theology
Advent Season
- “advinere” (to come to) and “adventus” (an arrival)
- preparation of Jesus on His first advent
- first season of the liturgical year
Liturgical Seasons
- advent ( 4 sundays )
- christmas ( 2 weeks )
- ordinary time ( 4 sundays )
- lent ( 40 days )
- easter ( 51 days )
- ordinary time ( 6 months )
Advent
- Sunday nearest to the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle ( Nov 30 )
- ends on Christmas eve ( Dec 24 )
Candles:
Week 1 : Hope ( purple )
Week 2 : Peace ( purple )
Week 3 : Joy ( pink )
Week 4 : Love ( purple )
First Sunday
- royalty, repentance, fasting
- Jesus is coming
Second Sunday
- Micah foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem
- preparation for the coming King
Third Sunday
- color rose signifies joy
- joyfulness and rejoicing
- Jesus came for unimportant people like them
- “gaudete sunday” meaning rejoicing
- nearest sunday
- middle of advent season
Fourth Sunday
- angels announced that Jesus came to bring peace
- culmination of love through the Messiah
Symbols in the Wreath
Evergreen - continuous life
Laurel - victory over prosecution
Pine and Holly - immortality
Cedar - strength and healing
The Circle - “no beginning or end”
LESSON 2
Christmas Season
- commemorate the birth of Jesus (dec 25)
- “Christ’s Mass”
- 3 separate masses are celebrated as part of the solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord
Three Masses
Midnight Mass
- marks the beginning of Christmas Day and commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ
Mass at Dawn
- symbolizes the anticipation of the new day and the light that Jesus brings into the world
Mass during the Day
- joyful celebratory mass that emphasizes the incarnation of Jesus as the light of the world
Christmas
- mystery of the incarnation
- time of joy, generosity, and goodwill
Traditions during Christmas Season
Decorating Nativity Scenes
- practice of arranging visual representation typically comprising figures of Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, angels, shepherd, and the Three Wise Men
- biblical account of Jesus Christ’s birth
Singing Christmas Carols
- custom of gathering to sing songs specifically associated with the holiday season
- fosters sense of Joy and Community
Attending Masses
- central tradition
- act of participating in religious services
Observing Feast Days
- practice of commemorating specific religious feast days that occur within the season
- enrich the spiritual journey and deepen their understanding
- + 8 days
Feast Days
Christmas (Dec. 25)
Feast of St. Stephen (Dec. 26)
Feast of St. John (Dec. 27)
Feast of the Holy Innocents (Dec. 28)
Feast of St. Thomas Becket (Dec. 29)
Feast of the Holy Family (Dec. 30)
Feast of St. Sylvester (Dec. 31)
Solemnity of Mary (Jan 1)
Acts of Charity and Giving
- intentional acts of kindness, generosity, and compassion undertaken by individuals
- motivated by the Spirit of Christmas
LESSON 3
Ordinary Time
- ordinary refers to the “ordinary numbers”, used to name and count the sundays
- from Latin “ordinalis”, meaning “numbered” or “ordered” and “tempus per annum” literally “time through the year”
Not so Ordinary
- we celebrate the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and what it means to be his disciple
Facts
- largest liturgical season, is the only season to span two separate intervals
- covers most of Jesus’ life as a human on Earth; covers his miracles teachings
2 Ordinary Time
1st
- Before - Advent
- After - Christmas
- End - Public Ministry
- Start - Healing Miracles
2nd
- Before - Lent
- After - Easter
- End - Public Ministry I Mission of the Church
- Start - Spread the Gospel / Words of God
Ordinary Time
- Season of Growth and Maturation
Liturgical Color
- green
- symbolizes growth, life, and hope
Visual Reminder
- green vestments worn by clergy, as well as green decorations in churches
Occurrence
- 4-8 weeks after Christmas Time. Ends on Ash Wednesday (marks the beginning of lenten)
- 6 months after Easter Time. Ends on First Sunday of Advent (marks the beginning of the new liturgical year and the advent season)
2 Widely Known Symbols
Chi Rho
- visual representation of his identity as the Messiah
- Greek letters “chi” (X) and “rho” (P) are the first twoo letters of the Greek word “Christos” meaning “Christ”
Two Fish and a Basket of Bread
- symbolizes one of Jesus’ miracles
- feeding of the 5000
- theme of faith and trust in God’s provision despite the apparent inadequacy of resources
7 Lessons from Pope Francis
Refocus
- think more broadly
- who are you to judge?
Simplify
- we need to live with others
- people are more important, and view material possessions as fleeting
Pray
- always pray for one another
Engage
- look at individual persons, one at a time, to enter into personal contact with whomever we have in front of us
Embrace
- true charity requires courage: overcome the fear of getting your hands dirty
Challenge
- love everyone
Rejoice
- find joy in being human and sharing real-life moments with others
LESSON 4
Lenten Season
- from the Latin term “Quadragesima” meaning the “forty days” or “fortieth day”
- time of reflection, penance, and preparation for the celebration of Easter
3 Pillars of Lenten Season
Prayer
- people deepen their connection with God through prayer
Fasting
- abstaining from certain foods or activities
Types of Fasting
Partial Fasting
- eating smaller or simpler meals
Abstaining from Meat
- no meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays during Lent
Almsgiving
- acts of charity and generosity
Duration of Lenten Season
- 40 days (not counting sundays)
- begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday
Start of Lenten Season (Ash Wednesday)
- receive ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross
- ashes are made from last year’s Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday
- Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem
- People wave palm branches to welcome Jesus, symbolizing his humility
The Triduum
- final three days of Holy Week
- Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday
Maundy Thursday
- “Maundy” originated from the Latin word “Mandatum” meaning “Commandment” referring to Jesus’ mandate to his disciples to “love one another as he loved them”
- Last Supper - Eucharist - Washing of Feet
- Betrayal of Judas
- Agony in the Garden (Garden of Gethsemani)
- Arrest
Good Friday
- “God’s Friday” signifying Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice for humanity’s salvation
- Arrest and Trial
- Passion of Christ
- Cruxification
- Death - 3:00pm
Holy Saturday / Black Saturday
- Jesus Christ’s body lay in the tomb after his crucifixion
- solemn reflection and anticipation
- Burying of Christ
- Jesus is Dead
LESSON 5
Easter Season
- the word “Easter” comes from Old English, meaning simply “the East”
- the sun which rises in the East, bringing light, warmth, and hope, is a symbol for the Christian of the rising Christ
When is Easter?
- First Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon
- In 2024, the first full Moon of spring is March 25 therefore Easter is the next sunday, March 31 2024
The Ascension
- Jesus ascended into heaven 40 days after his resurrection
- This event is mentioned in the Book of Acts, and is a major feast, known as the Feast of Ascension or Ascension Day
The Pentecost
- Christian festival that commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ
Liturgical Color of Easter
- white or gold
- symbolizes joy, purity, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ
Why Eggs?
- Eggs symbolizes new life, mirroring Jesus’ resurrection
in older traditions, eggs represented fertility and new beginnings