The Liturgical Calendar

One of the goals of St. Matthew Biblical ACTs is to help parishioners live out the liturgical life. In order for that to happen we need to know what the Liturgical Calendar is!

The Liturgical Calendar begins not on January 1^st, but on the First Sunday of Advent (December 1, 2019), and the last Sunday of the year ends on the Solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe (November 22, 2020). Much like how the calendar used by the secular world has seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter) so too does the Liturgical Calendar. The year begins with Advent, followed by Christmas, Ordinary Time, Lent, Triduum, Easter, and Ordinary Time.

Advent: we hear prophecies of Christ’s coming and await his birth

Christmas: we rejoice at his birth

Ordinary Time: we hear of his baptism followed by his public ministry

Lent: we reflect on his trials and sufferings

Triduum: we experience his Passion (Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday)

Easter: we celebrate his Resurrection and Ascension into heaven

Ordinary Time: we hear his teachings from the Gospels and see the growth of his holy Catholic Church which culminates with the apocalyptic vision of him enthroned in heaven as King

The entire liturgical season is structured around the life of Jesus. The Catechism of the Catholic Church 1194 says, “The Church, in the course of the year unfolds the whole mystery of Christ from his Incarnation and Nativity through his Ascension, to Pentecost and the expectation of the blessed hope of the coming of the Lord.”

Every week throughout the liturgical year there are feast days on which we honor the saints of the Church who have gone before us and are now in heaven. Saints with whom we most readily identify with can be taken as patrons to assist us on our journey. We can look at their lives as a road map to sanctification and deeper friendship with Christ. The Holy Days of Obligation throughout the liturgical year are further reminders of important theological and spiritual truths, which we celebrate through Mass attendance.

Here are a few ways to incorporate the Liturgical calendar into our daily lives:

• Subscribe to Bishop Barron’s short daily Gospel reflections (sent via email)
• Celebrate one saint feast day each month (learn about them and enjoy special food)
• Attend Mass one extra time during the week (here or wherever it best fits your schedule)
• Read St. Matthew’s Biblical ACTs as we journey throughout the liturgical year

The Liturgical Calendar is omnipresent in Catholic life, that is to say, it is everywhere, but not always noticed. If we allow it, the Liturgical Calendar will shape us to the point where we will find ourselves automatically applying Christ’s story to our own and acting accordingly. 

Bishop Barron’s daily Gospel reflections: https://dailycatholicgospel.com/sign-up-daily-gospel

Saint of the Day: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/source/saint-of-the-day

St. Matthew Biblical ACTs: https://www.stmatthew.net/acts-reflections

Daily Mass times: https://masstimes.org/