Explaining how the 3 cycles, A,B,C are constructed, which Gospels are featured in each, and how the reading for a particular Sunday are related to one another, as well as how readings over some series of Sunday’s are connected, Normand opened up this foundation of our Sunday celebrations in a whole new way to participants. Explaining what the Documents of the Second Vatican Council were attempting with the place of the Word of God in the Sunday assembly, Normand highlighted the real presence of Jesus Christ in his Word and the need for it to be proclaimed with excellence and received with this insight of Christ speaking to us when the Word is proclaimed in Church. Participants were encouraged to explore the bible deeply, and to become more knowledgeable about it, so that they can “live out of the Word of God” as was common in the early Church.

One of many interesting insights shared was that the Roman Catholic Lectionary has led to the publication of a “Common lectionary’ in the English-speaking world that is used by many Christian denominations world-wide. In this way, the Sunday lectionary has been an unexpected and welcome source of ecumenical relationship-building. Christians each Sunday, all around the world, are sharing the same proclamation of God’s Word.

Professor Bonneau explains the relationships among the scripture passages of the 3 cycles of Lent.