First Sunday of Lent

The Common Worship lectionary readings for First Sunday of Lent in Year A, the liturgical colour, and what changes in the order of service.

Year A · Lent · purple

Year ALentpurple

The readings

Citations follow the Revised Common Lectionary as used in the Church of England's Common Worship principal service lectionary. Verse numbering can differ very slightly between Bible translations.

The liturgical colour

Purple marks the two preparatory seasons, Advent and Lent: penitence, restraint, waiting. On this Sunday the colour is purple.

What changes in the service

The Gloria is omitted and a Tract replaces the Alleluia acclamation before the Gospel.

In SundayHQ this is the lent template shape. You set your order of service once; when the season turns, one click applies the seasonal change and leaves the rest of your parish's own wording alone.

Hymns that fit these readings

Suggestions matched to the readings above, each with the reason it was chosen:

• Opening — Lord, who throughout these forty days Lenten discipline, without gloom
• Gradual — Forty days and forty nights The temptation in the wilderness, the Lent 1 Gospel
• Offertory — Praise to the holiest in the height Substantial enough to cover the preparation
• Communion — When I survey the wondrous cross Rockingham; the Lenten communion hymn
• Final — Take up thy cross, the Saviour said Sends them out under the season's demand

When it next falls

Year A comes round every three years. The date moves because the whole calendar hangs off Easter.

The same Sunday in the other years

Questions