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Whatever happened to John? The lectionary of Scripture readings for
Mass rotates the Gospel passages on a three-year cycle. Each year
features one Evangelist: Matthew, Mark and Luke. What did John do wrong?
It's what John did right. The other three Gospels are called the
Synoptics, Gospels that see through a common eye. Their structure and
content are remarkably similar. We think Mark wrote first and that
Matthew and Luke expanded Mark to produce their proclamations of Christ.
But John is different. The style, structure and content do not resemble
the others. Longer stories filled with sublime imagery of important
themes in Christianity make his Gospel a unique treasure.
We hear the specific Gospel of a cycle most frequently during ordinary
time. Throughout this season of green vestments, we hear the work of
one Evangelist pretty much in order. We start near the beginning of
Jesus' public life and proceed toward the end, story by story, making
a few omissions and abbreviations along the way. In the other seasons of the
church year, the principal Gospel receives assistance from one or more
of the others.
Because of its style, John's Gospel suits those other seasons of the
year. Every Christmas, Lent and Easter season, you can count on hearing
lots of John. His themes inspire our reflection on the truths of our
faith, which we celebrate at those times. John does not have
his own year because he appears so frequently in all three years of
the lectionary cycle.
The second year of the cycle creates a special place for John. Mark,
the shortest of the four, steps aside in late summer and makes room
for five Sundays of John. During those weeks we interrupt Mark's
story at the multiplication of the loaves and insert the sixth
chapter of John, which includes his version of that story and Jesus'
extended discourse on the bread of life.
As ordinary time gets underway each year, John always appears on the
second Sunday. In subtle and bold ways, John's voice resounds even
without his own year.
Copyright
© 1997, Resource Publications, Inc. 160 E. Virginia St. #290, San
Jose, CA 95112, (408) 286-8505. This article may not be reproduced in any
form without permission from the publisher. For permission e-mail
info@rpinet.com.
Paul
Turner, pastor of St. Munchin Parish in Cameron, MO, holds a doctorate
in sacramental theology from Sant' Anselmo University in Rome. |
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