 % | 63 | 6.0 % | 272 | 25.9 % |
OT Total (w/o Psalms) | 924 | 25044 | 255 | 1.0 % | 932 | 3.7 % | 3378 | 13.5 % |
Readings from the New Testament:
Before Vatican II, the same readings were used each year for the various Masses in the Roman Missal. The first reading was usually from one of Paul's Letters or the Catholic Epistles. The Gospel readings were most often taken from Matthew or John, less frequently from Luke, and only rarely from Mark.
Since Vatican II, much more of the New Testament is included in the Lectionary for Mass. The Acts of the Apostles is used as the first reading on the Sundays and weekdays during the Easter season. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are read semi-continuously on the Sundays of Ordinary Time on a three-year cycle, while passages from the Gospel of John are used mostly during the seasons of Lent and Easter and on several major feast days. Excerpts from all other NT books and letters are used as the second reading at Masses on Sundays and major feasts according to a three-year cycle, and/or weekday Masses on a two-year cycle. (Click on any of the previous underlined links for more details.)
NT | Name of Book | NAB | Pre-Vatican II Missal: Sundays & Major Feasts |
Current Lectionary: Sundays & Major Feasts |
Current Lectionary: Sundays & Weekdays |
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# Chap. | # Vv. Total | Vv. Used | % Used | Vv. Used | % Used | Vv. Used | % Used | ||
1 | Matthew | 28 | 1071 | 373 | 34.8 % | 594 | 55.5 % | 916 | 85.5 % |
2 | Mark | 16 | 678 | 30 | 3.4 % | 414 | 61.1 % | 653 | 96.3 % |
3 | Luke | 24 | 1151 | 188 | 16.3 % | 650 | 56.5 % | 1011 | 87.8 % |
4 | John | 21 | 879 | 256 | 30.0 % | 526 | 59.8 % | 813 | 92.5 % |
5 | Acts | 28 | 1007 | 35 | 3.5 % | 165 | 16.4 % | 492 | 48.9 % |
6 | Romans | 16 | 433 | 69 | 15.9 % | 117 | 27.0 % | 228 | 52.7 % |
7 | 1 Corinthians | 16 | 437 | 75 | 17.2 % | 162 | 37.1 % | 244 | 55.8 % |
8 | 2 Corinthians | 13 | 256 | 40 | 15.6 % | 48 | 18.8 % | 123 | 48.0 % |
9 | Galatians | 6 | 149 | 45 | 30.2 % | 47 | 31.5 % | 90 | 60.4 % |
10 | Ephesians | 6 | 155 | 57 | 36.8 % | 96 | 61.9 % | 141 | 91.0 % |
11 | Philippians | 4 | 104 | 25 | 24.0 % | 47 | 45.2 % | 73 | 70.2 % |
12 | Colossians | 4 | 95 | 16 | 16.8 % | 35 | 36.8 % | 62 | 65.3 % |
13 | 1 Thessalonians | 5 | 89 | 16 | 18.0 % | 39 | 43.8 % | 69 | 77.5 % |
14 | 2 Thessalonians | 3 | 47 | 0 | 0.0 % | 17 | 36.2 % | 28 | 59.6 % |
15 | 1 Timothy | 6 | 113 | 0 | 0.0 % | 20 | 17.7 % | 51 | 45.1 % |
16 | 2 Timothy | 4 | 83 | 0 | 0.0 % | 25 | 30.1 % | 39 | 47.0 % |
17 | Titus | 3 | 46 | 9 | 19.6 % | 8 | 17.4 % | 28 | 60.9 % |
18 | Philemon | 1 | 25 | 0 | 0.0 % | 8 | 32.0 % | 19 | 76.0 % |
19 | Hebrews | 13 | 303 | 17 | 5.6 % | 84 | 27.7 % | 188 | 62.0 % |
20 | James | 5 | 108 | 11 | 10.2 % | 31 | 28.7 % | 99 | 91.7 % |
21 | 1 Peter | 5 | 105 | 33 | 31.4 % | 36 | 34.3 % | 57 | 54.3 % |
22 | 2 Peter | 3 | 61 | 0 | 0.0 % | 7 | 11.5 % | 15 | 24.6 % |
23 | 1 John | 5 | 105 | 13 | 12.4 % | 33 | 31.4 % | 95 | 100.0 % |
24 | 2 John | 1 | 13 | 0 | 0.0 % | 0 | 0.0 % | 6 | 46.2 % |
25 | 3 John | 1 | 15 | 0 | 0.0 % | 0 | 0.0 % | 4 | 26.7 % |
26 | Jude | 1 | 25 | 0 | 0.0 % | 0 | 0.0 % | 6 | 24.0 % |
27 | Revelation | 22 | 404 | 0 | 0.0 % | 38 | 9.4 % | 129 | 31.9 % |
NT Summary:
NT Section | NAB | Pre-Vatican II Missal: Sundays & Major Feasts |
Current Lectionary: Sundays & Major Feasts |
Current Lectionary: |
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# Chap. | # Vv. Total | Vv. Used | % Used | Vv. Used | % Used | Vv. Used | % Used | |
Gospels (4) | 89 | 3779 | 848 | 22.4 % | 2184 | 57.8 % | 3393 | 89.8 % |
Acts | 28 | 1007 | 35 | 3.5 % | 165 | 16.4 % | 492 | 48.9 % |
Pauline Letters (7) | 61 | 1493 | 270 | 18.1 % | 468 | 31.3 % | 846 | 56.7 % |
Deutero-Paulines (6) | 26 | 539 | 82 | 15.2 % | 201 | 37.3 % | 349 | 64.7 % |
Hebrews | 13 | 303 | 17 | 5.6 % | 84 | 27.6 % | 188 | 62.0 % |
Catholic Epistles (7) | 21 | 432 | 57 | 13.2 % | 107 | 24.7 % | 292 | 67.6 % |
Book of Revelation | 22 | 404 | 0 | 0 % | 38 | 9.4 % | 129 | 31.9 % |
NT w/o Gospels | 171 | 4178 | 461 | 11.0 % | 1063 | 25.4 % | 2296 | 54.9 % |
NT Grand Total | 260 | 7957 | 1309 | 16.5 % | 3247 | 40.8 % | 5689 | 71.5 % |
Key to the Column Headings:
Main Lectionary Page | 1998/2002 USA Edition | 1992 Canadian Edition |
Links to Other Websites | 1970 USA Edition | Roman Missal (Pre-Vatican II) |
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