A New Liturgical Year (Bulletin Column 20151115)

Many of us like to recognize special events in our lives and the lives of others. We will have parties for birthdays, anniversaries and graduations. We will celebrate promotions, retirements and many other things just too numerous to mention. One event that many people celebrate is New Year’s Eve. People will attend parties to “ring-in” the New Year. Others may enjoy a quiet evening by watching television with their family or friends. Regardless of how you bring in the New Year, you are probably with someone that is special to you.

Just as there is a calendar year that mark events in our life, the Church has a liturgical year that will mark events of both the life of Jesus and the Church.  These many events deserve recognition and celebration. By use of the liturgical calendar we are able to revisit the events annually. This gives us the opportunity to rediscover them as we grow in maturity and spirituality. Some yearly celebrations include the birth of Christ, his baptism, passion and resurrection. The calendar also includes the feast days of men and women who have played important roles in the growth of our faith. Through the use of Holy Days, the Church will call our attention to special events in the history of our faith that should be celebrated, remembered and prayed upon.

The liturgical year of the Catholic Church begins with the first Sunday of Advent. There are many things you will immediately notice on the first Sunday of a new liturgical year. The clergy will be wearing violet vestments and not the green color that has been worn since the end of the Easter season. The Church will begin a new cycle of readings. For many churches the most obvious change will be the displaying of an Advent wreath. The Advent wreath is used during the Advent season and will remain out until the beginning of the Christmas season.

The official end of the liturgical year is the last Saturday before the beginning of the Advent season. To properly celebrate the end of the liturgical year we must first consider what has happened during this concluding year. We used the liturgical year to recall the life of Christ here on earth. We heard readings at the Mass that are only read every three years. We celebrated important events in Church history. The Church ends each year in Ordinary time; giving us the opportunity to grow as we contemplated the teachings of Jesus anew.

The last Sunday of the liturgical year is the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. To “ring-out” the end of the liturgical year the Solemnity will mark the culmination of our spiritual growth and understanding for the ending year. Do not wait until the end of the calendar year to review your spiritual life. Review and resolve to make the changes that will bring you closer to God. Let us “ring-in” the new year proclaiming that Christ is our King.

Our call to Stewardship (Homily-32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time)

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishop's website under Stewardship states:

“As Christian stewards, we receive God's gifts gratefully, cultivate them responsibly, share them lovingly in justice with others, and return them with increase to the Lord.”

The Bible tells us that we all have received gifts from God to use for the good of others. In 1st Peter we read:

 “As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”

We all are called to use the gifts God has given us and thus glorify God by the proper use of them. The first examples of using gifts received from God are those given to the Church by Jesus. The most obvious gifts used by the Church are the sacraments. The Church celebrates Mass every day of the week, allowing all Catholics the daily opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist. The Church makes sure our children are prepared for the reception of First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Couples learn about love, grace and commitment when the church prepares them for the sacrament of marriage. Adult faith formation is offered to help adults continue their spiritual growth. The Church is investing its time, talent and treasures in its people.

Parishes also have members who themselves who give time, talent and treasure to the Church. These volunteers help and support the many ministries of a church. Volunteers will share their gift of song by being part of the choir. The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults will have volunteers that teach those catechumens and candidates who desire to join our faith. Churches will have volunteers that form a hospitality ministry so all visitors will feel welcomed.  CCD programs will have adults who volunteer their time in both preparation and teaching of your children as they continue to grow in their faith.

Many church volunteers are in the role of teacher or as they are called by the Church, catechist. A catechist is a person that passes on our faith.  The National Directory for Catechist says the call of a catechist is a vocation, an interior call, the voice of the Holy Spirit. The Church defines vocation as God’s invitation to love and serve him. By our creation we all are called to love and serve God. That love and service comes through the vocation God has given us.

Never to Late to Pray or to Post

I logged in to update my blog and was surprised to see how long it has been since my last post.  I know there is a cliché that goes Time flies when you're having fun but I wonder if there is one for when time flies because you are busy?  Maybe there is one but who has the time to search for it.  Sadly, there have been things I have written for the Cathedral that could have been posted.  Since I did not post them timely they are now dated and cannot be used.  I will try to start adding weekly updates even if the post are more personal in thought and nature.

Thinking about being busy has also made me reexamine my prayer life.  I will admit that some days I do not pray the evening prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours.  I never have trouble praying the morning prayers, it is always the evening prayers.  This tells me that I am not putting the proper emphasis on these prayers.   I should never be too busy to take a few minutes to recite my prayers. Praying the morning and evening prayers is part of my Diaconate and is something I should do every day.

Maybe now is a good time for all to examine their prayer life.  The new liturgical year will be starting soon and the Advent Season will be upon us.  A season of preparation for not only the birth of Christ but his second coming. Review your prayer life.  Make the proper changes now that will enhance your readiness for the coming of Christ.