The result was the Lectionary of 1969, revised in 1981, which added an Old Testament reading and a responsorial psalm at every Sunday and feast day Mass, and expanded the one-year lectionary into a three year cycle with each year based on one of the Synoptic Gospels. At the same time, Church documents have strongly emphasised the presence of Christ in the readings. When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ present in his own word, proclaims the gospel. (General instruction on the Roman Missal §29). However, after centuries of giving the scriptures less than close attention, Catholics have had to learn how to listen and absorb the readings. We have discovered that the Bible is an often puzzling book which needs explanation to make its meaning clear.