The Catholic Lectionary for Mass
(1981 Latin & 1998 USA Editions)
compiled by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.

Index of Lectionary Readings
from the Deuteronomistic History Books of the Bible

Very few excerpts from the books of Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, and 2 Kings are read at Sunday Masses. Significantly more are included on Weekdays and at Masses for Rituals and Special Occasions, as detailed in the following charts.

SUNDAYS:

First Reading Lect # - Year Sunday or Feast Content Description Lectionary Heading
Joshua 5:9a, 10-12 33-C 4th Sunday of Lent Passover at Gilgal and the Cessation of Manna "The people of God entered the promised land and there kept the Passover."
Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b 122-B 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Joshua Calls the People to Serve the Lord "We will serve the Lord, for he is our God."
Judges x [not used at any Sunday Mass] x  
1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28 17-C Sunday in Octave of Christmas: Holy Family (Opt. C) Hannah Offers Her Son, Samuel, to God "Samuel, as long as he lives, shall be dedicated to the Lord."
1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19 65-B 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time God’s Revelation to Young Samuel "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."
1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a 31-A 4th Sunday of Lent Samuel Anoints David in Bethlehem "David is anointed as king of Israel."
1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 81-C 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time David Spares the Life of Saul "Though the Lord delivered you into my grasp, I would not harm you."
2 Samuel 5:1-3 162-C 34th Sunday in Ord. Time: Christ the King David Is Anointed as King of All Israel "They anointed David kind of Israel."
2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 11-B 4th Sunday of Advent God’s Promises to the House of David "The kingdom of David shall endure forever before the Lord."
2 Samuel 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16 543 *March 19: St. Joseph, Husband of the BVMary Lord’s Promises to David "The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father."
2 Samuel 12:7-10, 13 93-C 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time David’s Punishment for the Murder of Uriah "The Lord has forgiven your sin; you shall not die."
1 Kings 3:5, 7-12 109-A 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Solomon Asks for Wisdom and Understanding "You have asked for wisdom."
1 Kings 8:41-43 87-C 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time Solomon Prays in the Temple for Foreigners "When foreigners come, listen to them."
1 Kings 17:10-16 155-B 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Elijah Feeds the Widow of Zarephath "The widow made a little cake from her flour and gave it to Elijah."
1 Kings 17:17-24 90-C 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time Elijah Restores a Widow’s Son to Life in Zarephath "See! Your son is alove."
1 Kings 19:4-8 116-B 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Elijah’s Flight to Mount Horeb "Strengthened by that food, he walked to the mountain of God."
1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a 115-A 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Elijah Encounters God from a Cave on Mount Horeb "Go outside and stand on the mountain before the Lord."
1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21 99-C 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time Elisha Becomes the Follower of Elijah "The Elisha left and followed Elijah as his attendant."
2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a 97-A 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time Elisha Promises a Son to the Shunammite Woman "Elisha is a holy man of God, let him remain."
2 Kings 4:42-44 110-B 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Elisha Feeds 100 People with 20 Barley Loaves "They shall eat and there shall be some left over."
2 Kings 5:14-17 144-C 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Elisha Cures Naaman, the Syrian Leper "Naaman returned to the man of God and acknowledged the Lord."

Note 1: The charts above and below include March 19, one of the twelve Solemnities and Feasts of the Lord and of the Saints that might be celebrated on a Sunday in a particular year.

WEEKDAYS:

First Readings Lec.# Year Weekday Lectionary Heading
Joshua 3:7-10a, 11, 13-17 416 1 Ord. Time, Week 19, Thurs "The ark of the covenant of the Lord will precede you into the Jordan."
Joshua 24:1-13 417 1 Ord. Time, Week 19, Fri "I brought your father Abraham from the region beyond the River;
I led you out of Egypt, I brought you to your land."
Joshua 24:14-29 418 1 Ord. Time, Week 19, Sat "Decide today whom you will serve."
Judges 2:11-19 419 1 Ord. Time, Week 20, Mon "When the Lord raised up judges, they did not listen."
Judges 6:11-24a 420 1 Ord. Time, Week 20, Tues "Go and save Israel; it is I who send you."
Judges 9:6-15 421 1 Ord. Time, Week 20, Wed "It is said: The kind will reign over us, when the Lord God reigns among you."
Judges 11:29-39a 422 1 Ord. Time, Week 20, Thurs "I shall offer whoever comes out of the doors of my house as a burnt offering."
Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a 195 1+2 Advent, Dec. 19 "The birth of Samson is announced by an angel."
*Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14b-16, 22 423 1 Ord. Time, Week 20, Fri "Naomi returned with the Moabite daughter-in-law, Ruth, to Bethlehem."
*Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17 424 1 Ord. Time, Week 20, Sat "The Lord has not failed to provide you today with an heir.
He was the father of Jesse, the father of David."
1 Samuel 1:1-8 305 2 Ord. Time, Week 1, Mon "Hannah's rival turned it into a constant reproach to her that the Lord had left her barren."
1 Samuel 1:9-20 306 2 Ord. Time, Week 1, Tues "The Lord God remembered Hannah, and she gave birth to Samuel."
1 Samuel 1:24-28 198 1+2 Advent, Dec. 22 "Hannah gives thanks for the birth of Samuel."
1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd 198 1+2 Advent, Dec. 22 (*responsorial) "My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior."
1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd 306 2 Ord. Time, Week 1, Tues (*responsorial) "My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior."
1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-20 307 2 Ord. Time, Week 1, Wed "Speak, O Lord, for your servant is listening."
1 Samuel 4:1-11 308 2 Ord. Time, Week 1, Thurs "Israel was defeated and the ark of God was captured."
1 Samuel 8:4-7, 10-22a 309 2 Ord. Time, Week 1, Fri "You will complain against the king whom you have chosen, but on that day the Lord will not answer you."
1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1 310 2 Ord. Time, Week 1, Sat "This is the man of whom the Lord God spoke, Saul who will rule his people."
1 Samuel 15:16-23 311 2 Ord. Time, Week 2, Mon "Obedience is better than sacrifice. Because you have rejected the command of the Lord,
he, too, has rejected you as ruoer."
1 Samuel 16:1-13 312 2 Ord. Time, Week 2, Tues "Samuel anointed David in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord God rushed upon him."
1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51 313 2 Ord. Time, Week 2, Wed "David overcame the Philistine with sling and stone."
1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7 314 2 Ord. Time, Week 2, Thurs "My father Saul is trying to kill you."
1 Samuel 24:3-21 315 2 Ord. Time, Week 2, Fri "I will not raise a hand against my lord, for he is the Lord's anointed."
2 Samuel 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27 316 2 Ord. Time, Week 2, Sat "How can the warriors have fallen in battle!"
2 Samuel 5:1-7, 10 317 2 Ord. Time, Week 3, Mon "You shall shepherd my people Israel."
2 Samuel 6:12b-15, 17-19 318 2 Ord. Time, Week 3, Tues "David and all the children of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts of joy."
2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 200 1+2 Advent, Dec. 24 (morning Mass) "The Kingdom of David shall endure forever in the sight of the Lord."
2 Samuel 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16 543 1+2 *March 19: St. Joseph, husband of the BVMary "The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father."
2 Samuel 7:4-17 319 2 Ord. Time, Week 3, Wed "I will raise up your heir after you and I will make his Kingdom firm."
2 Samuel 7:18-19, 24-29 320 2 Ord. Time, Week 3, Thurs "Who am I, Lord God, and who are the members of my house?"
2 Samuel 11:1-4a, 5-10a, 13-17 321 2 Ord. Time, Week 3, Fri "You have despised me and taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife."
2 Samuel 12:1-7a, 10-17 322 2 Ord. Time, Week 3, Sat "I have sinned against the Lord."
2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13 323 2 Ord. Time, Week 4, Mon "Let us take flight, or none of us will escpae from Absalom.
Let Shimei alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to."
2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30—19:3 324 2 Ord. Time, Week 4, Tues "My son Absalom, if only I had died instead of you."
2 Samuel 24:2, 9-17 325 2 Ord. Time, Week 4, Wed "It is I who have sinned; but these are sheep; what have they done?"
1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12 326 2 Ord. Time, Week 4, Thurs "I am going the way of all flesh. Take courage and be a man."
1 Kings 3:4-13 328 2 Ord. Time, Week 4, Sat "Give your servant an understanding heart to judge your people."
1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13 329 2 Ord. Time, Week 5, Mon "They brought the ark of the covenant into the holy of holies, and a cloud filled the temple of the Lord."
1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30 330 2 Ord. Time, Week 5, Tues "You have said: My name shall be there, to hear the prayers of your people Israel."
1 Kings 10:1-10 331 2 Ord. Time, Week 5, Wed "The Queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon."
1 Kings 11:4-13 332 2 Ord. Time, Week 5, Thurs "Since you have not kept my covenant, I will deprive you of the kingdom,
but I will leave your son one tribe for the sake of my servant David."
1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19 333 2 Ord. Time, Week 5, Fri "Israel went into rebellion against David's house to this day."
1 Kings 12:26-32; 13:33-34 334 2 Ord. Time, Week 5, Sat "Jeroboam made two golden calves."
1 Kings 17:1-6 359 2 Ord. Time, Week 10, Mon "Elijah stands before the Lord God of Israel."
1 Kings 17:7-16 360 2 Ord. Time, Week 10, Tues "The jar of flour shall not go empty, as the Lord had foretold through Elijah."
1 Kings 18:20-39 361 2 Ord. Time, Week 10, Wed "Let it be known this day that you, Lord, are God."
1 Kings 18:41-46 362 2 Ord. Time, Week 10, Thurs "Eljah prayed and the sky gave rain." (James 5:18)
1 Kings 19:9a, 11-16 363 2 Ord. Time, Week 10, Fri "Stand on the mountain before the Lord."
1 Kings 19:19-21 364 2 Ord. Time, Week 10, Sat "The Elisha left and followed Elijah."
1 Kings 21:1-16 365 2 Ord. Time, Week 11, Mon "Naboth has been stoned to death."
1 Kings 21:17-29 366 2 Ord. Time, Week 11, Tues "You have provoked me by leading Israel into sin."
2 Kings 2:1, 6-14 367 2 Ord. Time, Week 11, Wed "A flaming chariot came between them, and Elijah went up to heaven."
2 Kings 4:18b-21, 32-37 250 1+2 Lent, Week 5, opt. Mass "The man of God stretched himself over the boy, and the child's flesh grew warm."
2 Kings 5:1-15a 237 1+2 Lent, Week 3, Mon "There were many people with leprosy in Israel, but none were made clean,
except Naaman, the Syrian" (Luke 4:27)
2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-18, 20 369 2 Ord. Time, Week 11, Fri "They anointed him and shouted, 'Long live the king!'"
2 Kings 17:5-8, 13-15a, 18 371 2 Ord. Time, Week 12, Mon "In his great anger against Israel, the Lord put them away out of his sight. Only the tribe of Judah was left."
2 Kings 19:9b-11, 14-21, 31-35a, 36 372 2 Ord. Time, Week 12, Tues "I will shield and save this city for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David."
2 Kings 22:8-13; 23:1-3 373 2 Ord. Time, Week 12, Wed "The king had the book that had been found in the temple read out to them,
and he made a covenant before the Lord."
2 Kings 24:8-17 374 2 Ord. Time, Week 12, Thurs "The king of Babylon also led captive to Babylon Jehoiachin and the chief men of Israel."
2 Kings 25:1-12 375 2 Ord. Time, Week 12, Fri "Thus was Judah exiled from her land." (2 Kings 25:21)

Note 2: The Book of Ruth is not part of the original "Deuteronomistic History" (not by the same author); but it is placed after Judges in most Bibles today, and thus is included in the above table.
Note 3: The Responsorial Psalm is usually from the Book of Psalms, but sometimes a Canticle from the OT or NT is used after the First Reading, such as Hannah's Song (1 Samuel 2).


Other Masses with Reading Options:

Readings Lec.# Mass Occasion Lectionary Heading
Joshua 8:30-35 817.2 Ritual IX.2: For the Dedication of an Altar "Joshua build an altar to the Lord."
Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b-25a 751.5 Ritual I: Christian Initiation Apart from the Easter Vigil "We also will serve the Lord, for he is our God."
Judges x [not used at other special Masses] x
1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd 573
709.1		 Sat. after 2nd Sun. after Pentecost: Immaculate Heart of BVMary
Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Responsorial)		 "My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior."
"My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior."
1 Samuel 3:1-10 811.2
857.3		 Ritual VIII: For the Consecration of Virgins & Religious Profession
Various Needs I.8: For Vocations to Holy Orders or Religious Life		 "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."
"Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."
1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-13a 719.3 Common of Pastors "There--anoint him, for this is he!"
1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 958.1 Various Needs IV.30: For our Oppressors "Though the Lord delivered you into my grasp, I would not harm the Lord's anointed."
2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-11, 16 707.3 Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary "The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father." (Luke 1:32)
1 Kings 3:11-14 725.1
882.5		 Common of Doctors of the Church
Various Needs II.13: For the Country or a City
or For Those Who Serve in Public Office, or For the Congress
or For the President, or For the Progress of Peoples		 "I give you a wise and understanding heart."
"I give you a heart wise and understanding."
1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30 701.1 Common: Anniversary of the Dedication of a Church "May your eyes watch night and day over this temple."
1 Kings 8:55-61 943.1 Various Needs III.26: In Thanksgiving to God "Blessed in the Lord God who has granted rest to his people."
1 Kings 19:1-8 790.1 Ritual V: For Pastoral Care: Anointing of the Sick "Elijah, tired from the journey, is comforted by God."
1 Kings 19:4-8 785.5
796.1
976.6		 Ritual IV: For the Conferral of Ministries: Institution of Acolytes
Ritual V: For Pastoral Care: Viaticum
Votive Masses: The Most Holy Eucharist		 "He walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God."
"Strengthened by that food, he walked to the mountain of God."
"Strengthened by that food, he walked to the mountain of God."
1 Kings 19:4-9a, 11-15a 737.5
811.3
852.1		 Common of Holy Men and Women (For Religious)
Ritual VIII: For the Consecration of Virgins & Religious Profession
Various Needs I.7: For Religious		 "Go outside and stand on the mountain before the Lord."
"Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord."
"Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord God."
1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21 737.6
811.4
857.4		 Common of Holy Men and Women
Ritual VIII: For the Consecration of Virgins & Religious Profession
Various Needs I.8: For Vocations to Holy Orders or Religious Life		 "Elisha left and followed Elijah."
"Then he left and followed Elijah as his attendant."
"Elisha left and followed Elijah."
2 Kings 5:9-15a 751.6 Ritual I: Christian Initiation Apart from the Easter Vigil "So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times and he was clean."
2 Kings 20:1-6 933.1 Various Needs III.24: For the Sick "I have seen your tears, and I will heal you."

 

Notes:

  1. The same First Reading and Responsorial Psalm are used each year during the liturgical seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter.
    In Ordinary Time, however, there is a two-year cycle of readings, alternating between odd-numbered years (Year I) and even-numbered years (Year II).

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