MCC Liturgical Year & Lectionary 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of the responsorial psalm in the Liturgy of the Word?
- To introduce the Gospel reading
- To meditate on and respond to the first reading (Correct answer)
- To replace the Gloria on penitential days
- To announce the liturgical season's theme
Correct answer: To meditate on and respond to the first reading
The responsorial psalm is chosen to echo and allow meditation on the first reading's message.
Question 2: On which feast does the Church celebrate the official beginning of the Christmas season in the liturgical calendar?
- December 24 at Midnight Mass (Correct answer)
- December 25 at the Mass at Dawn
- First Sunday of Advent
- The Solemnity of Mary on January 1
Correct answer: December 24 at Midnight Mass
The Christmas season liturgically begins with the Vigil Mass on Christmas Eve (December 24).
Question 3: Which liturgical rank is higher than a feast but lower than a solemnity?
- Memorial
- Optional memorial
- Feast (Correct answer)
- Commemoration
Correct answer: Feast
In the hierarchy of celebrations, a Feast ranks above a memorial but below a Solemnity.
Question 4: During which season does the Church fast from singing 'Alleluia'?
- Advent
- Lent (Correct answer)
- Ordinary Time
- Christmas
Correct answer: Lent
The Church refrains from singing Alleluia throughout Lent as a sign of penance and expectation.
Question 5: What term describes the first two weeks of the Christmas season that celebrate the Nativity narratives?
- Christmastide proper
- The Octave of Christmas (Correct answer)
- The Season of the Word
- Epiphany tide
Correct answer: The Octave of Christmas
An octave is an eight-day celebration; the Octave of Christmas runs from December 25 through January 1.
Question 6: In Lectionary Year A, which Gospel is predominantly proclaimed on Sundays?
- Mark
- Luke
- John
- Matthew (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Matthew
Year A of the Sunday Lectionary features the Gospel of Matthew as its primary text.
Question 7: Which Sunday marks the close of the Christmas season in the ordinary form of the Roman Rite?
- The Baptism of the Lord (Correct answer)
- The Epiphany of the Lord
- The Presentation of the Lord
- The Holy Family
Correct answer: The Baptism of the Lord
The feast of the Baptism of the Lord, celebrated on the Sunday after Epiphany, concludes the Christmas season.
MCC Liturgical Year & Lectionary 3
What is the primary purpose of the responsorial psalm in the Liturgy of the Word?