Introduction: The First Letter of John is the ONLY biblical book that is included in its entirety in the Lectionary for Mass! It is scheduled to be read every year on the weekdays of the Christmas Season, although not all of it is read in any particular year, depending on which days of the week Christmas and Epiphany are celebrated. On Sundays and Major Feasts, only about one third of 1 John is read (mostly on the Sundays of Easter in Year B). Selections from 1 John are also recommended or optional for several Saints Days and various other Masses. In contrast, the Second and Third Letters of John are never read on Sundays and never recommended for special Masses, but only one short reading from each letter is scheduled for a weekday Mass every two years.
Lect. # | Day | First Reading |
495 | 32nd Week of Ordinary Time: Friday (Year II) | 2 John 4-9 |
496 | 32nd Week of Ordinary Time: Saturday (Year II) | 3 John 5-8 |
Notes:
Lect. # | Sunday or Feast | Second Reading |
47 | 3rd Sunday of Easter - B | 1 John 2:1-5a |
50 | 4th Sunday of Easter - B | 1 John 3:1-2 |
667 | Nov. 1 - Solemnity of All Saints | 1 John 3:1-3 |
17 | Holy Family (Year C, optional) | * 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24 |
53 | 5th Sunday of Easter - B | 1 John 3:18-24 |
56 | 6th Sunday of Easter - B | 1 John 4:7-10 |
170 | Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus - A | 1 John 4:7-16 |
60 | 7th Sunday of Easter - B | 1 John 4:11-16 |
44 | 2nd Sunday of Easter - B | 1 John 5:1-6 |
21 | Baptism of the Lord (Year B, optional) | * 1 John 5:1-9 |
Lect. # | Day - Feast | First Reading |
697 | Dec. 27 - Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist | 1 John 1:1-4 |
698 | Dec. 28 - Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs | 1 John 1:5—2:2 |
202 | Dec. 29 - Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas | 1 John 2:3-11 |
203 | Dec. 30 - Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas | 1 John 2:12-17 |
204 | Dec. 31 - Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas | 1 John 2:18-21 |
205 | Jan. 2 - Weekday in the Christmas Season | 1 John 2:22-28 |
206 | Jan. 3 - Weekday in the Christmas Season | 1 John 2:29—3:6 |
207 | Jan. 4 - Weekday in the Christmas Season | 1 John 3:7-10 |
208 | Jan. 5 - Weekday in the Christmas Season | 1 John 3:11-21 |
212 | Monday after Epiphany (or Jan. 7) | 1 John 3:22—4:6 |
213 | Tuesday after Epiphany (or Jan. 8) | 1 John 4:7-10 |
214 | Wednesday after Epiphany (or Jan. 9) | 1 John 4:11-18 |
215 | Thursday after Epiphany (or Jan. 10) | 1 John 4:19—5:4 |
209/ 216 |
Jan. 6, if Epiphany is celebrated Jan. 7 or 8 or Friday after Epiphany (or Jan. 11) |
1 John 5:5-13 |
210/ 217 |
Jan. 7,
if Epiphany is celebrated Jan. 8 or Saturday after Epiphany (or Jan. 12) |
1 John 5:14-21 |
Notes:
Lect. # | Day - Feast | First Reading | 2018- 2019C |
2019- 2020A |
leap | 2020- 2021B |
2021- 2022C |
2022- 2023A |
2023- 2024B |
leap | 2024- 2025C |
697 | Dec. 27 - Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist | 1 John 1:1-4 | Thurs. | Fri. | Sat. | [HF Sun] | Mon. | Tues. | Wed. | Thurs. | Fri. |
698 | Dec. 28 - Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs | 1 John 1:5—2:2 | Fri. | Sat. | [HF Sun] | Mon. | Tues. | Wed. | Thurs. | Fri. | Sat. |
202 | Dec. 29 - Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas (optional memorial: St. Thomas Becket) |
1 John 2:3-11 | Sat. | [HF Sun] | Mon. | Tues. | Wed. | Thurs. | Fri. | Sat. | [HF Sun] |
203 | Dec. 30 - Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas | 1 John 2:12-17 | [HF Sun] | Mon. | Tues. | Wed. | Thurs. | [HF Fri.] | Sat. | [HF Sun] | Mon. |
204 | Dec. 31 - Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas (optional memorial: St. Sylvester) |
1 John 2:18-21 | Mon. | Tues. | Wed. | Thurs. | Fri. | Sat. | [HF Sun] | Mon. | Tues. |
[18] | [Jan. 1 - Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God] | [different reading] | Tues. 1 | Wed. 1 | Thurs. 1 | Fri. 1 | Sat. 1 | Sun. 1 | Mon. 1 | Tues. 1 | Wed. 1 |
205 | Jan. 2 - Weekday in the Christmas Season (Memorial: Sts. Basil the Great & Gregory Nazianzen) |
1 John 2:22-28 | Wed. 2 | Thurs. 2 | Fri. 2 | Sat. 2 | X | Mon. 2 | Tues. 2 | Wed. 2 | Thurs. 2 |
206 | Jan. 3 - Weekday in the Christmas Season | 1 John 2:29—3:6 | Thurs. 3 | Fri. 3 | Sat. 3 | X | X | Tues. 3 | Wed. 3 | Thurs. 3 | Fri. 3 |
207 | Jan. 4 - Weekday in the Christmas Season (Memorial: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton) |
1 John 3:7-10 | Fri. 4 | Sat. 4 | X | X | X | Wed. 4 | Thurs. 4 | Fri. 4 | Sat. 4 |
208 | Jan. 5 - Weekday in the Christmas Season (Memorial: St. John Neumann) |
1 John 3:11-21 | Sat. 5 | X | X | X | X | Thurs. 5 | Fri. 5 | Sat. 5 | X |
[20] | [Epiphany - transferred to Sunday, or traditional Jan. 6] | [different reading] | Sun. 6 | Sun. 5 | Sun. 4 | Sun. 3 | Sun. 2 | Sun. 8 | Sun. 7 | Sun. 6 | Sun. 5 |
212 | Monday after Epiphany (or Jan. 7) | 1 John 3:22—4:6 | Mon. 7 | Mon. 6 | Mon. 5 | Mon. 4 | Mon. 3 | X | X | Mon. 7 | Mon. 6 |
213 | Tuesday after Epiphany (or Jan. 8) | 1 John 4:7-10 | Tues. 8 | Tues. 7 | Tues. 6 | Tues. 5 | Tues. 4 | X | X | Tues. 8 | Tues. 7 |
214 | Wednesday after Epiphany (or Jan. 9) | 1 John 4:11-18 | Wed. 9 | Wed. 8 | Wed. 7 | Wed. 6 | Wed. 5 | X | X | Wed. 9 | Wed. 8 |
215 | Thursday after Epiphany (or Jan. 10) | 1 John 4:19—5:4 | Thurs. 10 | Thurs. 9 | Thurs. 8 | Thurs. 7 | Thurs. 6 | X | X | Thurs. 10 | Thurs. 9 |
209/216 | Friday after Epiphany (or Jan. 11) [or Jan. 6, if Epiphany is celebrated Jan. 7 or 8] |
1 John 5:5-13 | Fri. 11 | Fri. 10 | Fri. 9 | Fri. 8 | Fri. 7 | Fri. 6 | Sat. 6 | Fri. 11 | Fri. 10 |
210/217 | Saturday after Epiphany (or Jan. 12) [or Jan. 7, if Epiphany is celebrate Jan. 8] |
1 John 5:14-21 | Sat. 12 | Sat. 11 | Sat. 10 | Sat. 9 | Sat. 8 | Sat. 7 | X | Sat. 12 | Sat. 11 |
[21] | [Baptism of the Lord: Sunday after Epiphany, or the following Monday if Epiphany is celebrated Jan. 7 or 8] |
[different reading] | Sun. 13 | Sun. 12 | Sun. 11 | Sun. 10 | Sun. 9 | MON. 9 | MON. 8 | Sun. 13 | Sun. 12 |
For another view of this material, see also my table of Movable Feasts during the Christmas Season.
Lect. # | Day | First Reading |
557 | April 29 - St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor | 1 John 1:5—2:2 (opt.) |
512 | Jan. 13 - St. Hilary, Bishop and Doctor | 1 John 2:18-25 (opt.) |
667 | Nov. 1 - Solemnity of All Saints | 1 John 3:1-3 (proper) |
539 | March 8 - St. John of God, Religious | 1 John 3:14-18 (rec.) |
594 | July 4 - St. Elizabeth of Portugal | 1 John 3:14-18 (rec.) |
599 | July 14 - St. Camillus de Lellis, Priest | 1 John 3:14-18 (rec.) |
678 | Nov. 17 - St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious | 1 John 3:14-18 (rec.) |
607 | July 29 - Sts. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus | 1 John 4:7-16 (rec.) |
633 | Aug. 28 - St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor | 1 John 4:7-16 (proper) |
542 | March 18 - St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor | 1 John 5:1-5 (rec.) |
560 | May 2 - St. Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor | 1 John 5:1-5 (opt.) |
583 | June 21 - St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious | 1 John 5:1-5 (rec.) |
611 | Aug. 2 - St. Eusebius of Verceli, Religious | 1 John 5:1-5 (rec.) |
Notes:
Lect. # | Occasion | First Reading |
781 .5 | Ritual: Institution of Lectors/Readers | 1 John 1:1-4 |
949 .2 | Occasions: For Forgiveness of Sins | 1 John 1:5—2:2 |
893 .3 | Occasions: For Reconciliation | 1 John 2:1-5 |
792 .15 | Ritual: Anointing of the Sick | 1 John 3:1-2 |
1014 .14 | Ritual: Masses for the Dead | 1 John 3:1-2 |
1014 .15 | Ritual: Masses for the Dead | 1 John 3:14-16 |
740 .16 | Common of Holy Men and Women | 1 John 3:14-18 |
953 .3 | Occasions: For Charity, for Promoting Harmony, and for Relatives and Friends | 1 John 3:14-18 |
802 .8 | Ritual: Marriage | 1 John 3:18-24 |
802 .9 | Ritual: Marriage | 1 John 4:7-12 |
740 .17 | Common of Holy Men and Women | 1 John 4:7-16 |
812 .14 | Ritual: Consecration to a Life of Virginity and Religious Profession | 1 John 4:7-16 |
998 .6 | Votive: Sacred Heart | 1 John 4:7-16 |
868 .8 | Occasions: For Unity of Christians | 1 John 4:9-15 |
716. 10 | Common of Martyrs | 1 John 5:1-5 |
740 .18 | Common of Holy Men and Women | 1 John 5:1-5 |
979 .6 | Votive: Holy Eucharist | 1 John 5:4-8 |
992 .4 | Votive: Precious Blood | 1 John 5:4-8 |
Note: These texts are listed among many other optional readings that could be chosen for the particular feast or occasion.
Day | First Reading |
Jan. 26: St. Polycarp | 1 John 3:10-16 |
Sunday after Corpus Christi | 1 John 3:13-18 |
July 18: St. Camillus | 1 John 3:13-18 |
First Sunday after Pentecost | 1 John 4:8-21 |
Low Sunday (Sunday after Easter) | 1 John 5:4-10 |
Note: In contrast to this short list, the post-Vatican II Lectionary for Mass contains many more readings from the Johannine Epistles, especially 1 John.
Tables of Readings from John's Gospel used on Sundays and Major Feasts
Tables of Readings from John's Gospel used on Weekdays and Special Masses
Lists of Passages of John's Gospel NOT USED in the Lectionary for Mass
All Lectionary Readings for the Weekdays of the Christmas Season, with the First Reading from 1 John
All Lectionary Readings for the Sundays of the Easter Season, with the First Reading from Acts
All Lectionary Readings for the Weekdays of the Easter Season, with the First Reading from Acts
Return to The Johannine Literature Web
Return to The Roman Catholic Lectionary for Mass
Return to the Homepage of Prof. Felix Just, S.J.
This page was last updated on
January 23, 2022