Q: This is after the fact now but still would like to know for next year. As you know, there are designated readings for the Christmas vigil and day. I’ve served at places where they use the same set of readings for all the Masses. My question, what “times” are the readings for Mass at dawn and Mass during the day used. I thought anytime before noon would be considered dawn and noon and after is during the day. Thank you for clarifying this.
==
A: No specific times have been assigned to those Masses, and there were versions of them in the previous missal as well. The lectionary gives you flexibility on when to use these. The rubric appears at the head of the Vigil Mass readings, lectionary #13. It lets you choose any set of readings “according to the pastoral needs of each congregation.” That way people can hear a beloved passage from Luke whenever they come.
