Alection, also called thelesson, is a reading fromscripture inliturgy. In manyChristian denominations, the readings of the day are appointed in thelectionary.
The custom of reading thebooks of Moses in thesynagogues onSabbath is a very ancient one. Since theprophetic books were written after the books of Moses, readings from them began later, and were common at the time ofJesus. This element in synagogue worship was taken over with others into theChristian divine service, as may be gathered from passages in thegospels such asSt Luke 4:16–20 and 16:29. Duringearly Christianity, readings began to be made from the writings of theApostles andevangelists as theNew Testament canon developed. Mention of this is found within theNew Testament itself, for example inColossians 4:16 and inFirst Thessalonians 5:27.[1]
The oldest manuscripts of the Gospels have marginal marks, and sometimes actual interpolations, which can only be accounted for as indicating the beginnings and endings of liturgical lessons.[1]
From the2nd century onwards references multiply, though the earlier references do not prove the existence of a fixedlectionary or order of lessons, but rather point the other way.Justin Martyr, describing divine worship in the middle of the 2nd century says: "On the day called Sunday all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the Apostles, or the writings of the Prophets are read as long as time permits" (Apol. i. cap. 67).Tertullian about half a century later makes frequent reference to the reading of Holy Scripture in public worship (Apol. ~9;De praescript. 36;De amina, 9).[1]
The canons ofHippolytus, written in the first half of the3rd century says, "Letpresbyters,subdeacons andreaders, and all the people assemble daily in the church at time of cockcrow, and betake themselves toprayers, topsalms and to the reading of the Scriptures, according to the command of the Apostles, until I come attend to reading" (canon xxi).[1]
There are traces of fixed lessons coming into existence in the course of the 3rd century.Origen refers to theBook of Job being read inHoly Week (Commentaries on Job, lib. i.). In the 4th century such references are frequent.John Cassian (c. 380) states that throughout Egypt thePsalms were divided into groups of twelve, and that after each group there followed two lessons, one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament (De caenob. inst. ii. 4), implying but not absolutely stating that there was a fixed order of such lessons just as there was of the Psalms.St Basil the Great mentions fixed lessons on certain occasions taken fromIsaiah,Proverbs, StMatthew andActs (Hom. xiii.De bapt.). FromChrysostom (Horn. lxiii. in Act. etc.), andAugustine (Tract. vi. in Joann. &c.) both state thatGenesis was read inLent, Job and Jonah inPassion Week, the Acts of the Apostles inEastertide, lessons on thePassion onGood Friday, and lessons on theResurrection onEaster Day.[1]
In theApostolic Constitutions (ii. 57, ca. 380) a service is described which is required of the church. First come two lessons from the Old Testament by a reader, the whole of the Old Testament being made use of except the books of theApocrypha. The Psalms ofDavid are then to be sung. Next the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles ofPaul are to be read. Finally the four Gospels are to be read by a deacon or a priest. Whether the selections weread libitum or according to a fixed table of lessons is not mentioned.[1]
TheThird Council of Carthage (397) forbade anything but Holy Scripture to be read in church. This rule has been adhered to so far as the liturgicalepistle andgospel, and occasional additional lessons in theRoman Missal are concerned, but in thedivine office, onfeasts when nine lessons are read atmatins, only the first three lessons are taken from Holy Scripture, the next three being taken from thesermons ofecclesiastical writers, and the last three from expositions of the day's gospel; but sometimes the lives or Passions of the saints, or of some particular saints, were substituted for any or all of thesebreviary lessons.[1]
Nothing in the shape of alectionary is extant older than the 8th century, though there is evidence thatClaudianus Marnercus made one for the church atVienna in 450, and thatMusaeus made one for the church atMarseille ca. 458.[1]
In manyChristian denominations, when the lector finishes reading the scripture lesson, they say one of the following:[2]
The congregation responds with "Thanks be to God."[2]
If the reading is from one of theEpistles in the Bible, lectors may conclude it with:[2]
If the reading is from one of theGospels in the Bible, lectors may conclude it with:
"The Gospel of the LORD."
The congregation responds with "Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ" (along with abowing their heads at the mention of the name "Jesus Christ").
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Warren, Frederick Edward (1911). "Lection, Lectionary". InChisholm, Hugh (ed.).Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 357.