Determining Which Week of the 4-Week Psalter It Is
The table of contents of each breviary will give you the page numbers for the Psalter, which pertains to the hymns, antiphons, psalms and canticles used for the first part of the breviarys offices (except for Night Prayer which has its own special section). This material is presented in a cycle which covers four weeks, therefore it is important to know if the current day being observed (in the Church) is part of week one, two, three or four.
This information is designated in the breviarys Proper of Season (once again, consult the table of contents for the page numbers). More specifically, the heading for each Sunday will include which week of the Psalter is to be used (for not only that Sunday but the following weekdays as well). For example, the 19th Sunday in Ordinary begins Week 3 of the Psalter, as is noted in
LOTH, Vol. 4, page 88.
Christian Prayer, page 623.
Shorter Christian Prayer, page 522.
In light of this, not only does the 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time draw material from Week 3 of the Psalter (generally speaking), but so do the weekdays (Monday through Saturday afternoon) which follow it.
The Four Week Cycle Resets at the Beginning of Advent, Lent & Ordinary Time
Advent
The First Sunday of Advent always begins Week 1 of the Psalter, regardless of which week was previously observed (because the First Sunday of Advent is the first day of the liturgical year, the 4-Week cycle of the Psalter is reset to Week 1 on it).
For example, as it works out on the liturgical calendar, the last week of Ordinary Time (i.e., the Solemnity of Christ the King, which is the last Sunday of Ordinary Time, and the following Monday through Saturday afternoon) uses Week 2 of the Psalter. Nevertheless, when the First Sunday of Advent arrives, one does not start using Week 3, but rather Week 1 of the Psalter.
Ordinary Time
Ordinary Time occurs in two phases in the liturgical year. The first phase takes place between Christ Season and Lent, and the second phase takes place between Easter Season and Advent. The First Sunday of Ordinary Time always begins Week 1 of the Psalter.
The second phase of Ordinary Time begins on the Monday that immediately follows Pentecost Sunday (i.e., the last Sunday of the Season of Easter). Note that, because the date of Easter changes from year to year, the specific range of dates for the two phases in Ordinary Time likewise change from year to year. In any event, the Monday of Ordinary Time which immediately follows Pentecost Sunday does not reset to Week 1 of the Psalter. Rather, it will simply be the week of the Psalter corresponding to the Sunday to which the Monday belongs.
For example, in 2012 the first phase of Ordinary Time ended on February 21, being Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time. After the completion of the Seasons of Lent and Easter, the second phase of Ordinary Time started back on Monday, May 28, with the 8th Week of Ordinary Time. In order to see what week of the 4-Week Psalter the 8th of Ordinary Time is, one simply needs to see what is listed with the heading for Sunday of the Eighth Week of Ordinary Time. According to the following page numbers, this is Week 4 of the Psalter:
LOTH, Vol. 3, page 258.
Christian Prayer, page 612.
Shorter Christian Prayer, page 510.
Lent
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and therefore in the middle of a week rather than on a Sunday. Regardless of which week of the Psalter is being observed on the Sunday through Tuesday immediately preceding Ash Wednesday, Ash Wednesday (and the Thursday through Saturday afternoon following it) are designated as Week 4 of the Psalter. Notice the Psalter, Week IV heading found on
LOTH, Vol. 2, page 49.
Christian Prayer, page 255.
Shorter Christian Prayer does not have a section for Ash Wednesday (and therefore no heading for Ash Wednesday) but this rule is found on page 35.
In light of this, the First Sunday of Lent always begins Week 1 of the Psalter.
There is, however, a slight exception to the Ash Wednesday rule I just stated. Even though Ash Wednesday is designated as Week 4 of the Psalter, in terms of Morning Prayer specifically, it is permissible to use some of the material presented for Friday of Week 3 of the Psalter. You can see the rubric outlining this on
LOTH, Vol. 2, page 53.
Christian Prayer, page 255.
(This is not an issue for Shorter Christian Prayer because, for the sake of brevity, special instructions for Ash Wednesday are not listed, aside from the rule on page 35 about using material from Week 4).
I presume that the reason for using Friday of Week 3 of the Psalter for Ash Wednesdays Morning Prayer is because the breviary material for Fridays (as a rule) is penitential in nature. If, for the sake of Morning Prayer on Ash Wednesday, one takes advantage of the option to use the material for Friday of Week 3 of the Psalter, then one gets to pray Psalm 51 (perhaps the most popular of the penitential psalms) on the morning of the first day of Lent.
A similar option, however, is not given for Evening Prayer on Ash Wednesday. Nevertheless, the selections of psalms and canticle for Wednesday of Week 4 of the Psalter contain very fitting material for the penitential nature of Lent.
The table of contents of each breviary will give you the page numbers for the Psalter, which pertains to the hymns, antiphons, psalms and canticles used for the first part of the breviarys offices (except for Night Prayer which has its own special section). This material is presented in a cycle which covers four weeks, therefore it is important to know if the current day being observed (in the Church) is part of week one, two, three or four.
This information is designated in the breviarys Proper of Season (once again, consult the table of contents for the page numbers). More specifically, the heading for each Sunday will include which week of the Psalter is to be used (for not only that Sunday but the following weekdays as well). For example, the 19th Sunday in Ordinary begins Week 3 of the Psalter, as is noted in
LOTH, Vol. 4, page 88.
Christian Prayer, page 623.
Shorter Christian Prayer, page 522.
In light of this, not only does the 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time draw material from Week 3 of the Psalter (generally speaking), but so do the weekdays (Monday through Saturday afternoon) which follow it.
The Four Week Cycle Resets at the Beginning of Advent, Lent & Ordinary Time
Advent
The First Sunday of Advent always begins Week 1 of the Psalter, regardless of which week was previously observed (because the First Sunday of Advent is the first day of the liturgical year, the 4-Week cycle of the Psalter is reset to Week 1 on it).
For example, as it works out on the liturgical calendar, the last week of Ordinary Time (i.e., the Solemnity of Christ the King, which is the last Sunday of Ordinary Time, and the following Monday through Saturday afternoon) uses Week 2 of the Psalter. Nevertheless, when the First Sunday of Advent arrives, one does not start using Week 3, but rather Week 1 of the Psalter.
Ordinary Time
Ordinary Time occurs in two phases in the liturgical year. The first phase takes place between Christ Season and Lent, and the second phase takes place between Easter Season and Advent. The First Sunday of Ordinary Time always begins Week 1 of the Psalter.
The second phase of Ordinary Time begins on the Monday that immediately follows Pentecost Sunday (i.e., the last Sunday of the Season of Easter). Note that, because the date of Easter changes from year to year, the specific range of dates for the two phases in Ordinary Time likewise change from year to year. In any event, the Monday of Ordinary Time which immediately follows Pentecost Sunday does not reset to Week 1 of the Psalter. Rather, it will simply be the week of the Psalter corresponding to the Sunday to which the Monday belongs.
For example, in 2012 the first phase of Ordinary Time ended on February 21, being Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time. After the completion of the Seasons of Lent and Easter, the second phase of Ordinary Time started back on Monday, May 28, with the 8th Week of Ordinary Time. In order to see what week of the 4-Week Psalter the 8th of Ordinary Time is, one simply needs to see what is listed with the heading for Sunday of the Eighth Week of Ordinary Time. According to the following page numbers, this is Week 4 of the Psalter:
LOTH, Vol. 3, page 258.
Christian Prayer, page 612.
Shorter Christian Prayer, page 510.
Lent
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and therefore in the middle of a week rather than on a Sunday. Regardless of which week of the Psalter is being observed on the Sunday through Tuesday immediately preceding Ash Wednesday, Ash Wednesday (and the Thursday through Saturday afternoon following it) are designated as Week 4 of the Psalter. Notice the Psalter, Week IV heading found on
LOTH, Vol. 2, page 49.
Christian Prayer, page 255.
Shorter Christian Prayer does not have a section for Ash Wednesday (and therefore no heading for Ash Wednesday) but this rule is found on page 35.
In light of this, the First Sunday of Lent always begins Week 1 of the Psalter.
There is, however, a slight exception to the Ash Wednesday rule I just stated. Even though Ash Wednesday is designated as Week 4 of the Psalter, in terms of Morning Prayer specifically, it is permissible to use some of the material presented for Friday of Week 3 of the Psalter. You can see the rubric outlining this on
LOTH, Vol. 2, page 53.
Christian Prayer, page 255.
(This is not an issue for Shorter Christian Prayer because, for the sake of brevity, special instructions for Ash Wednesday are not listed, aside from the rule on page 35 about using material from Week 4).
I presume that the reason for using Friday of Week 3 of the Psalter for Ash Wednesdays Morning Prayer is because the breviary material for Fridays (as a rule) is penitential in nature. If, for the sake of Morning Prayer on Ash Wednesday, one takes advantage of the option to use the material for Friday of Week 3 of the Psalter, then one gets to pray Psalm 51 (perhaps the most popular of the penitential psalms) on the morning of the first day of Lent.
A similar option, however, is not given for Evening Prayer on Ash Wednesday. Nevertheless, the selections of psalms and canticle for Wednesday of Week 4 of the Psalter contain very fitting material for the penitential nature of Lent.