LITURGICAL YEAR LITURGICAL YEAR ANDAND

PRECEPTS OF THE PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCHCHURCH

SHARINGSHARING

What is the “solemnity” that is What is the “solemnity” that is celebrated to-day?celebrated to-day?

Identify the 3 readings & the Identify the 3 readings & the Responsorial Psalm in your Bible.Responsorial Psalm in your Bible.

Recall & share briefly what the Priest Recall & share briefly what the Priest preached in his homily today.preached in his homily today.

The Liturgical YearThe Liturgical Year

• A cycle of seasons & feasts celebrated by the Church during a 12 month period.

• The seasons & feast days recall & celebrate the mysteries of Christ – His life, death & resurrection; as well as the love, devotion, faithfulness & holiness that surrounded His Mother, Mary, & the other Saints.

• Helps us to grow in our spiritual life

Liturgical celebrations are grouped into 3 categories, by order of importance:-

Solemnities: Highest order. Commemorate an event, a person or a belief of the highest significance in salvation history e.g. Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, Christ the King, the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

Feast Days: Commemorate the astonishing actions of God; give him thanks for them; perpetuate their remembrance & teach new generations to conform their conduct to them e.g. Feast of the Holy Family, Baptism of Jesus, Birth of Mary.

Memorials: Give glory to God for martyrs & Saints, whose examples encourage the faithful on their pilgrim journey to the heavenly Father e.g. St. Francis Xavier (Dec 3), St Anthony of Padua (Jun 13)

The Liturgical Year

ADVENT

LENT

Easter

Ordinary

Time 2

Ordinary

Time 1

Christmas

Easter Sunday

Ash Wed

1st Sunday of Advent

Pentecost Sunday

ADVENTADVENT From Latin “adventus” meaning arriving or coming.From Latin “adventus” meaning arriving or coming. Period of joyous, devout & expectant anticipation & Period of joyous, devout & expectant anticipation &

preparation for both the celebration of Jesus’ birth preparation for both the celebration of Jesus’ birth & his expected second coming.& his expected second coming.

Period of waiting is marked with Advent Wreath with Period of waiting is marked with Advent Wreath with 4 candles, symbolizing the hopefulness of 4 candles, symbolizing the hopefulness of evergreens, the eternal love of God expressed in evergreens, the eternal love of God expressed in the circle without beginning or end, & the candle the circle without beginning or end, & the candle flames pushing out the darkness to make way for flames pushing out the darkness to make way for Christ, the Light of the world.Christ, the Light of the world.

The Crib reminds us of what we are anticipating.The Crib reminds us of what we are anticipating. Themes: Joyful expectation, penance & reform, Themes: Joyful expectation, penance & reform,

hope.hope. Liturgical colour: Purple (symbolizes penance), third Liturgical colour: Purple (symbolizes penance), third

week rose/pink (joy).week rose/pink (joy).

CHRISTMAS• Begins with Christmas Eve Mass.• Celebrates the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ – “

the Word became flesh & dwelt among us” John 1:14.• A holy day of rejoicing & thanksgiving.• Christmas season lasts till Feast of the Baptism of

Jesus on Jan 10, 2010. During this season we celebrate Jesus’ early childhood events:

Feast of the Holy Family (27 Dec), Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God (Jan

1), Solemnity of the Epiphany (Jan 3)

Themes: Joy, peace, Christ as Light of the world, The Incarnation

Liturgical colour: White (purity, holiness)Christmas is second in importance to Easter

Ordinary Time 1Ordinary Time 1 Root word “ordinal” means “the counted weeks”.Root word “ordinal” means “the counted weeks”. Begins on the Monday following Feast of the Baptism Begins on the Monday following Feast of the Baptism

of Our Lord, & ends on the day before Ash Wed which of Our Lord, & ends on the day before Ash Wed which marks the beginning of Lent.marks the beginning of Lent.

Next year 2010, Ordinary Time starts 11Next year 2010, Ordinary Time starts 11thth Jan, ends Jan, ends 1616thth Feb. Ash Wed on 17 Feb. Ash Wed on 17thth Feb. Feb.

This period allows us to reflect on the mysteries of This period allows us to reflect on the mysteries of Christ just celebrated; also provides for celebration of Christ just celebrated; also provides for celebration of other solemnities, feasts days & memorials of Saints other solemnities, feasts days & memorials of Saints of the Church.of the Church.

Main focus of readings is Christ’s earthly ministry.Main focus of readings is Christ’s earthly ministry.

Liturgical colour: Green symbolizing growth of spiritual Liturgical colour: Green symbolizing growth of spiritual life.life.

LENTLENT

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday & Lent begins with Ash Wednesday & culminates in Easter, the most sacred day in culminates in Easter, the most sacred day in the liturgical calendar.the liturgical calendar.Lent lasts 40 days.Lent lasts 40 days.Period of penance & purification, renewed Period of penance & purification, renewed repentance of our sins, a new turning to God, repentance of our sins, a new turning to God, to get ourselves ready to celebrate Easter.to get ourselves ready to celebrate Easter.On Ash Wed we put ashes on our foreheads On Ash Wed we put ashes on our foreheads to signify repentance & sorrow for our sins.to signify repentance & sorrow for our sins.During Lent we perform acts of penance – During Lent we perform acts of penance – includes fasting & abstinence, prayers, includes fasting & abstinence, prayers, sacrifices & almsgiving.sacrifices & almsgiving.

LENT cont’dLENT cont’d

FastingFasting means that a person can eat one full means that a person can eat one full meal & two half meals on fast days.meal & two half meals on fast days.AbstinenceAbstinence means to refrain from eating means to refrain from eating meat or meat products.meat or meat products.On Ash Wednesday & Good Friday, Catholics On Ash Wednesday & Good Friday, Catholics of age 18 – 59 are required to fast & abstain. of age 18 – 59 are required to fast & abstain.

During Lent, the Church encourages its During Lent, the Church encourages its faithful to exercise personal self-denial & faithful to exercise personal self-denial & sacrifice for spiritual health i.e. to abstain sacrifice for spiritual health i.e. to abstain from doing something we normally enjoy.from doing something we normally enjoy.

Catholics of age 18 to 59 years are required to fast.Catholics of age 18 to 59 years are required to fast.

LENT cont’dLENT cont’d

Abstinence shows a desire to become less self-Abstinence shows a desire to become less self-centred, to overcome sinful inclination & to identify centred, to overcome sinful inclination & to identify oneself with the sacrifice & death of Jesus.oneself with the sacrifice & death of Jesus.We do works of mercy & deeds of kindness for those We do works of mercy & deeds of kindness for those in need.in need.We give alms/ donations for charity.We give alms/ donations for charity.We give more time for prayers & go for spiritual We give more time for prayers & go for spiritual retreat, to take stock of our spiritual life.retreat, to take stock of our spiritual life.

Themes of Lent: Penance, prayer, sacrificeThemes of Lent: Penance, prayer, sacrificeLiturgical colour: PurpleLiturgical colour: Purple

LENT cont’d

Holy week recalls Jesus’ passage from life & death to the glory of his resurrection.

Holy week starts with Palm Sunday & ends in the 3 days of Easter Triduum – Holy Thursday, Good Friday & Holy Saturday

Palm Sunday

Time-line of Lent

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Holy WeekWeek 5

Ash Wednesday Triduum

Easter

Easter Triduum:Easter Triduum:Holy ThursdayHoly Thursday recalls Jesus’ last supper with recalls Jesus’ last supper with His disciples, when He instituted the Sacrament His disciples, when He instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist & the Holy Order of Priesthood.of the Eucharist & the Holy Order of Priesthood.Good FridayGood Friday commemorates his sufferings & commemorates his sufferings & death. On this day Mass is not celebrated, only death. On this day Mass is not celebrated, only a communion service, where the cross is a communion service, where the cross is venerated.venerated.Holy SaturdayHoly Saturday commemorates the day Jesus commemorates the day Jesus lay in the tomb. There is no daytime Mass, until lay in the tomb. There is no daytime Mass, until midnight when the Easter Vigil Mass is midnight when the Easter Vigil Mass is celebrated - Christ has risen from the dead, celebrated - Christ has risen from the dead, conquering death!conquering death!This marks the beginning of Easter.This marks the beginning of Easter.

EASTER

• Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus.• The Pascal Candle is lighted to signify that

Christ as Light of the world has triumphed over sin & death.

• Themes: New life in Christ, Light, Christian victory

• Liturgical colour: White, often with gold.• During Vigil Mass, the singing of the Gloria

& the Alleluia ring out with the bells ringing, to express our joy

EASTER

• The Easter event of God raising Jesus to life is crucial to the Christian faith.

• Through the resurrection of Jesus, Christians believe that God our Creator offers salvation & hope to all humanity.

• This is what Easter is about.• Traditionally, it is also the time for all

catechumens to be baptized on Easter Vigil.

• Easter season lasts for 50 days, ending on Pentecost Sunday

Ordinary Time 2Ordinary Time 2

After Pentecost we enter Ordinary Time again.After Pentecost we enter Ordinary Time again.

During this period, the mystery of Christ in all its During this period, the mystery of Christ in all its fullness is celebrated & reflected on. fullness is celebrated & reflected on.

Special Sunday celebrations like Holy Trinity Sunday, Special Sunday celebrations like Holy Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi & Christ the King, help accomplish this Corpus Christi & Christ the King, help accomplish this purpose.purpose.

Solemnity of Christ the King marks the end of the Solemnity of Christ the King marks the end of the Church Year, & a new cycle begins.Church Year, & a new cycle begins.

Themes: Growth, journey in ChristThemes: Growth, journey in Christ Liturgical colour: GreenLiturgical colour: Green

THE LECTIONARY CYCLETHE LECTIONARY CYCLE The The LectionaryLectionary is a book of Scripture readings is a book of Scripture readings

used during Mass.used during Mass. Term means “gathering or selection of readings”.Term means “gathering or selection of readings”. Every day of the year appropriate Scripture texts Every day of the year appropriate Scripture texts

are prescribed & proclaimed in our Masses. This is are prescribed & proclaimed in our Masses. This is the Lectionary Cycle.the Lectionary Cycle.

For Sunday masses, there are 3 readings & a For Sunday masses, there are 3 readings & a Psalm. Psalm.

These readings follow a 3-year cycle A, B & C.These readings follow a 3-year cycle A, B & C. For weekday masses, there are 2 readings & a For weekday masses, there are 2 readings & a

Psalm, & follow a 2-year cycle. Psalm, & follow a 2-year cycle. Odd years are cycle 1 & even years cycle 2.Odd years are cycle 1 & even years cycle 2. Readings for each cycle are different.Readings for each cycle are different.

PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCHPRECEPTS OF THE CHURCH

1.1. To keep holy all Sundays and Days of To keep holy all Sundays and Days of Obligation. Obligation.

2.2. To observe the days of penance.To observe the days of penance.

3.3. To go to confession at least once a To go to confession at least once a year.year.

4.4. To receive Holy Communion at Easter To receive Holy Communion at Easter Time.Time.

5.5. To contribute to the support of the To contribute to the support of the Church.Church.