🧵 A THREAD by TOC: Political Omissions in the Lectionary—A Silent Strike Against Scripture & Sacred Tradition?
On today’s Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, let’s talk about the verses we don’t hear—and why it matters. 👇
1.1/ Much critique of the Novus Ordo (NO) Mass centers on reverence and ritual.
But here’s a deeper issue: the lectionary itself.
What if I told you key verses of Scripture were being intentionally omitted?
Let’s talk about the silence no one notices. 👇
1.2/ I’ll admit, prior to today, I had NO idea lectionaries were modified purposely to exclude key teachings of our faith! As the lector read the first reading today, he ended one verse shy.
I knew something was amiss! But I’ve never heard anyone speak about this!
2/ Acts 12:11 - Peter says: “Now I know for certain the Lord sent His angel & rescued me from Herod & from all that the Jewish people had been expecting.”
Many NO parishes cut the reading at v10. That means Peter’s divine rescue statement is omitted—on the feast of Peter & Paul
3/ Why omit verse 11?
Because it mentions “the Jewish people’s expectations.”
Liturgists call it “pastoral sensitivity.”
Critics call it editing Scripture for politics.
4/ It doesn’t end there.
🔹 Romans 1:18–32 — a clear denunciation of sexual immorality
“Males did shameful things with males…”
❌ Completely absent from the Novus Ordo lectionary.
Too controversial? Too “divisive”?
Or just too true?
5/🔹 1 Corinthians 11:27–29 “[Whoever eats or drinks unworthily… eats and drinks judgment.]”
The Early Church quoted this constantly on the Eucharist.
The TLM still reads it on Corpus Christi.
The NO?
❌ Never included.
6/🔹 Galatians 5:19–21
“Those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”
In the NO, it’s often truncated—we get the “fruits of the Spirit” but not the warning of damnation.
Sin is bad for morale, apparently.
7/🔹 Dies Irae – The “Day of Wrath” hymn from Requiem Masses
“Day of wrath and doom impending…”
Removed from the funeral liturgy in the Novus Ordo.
Not because it’s false.
Because it’s uncomfortable.
8/ But the Early Church didn’t shy away from these truths.
St. Martyr: “We do not receive [Eucharist] if we are in grave sin.”
St. Chrysostom: “You receive unworthily, you’re guilty of the Body & Blood.”
Didache: “Let no one in sin join the Eucharist.”
None had “short forms.”
9/ So how did we get here?
➡️In the 1970s–1990s, liturgical committees began offering short forms of readings in the Novus Ordo.
➡️Ostensibly for “time” or “accessibility,” but in practice?
➡️They tend to exclude the hardest, most doctrinally uncomfortable verses.
10/ This isn’t just about length.
It’s about content.
And when the liturgy routinely omits warnings about sin, judgment, unworthy Communion, and divine punishment—that’s not pastoral.
That’s deception by omission.
11/ This all came home today.
Today is the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul.
At my parish, the reading from Acts 12 stopped at verse 10.
But verse 11 is Peter’s whole realization—the climax.
It was gone!
12/ So I ran a poll on Catholic Twitter.
Over 1000 people responded so far:
33% said verse 11 was omitted at their Mass
29% said it was included
25% weren’t sure
13% didn’t attend
Even allowing for memory gaps—that’s a huge split for a solemnity.
13/ The U.S. lectionary officially includes verse 11, but short forms are widely used.
Sometimes priests or lectors stop early, knowingly or not.
This isn’t just theory. It’s real, lived liturgical distortion.
14/ This naturally raises questions.
Some would say: “See? The Novus Ordo isn’t even a legitimate form.”
I’m not ready to go there.
But we can’t ignore the pattern.
A rite that permits or encourages the omission of hard truths has a structural problem.
15/ But is the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) immune?
No rite is perfect.
The TLM has shorter readings and a 1-year cycle.
But—and this matters—it does not redact doctrine.
The TLM doesn’t skip judgment, hell, or sin to protect your feelings.
16/ Examples?
1 Cor 11 is read on Corpus Christi
Romans 1 appears in weekday or Ember day readings
No “short forms”
No edits for political correctness
Its readings are sometimes fewer—but never sanitized.
17/ So what does this all mean?
✅Scripture matters
✅Omission is a form of instruction
✅Editing God’s Word—even softly—shapes the faith of the people
The Mass is supposed to form our minds to God, not conform God to us.
18/ We don’t need a liturgy that flatters modern sensitivities.
We need one that proclaims the full Word of God, even the hard parts.
ESPECIALLY the hard parts!
Truth saves. Silence doesn’t.
19/ This isn’t about nostalgia.
It’s about fidelity.
If the Early Church preached these truths…
If the Fathers defended them…
If the saints died for them…
Who are we to quietly snip them out for comfort?
20/🧭 Summary:
🔵The NO lectionary often omits or shortens key verses
🔵These edits tend to remove difficult teachings
🔵The TLM preserves the fullness of Scripture—no “safe mode”
We must ask: What is our liturgy teaching by what it refuses to say?
21/ 🛑 CALL TO ACTION
We urge our bishops—and especially the @USCCB @Pontifex to address these omissions
The faithful deserve the full Word of God, not a version trimmed for comfort.
Reform the lectionary. End the short forms. Preach the hard truths.
Lex orandi, lex credendi
💬 What do you think?
Have you noticed omissions like this in your parish?
Do you trust the lectionary you’re hearing?
Let’s talk. The Word of God deserves to be heard—in full.
Pax Vobiscum 🙏
#CatholicTwitter #TLM #NovusOrdo #SacredTradition #LiturgyMatters #LexOrandi
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