|
The Liturgical Calendar
Lectionary Readings
Last Updated On:
Saturday February 13, 2010 |
|
The Liturgical (church) calendar is
composed of several seasons, each of which focuses on events that occurred in the life of
Jesus. The Liturgical Year is divided into three parts:
-
The Time of Christmas focuses on the
incarnation of Jesus Christ on His inevitable return.
-
The Time of Easter focuses on the
salvation of Jesus which was accomplished through His death on the cross and His
resurrection from the grave.
-
The Time of the Church focuses on
God’s calling people to eternal life through His Word and Spirit as He matures them in faith
and sends them into the world to make disciples of every nation.
The seasons occur in the following order: |
Advent
The four Sundays before Christmas compose the season of Advent. During the Advent
season, Lutherans turn their attention to the coming of Christ. During church services,
each week is marked with the lighting of candle in the Advent wreath.
The color
BLUE is associated with the
Advent season, as it represents hope. It is also the color of spiritual love, fidelity,
and anticipation. It reminds us of the coming birth of our King, Jesus.
|
Christmas
The Christmas season is twelve days long, beginning with Christmas Eve on December 24.
The season is marked with celebration of the birth of Jesus through traditions such as
the building of nativity scenes and the singing of Christmas hymns. Depending on the day
of the week on which Christmas falls, there may be two Sundays after Christmas. In most
years, however, there is only one. The Christmas season ends on January 5.
The color
WHITE
is associated with Christmas, as it represents light and joy. It is the color of purity
and eternity. |
Time after Epiphany
The Epiphany of Our Lord falls on January 6 and commemorates the visit of the Wise Men
to the infant Jesus. The first Sunday after Epiphany marks the baptism of Jesus by
John the Baptist, while the last Sunday after Epiphany marks the Transfiguration of our
Lord. The emphasis of the Epiphany season is on the self–revelation of God to the
world. Beginning with the Epiphany, when Christ revealed himself to the Gentile Wise Men
as a "Light to lighten the Gentiles," this revelation emphasis continues, as the Gospel
readings depict how Jesus revealed himself in word and deed as true God, Messiah, and
Savior of the world. Depending on the date of Ash Wednesday, there may be as many
as eight Sundays after the Epiphany.
The color
WHITE
is associated with the Baptism and the
Transfiguration of Jesus.
The color
GREEN
is associated with the other Sundays in this period, as it represents spiritual growth
and life. |
Lent
Lent includes the 40-day period from Ash Wednesday to Easter, excluding Sundays.
During the Lenten season, Sundays are excluded from the 40 days, as they are
celebrations of Jesus' resurrection. The date of Ash Wednesday depends on the date
of Easter. The name "Ash Wednesday" comes from a practice originating in the
Middle Ages of ashes being sprinkled over the heads of those who came to church and went
to confession. Today ashes are applied to the forehead in the shape of a cross. Ash
Wednesday is a day for repentance and a reminder of one's mortality. It is also an
opportunity to reflect on Jesus' suffering and death, which provided salvation to all
Christians.
The 40 days in lent reflects the length of time that
Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting and overcoming Satan's temptations. There
are five Sundays in Lent. The season of Lent continues until the eve of Palm
Sunday. Palm Sunday, or the Sunday of the Passion commemorates the arrival of
Jesus in Jerusalem in the name of the Lord, and the laying of palm leaves by in front of
him by those who witnessed his arrival. Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week.
The color
PURPLE
is associated with the Lenten season, as is suggests somberness and solemnity. It
is the color or royalty.
The color for Palm Sunday is
RED. |
The Three Days
The following days, Monday of Holy Week, Tuesday of Holy Week, and Wednesday of Holy
Week, look at the events that led up to the crucifixion. The combination of Maundy
Thursday, Good Friday and the Vigil of Easter are together referred to as The Three
Days. Maundy Thursday, the last Thursday before Easter, commemorates the Last
Supper with Jesus and his apostles. The next day, Good Friday, is a remembrance of
the crucifixion of Jesus and his death. The Vigil of Easter is held in the early
morning hours on Easter Sunday. During Holy Week the focus is on the
suffering and death of our Savior and the importance that it has for us and for our
salvation.During Holy Week, the color
RED is often used to symbolize
the deep color of blood.
On Good Friday, no colors are used. |
Easter
Easter is the high point of the church year. The Easter season, or Eastertide, is
a 50-day period from Easter to Pentecost. Easter was the first festival to be observed
annually by Christians. Easter Sunday is a celebration of the resurrection
of Christ from the dead and ascent to Heaven. By the his resurrection, Jesus
proved that he is the victor over sin, death, and the grave. The Easter season
ends with Pentecost, commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles other
followers of Christ. Easter is followed by six Sundays. The first Sunday following
is designated the Second Sunday of Easter and the last is called the Seventh Sunday of
Easter. Between the Sixth and Seventh Sundays of Easter is Ascension Day.
Ascension Day falls on the 40th day after Easter and commemorates when the risen Lord
ascended into heaven. It is always on a Thursday.
Pentecost (from a Greek word meaning "fifty"), the 50th
day after Easter, concludes the Easter season. On Pentecost we commemorate the sending
of the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, to the disciples who were waiting in
Jerusalem after the ascension of Jesus. Because it is through the work of the Spirit
that we receive the benefits of Christ's work for us, Pentecost is also a time of great
celebration and joy.
The date of Easter changes from year to year. This
fluctuation is because the date of Easter was originally set according to a lunar (moon)
calendar. The moon is still used to set the date of Easter. The formula is as follows:
Easter is the Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. The spring
equinox falls on March 21. This means that the earliest date Easter can be is March 22,
while the latest is April 25.
The color
WHITE
is associated with the Easter season, as it
reflects joy. On Easter Sunday,
GOLD
may be used.
The color
RED
is associated with Pentecost, as it is the
color of the tongues of fire that descended upon the crowd in Jerusalem. |
Time after Pentecost
This season follows Pentecost and precedes Advent. The first Sunday
after Pentecost is known as Trinity Sunday, and is a celebration of the Holy Trinity:
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The last Sunday of Pentecost is the feast
of Christ the King.The color
WHITE
for the feast of Christ the King is used to symbolize
the joy of the festivals.
Otherwise, the color
GREEN
is used to symbolize growth in faith during
this time. |
|
|
