Christian Liturgical Year Calendar

By Henry Nawl Thang Bik

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Speaking about liturgy, worship, and Christian year calendar are a daunting task because they are the very foundation, centre pillars of and interwoven together with the doctrine of the church or the community. They seem to be simple but very complicated. However, I would like to touch a few of them, this morning as I am going to speak on the title, “Christian Liturgical Year Calendar” and if there is any positive point that will make us to value them, I am happy.

The meaning of worship: -The term worship is defined in many different ways. The Hebrew word ‘Sacha’ is translated in Septuagint as proskoneo (proskuneo/w). The word proskoneo/w is where the english word prostrate is born. Dictionary meaning of prostrate is ‘to bow down or facedown’ or ‘to throw oneself down in submission.’ But the Hebrew word sacha and proskoneo in Greek refer, ‘to kiss or to kiss the ground.’ Thus the meaning of worship is ‘to prostrate in front of someone in reverence and kissing his feet or the ground.’ As William Temple (Arch Bishop of Canterbury 1942-44) also affirms, “Worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of the conscience by his holiness; the nourishment of mind with his truth; the purifying of imagination by his beauty; the opening of the heart to his love; the surrender of will to his purpose—all this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable.”[1]

What is liturgy? Simply speaking, liturgy is ‘order of worship.’ It denotes an act of worship. Someone says,’ worship is ‘worth-ship,’ i.e. giving God his worth and God is really worthy of our total self-offering.[2] Christians are formed by what we say and do in the liturgy. The way we conceive God, the way we understand the nature of Christian community and the manner in which we engage in the world are all shaped by our common liturgical life. George Mathew K. affirms, “The word liturgy is derived from Greek word leitourgia, which originated from two separate words Leitos=laity (from Laos=people) and Ergos (work). It was used in Greek as an act of public service or work. Liturgy emerged as a secular term, any service rendered to the King of a country is known as a liturgy. Later on, the meaning shifted to the Service of God.”[3] Bible and liturgy are intrinsically related to each other. It is impossible for us to look into the Bible without the liturgy and the liturgy by ignoring the Scripture. The Bible itself was actually originated from a liturgy or creedal statement of the people of God. Therefore, we have to look for the influence of the Jewish prayers and liturgy on the formation of the Christian liturgy. As Lucian Deiss rightly states, “Jewish Liturgy was the womb from which the Christian Liturgy was born.”[4]

 Christian Calendar

In the days before Christ, in the Old Testament, the Hebrew people had a church year, which came from God (Lev. 23). In addition to regular Sabbaths, they had at least sixteen special days, including two whole weeks set apart for rest, for worship and for social enjoyment, as well as a special Day of Atonement for contrition, fasting and prayer. Today also with our diversity of conditions, the leader of the local church ought to plan for the year’s activities so that throughout the year, the social interests and activities will all center on the church. And each occasion and activity has appropriate message to be delivered. Therefore, a minister must know how to dignify a special occasion with a relevant message worthy of his high calling, because it brings glory to God and uplift to His children.

The year calendar, of course, starts on the first day of January but the ecclesiastical year, which has won favor with practically the whole Christian world, begins with the first Advent Sunday. It was, perhaps, started in the fifth century; increasing hosts of believers have looked on these days as the commencement of a season for thinking a new about the spiritual values of the Christian faith and life.

A) Sunday in Advent Christmas: -It has the spiritual meaning. Since it has meaning, it also enables the Christian to know the Christmas gospel more because this advent Sunday turns our eager eyes toward Christmas, it also lead the Christians to love the Old Testament and turns our eyes to toward the Judgment day also.[5] As Adrian Nocent rightly affirms, “….Advent is not simply a time of preparation for Christmas, because the church can never celebrate a liturgy without emphasizing the eschatological dimension of her hope,”[6] he adds, “Therefore, there must be a cycle of reading for these four Sundays—the first two Sundays reading must focus on the second coming of Christ, the third Sunday must be on the warning of John the Baptist: prepare the way of the Lord and the fourth; the messianic age is here, rejoice!”[7] Related to this, Thomas J. Talley claims, “The Advent has twofold since the Greek theologians used the same term (Parousia).”[8] Most of the Christians today may think that the Advent is for preparation and decoration of the church but it is different from some authors like H. Boone Porter, as he states, “During Advent it is not necessary to have any flower on the altar…because the advent is more than decoration” [9]and as Thomas J. Talley affirms, “The season, known as Advent, developed themes associated both with the advent of Christ at his nativity and the Second Advent at the end of this world’s history,…”[10] Thus, Advent not only prepares us for Christmas but also prepares us for the final end of human history and for death.

B)  Christmas Sunday: -Generally speaking, Christmas is the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

1)    The Origin of Christmas: -According to John F. Balsdovin, “There is no certain knowledge of the origin of the Christmas feast. It may have been celebrated as early as the beginning of the fourth century in North Africa, but certainly it was observed at Rome by the middle of the same century,” he added, “There are two theories for the occurrence of the feast on 25 December;…Christmas originated in opposition to or competition with the Roman feast of the Invincible Sun that had been celebrated on the old date of the winter solstice. Another argues that the birth of Christ was calculated on the basic of the idea that the conception of Christ coincided with his death, which supposedly occurred on 25 March.”[11]By the end of the fourth century the observance on 25^th December of the feast of Christ’s nativity had spread throughout most of the Christian world. Sue Samuelson claimed, “At Antioch, Chrysostom regarded (December 25^th) as the actual date of Christ’s birth. In the mid-fifth century the Jerusalem church, too, accepted the 25^th December as the feast of the nativity of Jesus.”[12] From generation to generation, the oral traditional practice of 25^th December as the feast of the birth of Christ has been passed down through centuries.

2)   The Meaning of Christmas: -The name, Christmas in English according to John F. Balsdovin is, “Christ’s Mass” in its original. It simply means, “The Mass celebrating the feast of Christ’s nativity.”[13] Names for Christmas in Romance languages are derived from the Latin nativities. The French ‘Noel,’ comes from either Nativitas or Nowell, meaning “News.” Originally this name did not have Christian connotations but derived either form the Germanic Jol (turning wheel), with reference to the gain of sunlight after the winter solstice, or from the Anglo-Saxon Geol (feast). The name of this pre-Christian winter feast of the Christmas eventually applied to the whole of the Christmas season.

3)   The Importance of Christmas: -Christmas may not have the same importance in every one’s eyes. For example, St. Augustine saw in this feast a simple “Memorial,” and for him, “the Christmas was only a recalling the past event.”[14] And St. Leo understanding of the Christmas celebration is quite different from St. Augustine. For St. Leo, “It is a ‘Sacrament’ and ‘possesses an actuality’ of the presence of the incarnated Jesus Christ.”[15] Dale Evans Rogers states, “We are too worldly wise about Christmas, therefore we have lost its deeper meaning and joy—Christmas for me is, she says, “Jesus Himself,” and she continues, “It is not a moment in time nor yet a date on the calendar but ‘a state of heart,’ which is in the heart of God since timeless and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting,”[16] as Tom also rightly affirms, “To me, Christmas is everyday, for Christ was with me everyday. It is not just a date on our calendar; it is a state of heart.”[17] Today, Christmas has a great impact in the Christian lives and it is one of the most important days in the Christian calendar as Eugene L. Stowe once states, “……the first important in Christian calendar, of course, is Christmas—the birth day of Jesus Christ.”[18]

C) Epiphany Sunday: -John R.W. Stott says that the feast of the Epiphany is observed rather in the Episcopal than in other churches.[19] And the word Epiphany is derived from Greek “Epiphanies,” meaning “an appearance, or a becoming invisible.” It describes the coming into view of something or some person formerly hidden. In the Greek New Testament, the term epiphany appears eleven times. And the Epiphany is also called as, “Twelfth Night,” according to H. Boone Porter, “It falls on January 6^th each year.”[20] H. Boone States, Episcopalians have been generally been instructed that Christmas commemorates our Lord’s birth and the visit of the shepherds, where as Epiphany commemorates the visit of the Magi or Wise men,” he adds that in ancient Christian tradition, January 6^th had “three Epiphanies associated with it. First is the visit of the wise men. Second is our Lord’s baptism in the Jordan and third is the first miracle at the wedding feast at Cana.”[21]

D) Lent Sunday: - Each year the holy season of Lent comes to us with its call to prayer, almsgiving and fasting. H. Boone Porter affirms that, “Lent is so distinctive, and its massage is so important, and the Lenten liturgy had always been different.”[22] According to Andrew W. Blackwood, “Lent Sunday takes place between Epiphany and Palm/Passion Sunday before Easter Sunday.”[23] During Lent, G. Mueller Nelson states that the church suggests that we engage our death and that we go about it as a community or a family, “wearing sackcloth and ashes,” making ritual gesture to engage the painful dismemberments we must undergo in order to become whole.”[24] Thus, Lent season is important. Nowadays, we ought to see the urgency of prayer for ourselves, our communities, our churches, our nations, and our world.

E)  Palm/Passion Sunday: -Martin Theilen says that the Sunday before Easter is called ‘Palm Sunday’ in some traditions and ‘Passion Sunday’ in others,” and he adds that this Sunday before Easter can be a joyous celebration recalling Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem; or it can be a somber service, anticipating the cross to come.[25] As H.B. London, Jr., also claims, “The Passion Sunday remains me the God’s Son suffering the pain, the agony and the humiliation of a shameful execution.”[26] It is a reminder of the preparation for the Good Friday.

F)  Maundy Thursday: -Richard R. Caemmerer says, “On this Maundy Thursday, it is remembered the night on which Jesus set out to go to the cross on the first Friday,” and he continues, “On this Maundy Thursday, the Holy Communion is conducted.”[27]

G) Good Friday: -Generally speaking, Good Friday is a wrong way of calling, it has to be a Bad Friday as G. Mueller Nelson states, “It is the official Bad Day of the year, and the mood and the atmosphere is entirely different.”[28]Good Friday was one of those days—a black and gloomy day, Jesus was now hanging between two thieves. But the story doesn’t end with a black and gloomy day rather through the death of Jesus Christ, forgiveness was offered. The cross has power, though it was a curse and stumbling block for the Jews and the foolishness for the Greek, as Paul said. Yet the cross still remains a mystery and centre pillars of Christendom.  To the world, Good Friday was a black day of pain and agony, a day filled with injustice and bitterness, yet when we, Christians, look at Good Friday, we can see a light that brings a blessing—because Christ lives, we shall live forever.[29]

H) Easter Sunday: -The Easter Sunday can also be called as, “Resurrection Sunday,” as the D.M. Lloyd-Jones says, “The Resurrection does the Easter Sunday because of what it did to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.”[30] The resurrection is the great announcement of the momentous fact that Christ has finished the work He came to do. The Apostle Peter says that the resurrection leads to a ‘living hope” (I Pet. 1:4). And Jones states, “This is the message of the Easter”[31] and he adds, “The message of Easter is not merely survival, not simply that we shall go on living after we die but the Easter hope is something infinitely beyond that.”[32] If there is no resurrection, the Christianity, perhaps, has no meaning and hope for the future. The risen Christ makes sense the church and gives hope to everybody who believes. Therefore, Easter Sunday is one of the most important days in the Christian Liturgical Year Calendar.

I) Pentecost Sunday: - Eugene L. Stowe once states, “Pentecost is the last of the three greatest days on the Christian Calendar, the first, of course, is Christmas—the birth day of Jesus, second, Easter—the resurrection of Christ and third is Pentecost—the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.”[33] Pentecost is recorded in Acts 2. The first Pentecost was in Jerusalem for the Jewish holiday called Pentecost, also known as the feast of weeks. This was a thanking festival for the wheat harvest, in Ex 37: 22. The term “Pentecost” came from the fifty days period between two important O.T events (1) the ceremony of the barely sheaf (Lev 23:9-11) during the Passover and (2) the feast of weeks (Lev. 23: 15-21). Rather than relating Pentecost to the harvest, the Christian Calendar places Pentecost fifty days, or seven weeks, after Easter. Pentecost as a distinctive Christian holiday first appeared, according to Martin Thielen, in the third century, though mention of Paul’s observance of Pentecost is found in Acts. 20:16 in I Cor 16: 8.[34] Generally speaking, one can say that Pentecost day is the birthday of Christianity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it can be said that liturgical year calendar is essential and helpful element for sustaining the faith of the church. Liturgical year calendar is useful because it remains us the importance of each day—(e.g. Christmas, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and so on). It helps us how to make the massage relevant—(e.g. What message has to be shared on Advent Christmas, Christmas, Maundy Thursday,….etc). It also gives us excitement. The scripture influenced the meaningful and true worship of the church. At the same time, we cannot ignore the liturgical tradition of the church, where faith is nurtured, sustained and transmitted to generations. Therefore, Christian Liturgical Year Calendar plays a very significant and vital role for the maturity and mutual growth of the church. Moreover, Scripture and Liturgy are mutually complementary to proclaim our faith and to lead true Christian life.

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[1] http://www.rzim.org/a-slice-of-infinity/worship-on-empty/. This website is taken on 17^th Dec, 2013, Monday at 12: 10 am. With clear and magnificent definition on worship defined by William Temple (Arch Bishop of Canterbury) is quoted by well-known scholar and one of the best Christian apologists Dr. Ravi Zachariah, when he preaches on “Worship On Empty.”

[2] Raimundo Panicker, Worship and Secular Man (London: DLT, 1973), 45.

[3] George Mathew Kuttiyil, “Youth and Liturgical Worship,” Liturgy For Our Times (Tiruvalla: CSS, 2010), 62-63.

[4] Lucian Deiss, Spring Time of Liturgy (Hyderabad: OM, 1979), 3.

[5] W. E. Sangster, “First Sunday in Advent,” Special-Day Sermon for Evangelicals (ed.) by Andrew W. Blackwood (Great Neck, New York: Channel Press, 1961), 49-59.

[6] Adrian Nocent, “Structure and Themes of the Advent Liturgy,” The Liturgical Year (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1977), 95.

[7] Adrian Nocent, “Structure and Themes of the Advent Liturgy,” The Liturgical Year., 96-97.

[8] Thomas J. Talley, “Christianity Liturgical Year,” The Encyclopedia of Religion (ed.)by Mircea Eliade, Vol III, (New York: Collier Macmillan Publishers, 1987), 441. See also Donald J. Shelby, “Watching and Waiting Expectantly,” The Unsettling Season (Nashville: Upper Boom Books, 1989), 22.

[9] H. Boone Porter, “Preparing for Advent,” Keeping the Church Year (New York: The Seabury Press, 1977), 4.

[10] Thomas J. Talley, “Christianity Liturgical Year,” The Encyclopedia of Religion., 411.

[11] John F. Baldovin, “Christmas,” The Encyclopedia of Religion (ed.,) by Mircea Eliade., 460.

[12] Sue Samuelson, Christmas: An Annotated Bibliography of Analytical Scholarship (New York: Collier Macmillan Publishing Company, 1982), 57-60.

[13] J.F. Baldovin, “Christmas,” The Encyclopedia of Religion., 460.

[14] Adrian Nocent, “Structure and Themes of the Advent Liturgy,” The Liturgical Year., 65.

[15] Adrian Nocent., 65.

[16] Dale Evans Rogers, Christmas Is Always (Old Tappan: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1958), 9,10, 13, 69, 95.

[17] Dale Evans Rogers, Christmas Is Always., 27, 69.

[18] Eugene L. Stowe, “Pentecost,” Proclaiming Good News on Special Days (Compl.) by Harold Bonner (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1981), 66.

[19] John R.W.Stott, “Epiphany Sunday,” Special-Days Sermons for Evangelicals., 98.

[20] H. Boone Porter, “The Three Epiphanies,” Keeping the Church Year., 19.

[21] H. Boone Porter., 19

              [22] H. Boone Porter, “Lent: Expressing the Spirit of Lent,” Keeping the Church Year., 45.

[23] Andrew W. Blackwood, “Lent in Sunday,” Special-Days Sermons for Evangelicals., 106.

[24] Gertrud Mueller Nelson, “Canival and Lent,” To Dance With God (Mahwah: Paulish Press, 1986), 130.

[25] Martin Thiielen, “Palm/Passion Sunday,” Getting Ready for Special Sundays (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991), 12.

[26] H. B. London, Jr., “Holy Week,” Special-Days Sermons for Evangelicals (ed.) Andrew W. Blackwood., 29.

[27] Richard R. Caemmerer, “Maundy Thursday,” Special-Days Sermons for Evangelicals., 129; see also H. Boone Porter, “The Eve of Crucifixion,” Keeping the Church Year., 60-61.

[28] Gertrud Mueller Nelson, “Good Friday,” To Dance with God., 165.

[29] Harold Bonner, “Three Lights for a Darkness,” Proclaiming Good News On Special Days., 38-42.

[30] D.M. Lloyd-Jones, “Easter Sunday,” Special-Days Sermons for Evangelicals.,151.,

[31] D.M. Lloyd-Jones, “Easter Sunday,” Special-Days Sermons for Evangelicals., 159. See also Ranicro Cantalamessa, “Introduction,” Easter in the Early Church: An Anthology of Jewish and Early Christian Texts (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1993), 1-23.

[32] D.M. Lloyd-Jones, “Easter Sunday,” Special-Days Sermons for Evangelicals.,157. See also H. Boone Porter, “Preparing for Advent,” Keeping the Church Year (New York: The Seabury Press, 1977), 67-68, and see also George M. Gibson, “All Sunday in the Year,” The Story of the Christian Year (Nashville: Abingdon-chokeberry Press, 1974), 205. And also Frank Johnson Pippin, “Easter as Church Festival,” The Christmas Light and the Easter Hope (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1959), 43-48.

[33] Eugene L. Stowe, “Pentecost,” Proclaiming Good News on Special Days (Compl.) by Harold Bonner., 66.

[34] Martin Thielen, “Pentecost Sunday,” Getting Ready for Special Sundays., 31.