Advent brings the beginning of the new liturgical year, and introduces us to the evangelist we’ll be hearing from at most Sunday Masses throughout the year. This year, it’s Matthew.

What are some highlights from Matthew’s Gospel? 

Matthew’s Gospel paints a picture of Christ as the teacher. It contains five great discourses of Jesus, including the Sermon on the Mount, and gives us the Lord’s Prayer as we pray it every day. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus declares Peter as the rock upon which the Church will be built. It’s thought that the Gospel of Matthew was written for a Jewish Christian community familiar with the Old Testament; the evangelist often cites passages from the prophets and the Psalms. The last words of this Gospel, “Go, therefore, and  make disciples of all nations, … I am with you always until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20) are the mission statement of the Archdiocese of Seattle.

What about the other Gospels?

The Church follows a three-year cycle of Sunday readings (Years A, B and C), focusing on a different Gospel each year. We just finished Year C featuring Luke’s Gospel. Now we’re in Year A, with most of our Sunday readings taken from Matthew. Starting in Advent 2023, we’ll be in Year B, hearing readings from the Gospels of Mark and John. John’s Gospel doesn’t get its own year, since substantial passages from John are read every year during Lent, Holy Week and Easter.

Why do we do this?

The three-year cycle was initiated following the Second Vatican Council to give us more exposure to and familiarity with the Scriptures. Previously, there was a one-year cycle with typically two Sunday readings — an epistle reading and a Gospel passage, mostly from Matthew. Now, each year we hear about 58% of the Gospels on Sundays, vigils and major feasts, compared with 22% previously. We also hear about 3.7% of the Old Testament (not counting the Psalms), compared with just under 1% before the Vatican II changes.

How about the daily readings?

The Scriptures for weekday Masses are on a two-year cycle, but the Gospels are the same for both years. They are read semi-continuously, beginning with Mark, followed by Matthew and Luke. During Easter season, the Gospel of John is read. In addition, appropriate readings are chosen for Advent, Christmas and Lent, as well as feast days, weddings, funerals and other occasions.

Sources: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Corinna Laughlin, liturgy consultant, Archdiocese of Seattle, and pastoral assistant for liturgy, St. James Cathedral; The Catholic Lectionary Website.


Resources for learning more about the Sunday Scriptures

Little Rock Scripture Study

New Collegeville Bible Commentary: The Gospel According to Matthew (Liturgical Press)

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