Abraham in The Catholic Liturgy - Liturgy of The Hours (Liturgia Horarum)

Liturgy of The Hours (Liturgia Horarum)

• In the Tridentine Roman Breviary the readings from the Genesis, that contain the formal narrative of Abraham begin on Quinquagesima Sunday with the call of Abraham, continue next day with the account of the separation of Abraham from his nephew Lot, and end with the sacrifice of Melchisedech on Shrove Tuesday, a total of three days. In the two-year cycle of readings proposed for the modern Liturgy of the Hours, the narrative of Abraham takes up twelve days (Wednesday of week 2 to Saturday of week 3 on the even-numbered years).
• Every day the Liturgy of the Hours mentions Abraham in the Magnificat (last verse: "As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever") and in the Benedictus (sixth verse: "The oath which he swore to Abraham our father"). He is mentioned in the Psalter in Psalms 46 (47):10 and 104 (105):6, 9, 42. And since he is mentioned in 71 verses of the New Testament alone (41 of them outside the Gospels), his name appears also many times in other parts of the Liturgy of the Hours, especially since in 1970 "a more ample selection from the treasury of God's word" is included in the Liturgy of the Hours. Abraham is also mentioned in the antiphon to the Magnificat of Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent, with reference to the Gospel of that day, which contains Jesus' declaration: "Before Abraham was, I am." In the Tridentine Missal this Gospel was read on the fifth Sunday of Lent, which until 1960 was called "Passion Sunday" and the corresponding Magnificat antiphon was used on that day in the Roman Breviary.