Unifying around a liturgical cycle...

...Tradition? 1970s? 2025? What cycle should we use?

It has occurred to me recently that the Church is living with at least three or more liturgical cycles simultaneously.

Yes, you read that right.

THREE (or more) simultaneous liturgical cycles.

Prior to the Second Vatican Council, there was ONE officially used Liturgical Cycle of Readings used by the Latin Rite and it was an annual cycle.

Now, with the “Extraordinary” / “Ordinary” Form dichotomy we have two different cycles and I would argue there’s actually three. The 1962 “Extraordinary Form” runs on an annual liturgical cycle that does not change each year and is TAILORED for the 1962 Traditional Latin Mass. Every reading was carefully chosen to meet the intent and the season of the Church in such a way that it cannot be separated or changed meaningfully from the Mass.

When it comes to the “Ordinary Form” of the Latin Rite, we actually have two competing cycles and it actually is a bit jarring when I look into it.

For daily Mass-goers (which we should all strive to be) there is a TWO YEAR “ODD, EVEN” cycle for the readings at the Masses EXCEPT on Sunday where the Church has implemented a THREE YEAR “A, B, C” CYCLE. This means that no two years will repeat between the daily Mass readings and the Sunday Mass Readings until at least 6 years have passed.

Here is the pattern for those that like things presented visually:

2025: ODD, C
2026: EVEN, A
2027: ODD, B
2028: EVEN, C
2029: ODD, A
2030: EVEN, B
2031: ODD, C <=== Finally A Repeat.

Humans are practice and pattern dependent in order to reinforce their beliefs and their habits (good habits lead people away from sin). The liturgical calendar of most of the Church does not lend itself to repetition and does not lend itself to a deeper understanding of the Liturgical Year in the same way that the 1962 Calendar (and every calendar prior) did.

It takes three years to hear the same scriptures at the Mass (barring special Masses like Easter, etc.) and therefore in order to get comfortable with the liturgical calendar in such a way that a deeper understanding and meditation can occur will take LONGER.

So in essence, the Church today gets more Scripture read to them (provided they go to DAILY MASS), but has much less of a grasp on the liturgical season and the Mass even if we only look at the liturgical calendar changes that occurred after second Vatican Council.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Sincerely,

Your Brother in Spirit, Frater Spiritus

Follow me on Twitter / X: @FraterSpiritus

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