The Catholic Lectionary for Mass (1998 USA Edition)
tables compiled by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.

Readings for the Sundays and Major Feasts of the Christmas Season

Date # Sunday or Feast (new) First Reading Responsorial Psalm Second Reading Alleluia Gospel
12/24/12 13

The Nativity of the Lord (Solemnity, Christmas):
At the Vigil Mass - ABC

 Isa 62:1-5 Ps 89:4-5, 16-17, 27+29 Acts 13:16-17, 22-25 (no bibl. ref.) Matt 1:1-25
or 1:18-25
12/25/12 14 Christmas: Mass during the Night - ABC Isa 9:1-6 Ps 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 11-12, 13 Titus 2:11-14 Luke 2:10-11 Luke 2:1-14
12/25/12 15 Christmas: Mass at Dawn - ABC Isa 62:11-12 Ps 97:1+6, 11-12 Titus 3:4-7 Luke 2:14 Luke 2:15-20
12/25/12 16 Christmas: Mass during the Day - ABC Isa 52:7-10 Ps 98:1, 2-3a, 3b-4, 5-6 Heb 1:1-6 (no bibl. ref.) John 1:1-18
or 1:1-5, 9-14
. 17 Sunday within the Octave of Christmas:
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
(Feast) - ABC		 Sir 3:3-7, 14-17a (diff) Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 Col 3:12-21 or 3:12-17 (opt.) (new) Col 3:15a+16a Matt 2:13-15, 19-23
. 17 The Holy Family - B (optional; new) opt: Gen 15:1-6; 21:1-3 (new) opt: Ps 105:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 (new) opt: Heb 11:8, 11-12, 17-19 (new) Heb 1:1-2 Luke 2:22-40
or 2:22, 39-40
12/30/12 17 The Holy Family - C (optional; new) opt: 1 Sam 1:20-22, 24-28 (new) opt: Ps 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10 (new) opt: 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24 (new) cf. Acts 16:14b Luke 2:41-52
1/1/13 18 Jan. 1: The Octave Day of Christmas:
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
the Mother of God - ABC		 Num 6:22-27 Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6+8 Gal 4:4-7 Heb 1:1-2 Luke 2:16-21
. 19 [Second Sunday after Christmas - ABC]
[Note: In the USA, this Sunday is always Epiphany.]		 Sir 24:1-4, 12-16 (diff) Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20 Eph 1:3-6, 15-18 cf. 1 Tim 3:16 John 1:1-18
or 1:1-5, 9-14
1/6/13 20 The Epiphany of the Lord (Solemnity) - ABC
[Traditionally celebrated on Jan. 6;
in the USA now on the Sunday after Jan. 1]		 Isa 60:1-6 Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6 Matt 2:2 Matt 2:1-12
. 21 Sunday after Epiphany:
The Baptism of the Lord (Feast) - ABC		 Isa 42:1-4, 6-7 Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3b+9b-10 * Acts 10:34-38 cf. Mark 9:7 Matt 3:13-17
. 21 The Baptism of the Lord - B (optional; new) opt: Isa 55:1-11 (new) opt: Isa 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6 (new) opt: 1 John 5:1-9 (new) cf. John 1:29 Mark 1:7-11
1/13/13 21 The Baptism of the Lord - C (optional; new) opt: Isa 40:1-5, 9-11 (new) opt: Ps 104:1b-2, 3-4, 24-25,
27-28, 29b-30 (new)		 opt: Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 (new) cf. Luke 3:16 Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

Notes:

Rationale: The official "Introduction" to the Lectionary (Second Edition, 1981) briefly explains the rationale for the reading choices for the Solemnities, Feasts, and Sundays of the Christmas Season:

"For the vigil and the three Masses of Christmas both the prophetic readings and the others have been chosen from the Roman tradition. The Gospel on the Sunday within the Octave of Christmas, Feast of the Holy Family, is about Jesus' childhood and the other readings are about the virtues of family life. On the Octave Day of Christmas, Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, the readings are about the Virgin Mother of God and the giving of the holy Name of Jesus. On the second Sunday after Christmas, the readings are about the mystery of the Incarnation. On the Epiphany of the Lord, the Old Testament reading and the Gospel continue the Roman tradition; the text for the reading from the Letters of the Apostles is about the calling of the nations to salvation. On the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the texts chosen are about this mystery." (Lectionary for Mass, "Introduction," 1981, chap. 5, par. 95 - emphasis added)

Related Resources:

1998 USA Lectionary (Main Page)

Season of Advent Season of Christmas Season of Lent Season of Easter
Solemnities of the Lord Ordinary Time - Year A Ordinary Time - Year B Ordinary Time - Year C
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