In the Christian Church there are two basic liturgical cycles that shape the annual calendar. The first is a cycle with the Feast of the Nativity (Christmas) at the heart of it, and the second is a cycle with the Feast of the Resurrection (Easter) at the heart of it. Each cycle has a season that anticipates the Principal Feast, and each cycle has a season that succeeds the Principal Feast. For Christmas, the season that anticipates it is Advent (a time of preparation for the coming of Christ), and the season that succeeds it is Epiphany (a time that represents the carrying forth of the Light of Christ to those beyond Israel). For Easter, the season that anticipates it is Lent (a season of repentance and preparation), and the season that succeeds it is Pentecost (a season that celebrates the Power of the Holy Spirit raising up the Church to spread the Love and Joy of Christ throughout the world). The purpose in having a liturgical calendar is so that Christians are marking their lives, keeping time, by following the life of Jesus, rather than just secular celebrations. The idea is that rather than having our lives shaped primarily by President’s Day, the Fourth of July, etc., our lives are primarily shaped by the Life of the Lord. We begin the year with Advent, anticipating His birth, and then follow the development of His life all the way around to the next Advent, such that all the Scripture lessons read through the year correspond to the liturgical calendar and keep pace with the developments of His life.
As I write this we are about to enter the season of Lent. Lent, as I’ve indicated, is a season of repentance (not that repentance is neglected the rest of the year, but that it’s emphasized as we anticipate the crucifixion of Jesus); it’s a time when we step back to take stock of our lives, in relation to the Life of Christ, and to look more deeply at those things that keep us from being fully God’s. Lent lasts for 40 days (reflecting the 40 days that the Lord was in the desert after His baptism, being tempted by Satan). These 40 days begin with Ash Wednesday (a service at which we are both reminded of our mortality and dependence on God- “ashes to ashes”-and of God’s Grace, as the ashes are placed in the form of the cross of Christ), and end with the first Eucharist of Easter. If you count these days on a calendar you’ll find that to get 40 days, you actually skip all the Sundays, as Sundays in the Church are always seen as Celebrations of the Resurrection. The liturgical color that dominates Lent is the color purple, reminding us that in the midst of His Passion they placed a purple robe on Jesus (making fun of Him by calling Him “King of the Jews”). During this season no bells are rung in church, the word “alleluia” is not said, no flowers are placed on the altar (though greenery is allowed), and no festive celebrations are held. It is a time to focus deeply on what God has done in the cross of Christ; a time to consider what it meant for God to become incarnate, to suffer, and to die, out of love for us. This is a time to ask earnestly if our lives have been truly shaped by that love; whether they reflect the gratitude that should be a proper response to such sacrificial love. It is, in other words, a time to prepare for New Life, to be resurrected in the way we live, as we celebrate the joyous Resurrection of our Lord on Easter Day.
One very important part of this season on which I have not focused in this brief essay, is what we call “Holy Week,” that last week that begins with Palm Sunday, follows with Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and finally, Easter. Each of these days has its’ own significance, underscoring the final hours of the Lord’s life (Palm Sunday, His final entrance into Jerusalem; Maundy Thursday, the Last Supper and the washing of feet; Good Friday, the somber focus on the crucifixion; and, Holy Saturday, oftentimes marked by a Vigil- a long service that begins at night in the dark, but moves into bright light, celebrating the First Eucharist of Easter).
The longstanding practice of liturgical seasons in God’s Church is simply a disciplined effort to have our lives more shaped by the Lord than by the world.
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