Lectionary Study Group

Join us for a lectionary-based study of the Scriptures for this Sunday's liturgy, including commentary and links to resources for exegesis, liturgy, preaching and prayer.

Next Sunday, May 17th, is the 6th Sunday of Easter. The season of Easter lasts for Fifty Days. This year the Easter season lasts from Easter Sunday, April 12th-Pentecost, May 31, 2009. The liturgical color is white or gold. The Paschal candle should be lit at all Masses and liturgical celebrations. The sprinkling rite may be used at Sunday liturgies in place of the Penitential Rite.

Where the Ascension is transferred to Sunday, May 24th, the second reading and the Gospel of the Seventh Sunday of Easter http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/052409a.shtml may be read on the Sixth Sunday of Easter.

The three days after the Sixth Sunday of Easter were formerly observed as Rogation Days http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13110b.htm , an occasion for asking God's blessing on the year's crops. For a contemporary blessing of crops in rural settings, see "Blessing of Seeds at Planting Time in the Book of Blessings, #986-1006 or in Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers, # 309-311.

Here are the readings for next Sunday: http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/051709.shtml

Here are a few good sites for exegesis (an explanation of what the Biblical texts are trying to say):
http://liturgy.slu.edu/6EasterB051709/main.html
http://www.textweek.com/yearb/easterb5.htm
http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings/may17.htm

What are the Fifty Days of Easter/Easter season? The Easter season lasts 50 days, from Easter Sunday until the great feast of Pentecost, whose name means Fifty Days: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liturgical_year

http://www.americancatholic.org/features/Easter/default.asp

Liturgical Resources:
cf Living Liturgy 2009 http://www.litpress.org/Detail.aspx?ISBN=9780814627464

Sourcebook, 2009 http://www.ltp.org/p-1795-sourcebook-for-sundays-seasons-and-weekdays-2009-the-almanac-for-pastoral-liturgy.aspx

General Preaching Links:
http://www.religiousresources.org/directory/cat.php?cat_id=84
http://www.catholicpreaching.com/
http://www.homilies.com/
http://www.preachingcoalition.org/
http://www.domcentral.org/preach/cathresources.htm
http://www.catholiclinks.org/homiliasenglish.htm

General Exegetical Links:

St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology http://www.salvationhistory.com/

http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings/index.html

http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_category/38/Catholic_Bible_Study.html

http://phatcatholic.blogspot.com/2007/01/scripture-commentary-by-fr-william-g.html

http://www.catholic-pages.com/dir/commentary.asp

General Intercessions (Prayers of the Faithful)

Here are some general principles: http://dsjliturgy.blogspot.com/2004/09/10-principles-for-writing-general.html

Good examples: http://liturgy.slu.edu/6EasterB051709/ideas_other.html

Here's some interesting preaching blogs worth exploring:

http://deacbench.blogspot.com/2009/02/its-general-mediocrity-of-catholic.html

http://www.americamagazine.org/blog/blog.cfm?blog_id=1

http://www.op-stjoseph.org/blog/tags/Word_to_Life