The Four Year Lectionary is based on the Four Gospels of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have finally come to the conclusion of the First year, which was the Year of Matthew. If you recall all the Gospel lessons (with the exception of John 20 on the second sunday of Easter) were from the Gospel according to St Matthew. Now we begin the Year of Mark, in which all the Gospel lessons will come from the Gospel according to St Mark (with the same exception).
The Church year traditionally has started with the beginning of the Christmas cycle (advent). So the Four Year Lectionary begins in early September because it has an Old Testament focus leading us up to the Season of Advent. The season after Pentecost or Trinity Sunday is divided about in half. These two cycles can be called, the Season of the Church and the Season of Israel. Note: the Church properly understood is the new Israel, so this time focuses on God's people father the death of Christ and then God's people before the birth of Christ.
September 9th will take us all the way back to creation Sunday. Then we will jump through the old Testament leading us up to Advent which will sharpen our focus on the coming of the Christ. Then the Four Year Lectionary takes us through the traditional church year cycle:birth, ministry, life, death, resurrection, post resurrection, and Pentecost. Following Trinity Sunday the Four Year Lectionary takes us through (in the Year of Mark) the epistle to the Ephesians.
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