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The
Christian Church Year
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How
the Church Year Came to Be
To the early Christians it was obvious that every Sunday was an
Easter celebration. Every Lord's Supper was a reliving of Christ's
Easter victory over death and the devil. Christians then, as now,
knew they shared in his victory, and their worship, liturgy and
sacraments gave people comfort and strength. The Church Year was a
means to relive the life of Our Lord, and to meditate on the meaning
of being a disciple of Christ.
Each day of the Church Year has its own special meaning as presented
in the Bible readings appointed for the day and the Prayer of the
Day or Collect. It is through the use of these themes that we are
able to gain a wider knowledge of the meaning of the life of Christ
and our faith. Along with the Church Year are appointed Bible
readings, which are found in a Lectionary. A Lectionary follows a
pattern of readings and lessons. The 1st Lesson or Reading is almost
always from the Old Testament. A Psalm is a responsive reading
between the reader and congregation. The 2nd Lesson (also called the
Epistle) or Reading is always from the New Testament letters or
epistles. The Holy Gospel is always from Matthew, Mark, Luke, or
John. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are read in a 3-year cycle with John
read at different times throughout the 3 years. In this way almost
the whole of the Gospels are read in a 3-year period.
Season of Advent
The word Advent is Latin for "arriving." Our Lord arrives
in three ways. He comes in the past, present, and future.
About 2000 years ago the Son of God was born into this world. He was
born to Mary while she was with Joseph in the City of Davis called
Bethlehem. This is Christ arriving as incarnate or God in human
form. This is Jesus of the past.
Today our Lord, Jesus, comes to our world through fellow believers,
the Word of God in the scriptures, and in the sacrament of Holy
Communion where Jesus is physically present with us in the Bread and
wine, or Body and Blood. This is Jesus of the present.
One day Jesus will return to usher in his kingdom in fullness. He
will raise the dead and judge both the living and the dead. The
followers of Jesus will enter his heavenly kingdom where we will
live eternally and without sin, disease, or death. This is Jesus of
the future.
These are all the themes of Advent. The color for Advent is purple
or blue. Purple is the ancient color of royalty. In Advent we
prepare for the coming of our King. The color blue represents hope.
It represents the hope we have in Jesus. Advent candles burn in the
church and home during this season. They represent Christ as the
light of the world that the powers of darkness cannot overcome.
Advent begins the Church Year, and is always 4 Sundays in length.
Christmas Day/Christmas Season
The twelve days between December 25th and January 5th are our
opportunity to celebrate the incarnation of our God. The Christ
Child is God's greatest gift to the world. The color for the
Christmas season is white for the light of Christ. December 26th is
the Feast of St. Stephen the first person to die for the Christian
faith. The color for St. Stephen is red for blood and fire. December
27th is the Feast of St. John the Apostle and Gospel writer. The
color for St. John's day is white. December 28th is the observance
of the Holy Innocents. This observes the day when King Herod had all
the children under age 2 killed in Bethlehem in an attempt to kill
the Christ Child. January 1st is the Feast of the Name of Jesus. The
days of Christmas end on January 5th, which is the 12th night, or
the eve of Epiphany.
Symbols for Christmas are the evergreen tree or evergreen wreath.
Holly because it is green with red berries is also used. These all
represent eternal life because they stay green though the year. The
nativity scene has been part of the symbols of Christmas since the
Middle Ages.
The earliest observance Christ's birth was on January 6th. Later, in
the Western Church, December 25th was selected as an alternative to
a holiday on December 25th that was devoted to idols worshipped in
the Roman Empire.
Epiphany Day and Season
Epiphany was known in the earliest Christian centuries as the Feast
of the Manifestation, the Theophany, and the Feast of Light. Second
only to Easter in importance, Epiphany was observed in the Eastern
Orthodox Church since the 2nd Century AD. It celebrated the fact
that God became man (incarnation) more than Jesus' birth date. Later
the Western Church's observance of Christmas on December 25th
overshadowed the "Old Christmas."
In the Eastern Church, Epiphany became a day to receive new members
through baptism. The newly baptized were called the illuminandi or
those who were now enlightened by Christ, the Light of the World.
Epiphany Day celebrates the wise men coming to present gifts to the
Christ Child and to pay him honor. Epiphany Season celebrates that
Jesus was revealed to the world through his miracles and teachings.
The color for Epiphany Day is white. The first and last Sundays
after Epiphany are the Baptism of Our Lord (a white day) and
Transfiguration Sunday (a white day). The color for the rest of the
Epiphany Season is green for growth.
Ash Wednesday & Lent
For about 1,500 years, Ash Wednesday has begun the season of Lent.
The name comes from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads
of those confessing their sins. The ashes come from the Old
Testament custom of rubbing ashes on one's face as a sign of sorrow
over the sins one has committed. Ashes are a reminder of the words
said at a burial, "earth to earth, dust to dust, ashes to
ashes."
Lent is the Church Year's "springtime." Out of the cold
and darkness of sin's winter emerges the Church reborn in the Easter
resurrection. The observance of Lent appeared around 200 AD. Lent
was a time of preparation for persons being instructed in the
Christian faith for baptism. Following the example of Jesus' time in
the wilderness, people would fast and pray for 40 days during Lent.
Then, on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter, they were
baptized and received into the Church.
Today Lent calls us to take time to look at the need for us to
confess in preparation for the celebration of Easter. It is a time
to reflect on our faith and the importance of our baptism.
The color for Lent is purple a royal color which calls us to
confession of sins.
Holy Week
Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday. During this service, the Passion
Story is read from the Gospels. This is the account of Jesus'
betrayal, arrest, trial, and crucifixion. Maundy Thursday recalls
the Last Supper Jesus had with his disciples. At the end of the
service, all appointments on the altar are removed. Consequently the
cloths, candles, and books are removed from the altar area
representing the arrest of Jesus. Good Friday is the day we recall
Jesus' death on the cross. The service is to be very simple with
readings, silence, and very little music. Holy Saturday is the day
between Good Friday and Easter. During this service readings recall
the promise of God to send a savior to the world. Purple may be
continued through Holy Week although some churches use the color
scarlet a deep red.
Easter Day and Season
Easter is the earliest Christian festival. It celebrates Jesus'
victory over death when he was raised from the grave. The Easter
Season lasts for 7 Sundays. On Easter we celebrate our baptism
because through baptism we were joined to Christ's death and
resurrection. Easter is part of every week in the church for each
Sunday is a "Little Easter."
The color for Easter Sunday and Easter Season is white. Butterflies
and Easter lilies are common symbols used in Easter.
Ascension Day
40 days after Easter Sunday, we celebrate the ascension of Jesus
into heaven. This is when Jesus went up to heaven. The color for
Ascension Day is white. The paschal candle is often extinguished on
this day as a sign the Jesus has ascended to heaven.
Pentecost Sunday
The Sunday of Pentecost closes the Easter Season and opens the way
to the second half of the Church Year, the Season after Pentecost.
The Feast of Pentecost Sunday is sometimes called the birthday of
the Christian Church. On this day the ascended Jesus poured the Holy
Spirit on his disciples, fulfilling his promise to send a comforter
to them. With a wind from heaven, Jesus enlivened his disciples
showing them the meaning of the Old Testament and how Jesus had
fulfilled it. The Spirit gave the disciples the power to carry the
message of Christ into distant lands. The disciples were also given
the gift to speak in other languages. On Pentecost Sunday in the
Middle Ages rose petals were dropped from the rafters of the church
representing the tongues of fire that rested on the disciples on
Pentecost Day. The color for Pentecost Sunday is red for fire and
blood.
The Season after Pentecost
Pentecost Sunday opens the door to the Season after Pentecost or the
Season of the Church. The readings for this season often focus on
the teachings of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit. Applying the
faith to everyday life is a common focus of sermons during this
time. The color for the Season after Pentecost is green for growth.
The Sunday immediately after Pentecost Sunday is the Sunday of the
Holy Trinity. This is the day that celebrates God the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit. This is God the 3 in 1. The Athanasian Creed is
confessed on this Sunday. The color for the day is white.
During the Season after Pentecost Reformation Day or Sunday is
celebrated. This celebrates the beginning of the Lutheran Church.
The color for Reformation Sunday is Red the color for Church feast
days. The Next Sunday is All Saints Sunday. The Season after
Pentecost and the entire Church Year closes with the celebration of
Christ the King Sunday. This Sunday celebrates Jesus who is king
over all things throughout the year. The day also reminds us that
someday Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead and will
usher in his kingdom. The color for Christ the King is white.
Alternate names for Christ the King are the Sunday of the
Fulfillment and the Last Sunday after Pentecost/Last Sunday in the
Church Year. |
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