"You can probably get to heaven without knowing all the ins and outs of the Church's liturgical year. But Sunday Eucharist will be more meaningful and fruitful for you if you have some understanding of the purpose and structure of the liturgical year."
-- Fr. Thomas Richstatter, O.F.M.
(Catholic Update,
December 2010)
In this presentation, Father Matera takes us through the liturgical year,
why there IS a liturgical year
and what it means for our lives.
The Church's Liturgical Year
A Time Of Grace
What Time Is It?
We live in an ocean of time and space
We need to structure time and space
Why A Liturgical Year
A way of remembering God's saving grace in the history of salvation
A way of participating in the saving mystery of our salvation
How Does The Church Structure The Liturgical Year
The Season Of Advent: A Time of Hope and Anticipation
Israel's hope for future deliverance: the Day of the Lord, the Messiah
Our hope for final salvation: Christ's return at the end of time
The nature of Christian hope: God's victory over sin and death
The Christmas Season: God Enters our World
The mystery of the Incarnation: the Word made flesh
The mystery of the Epiphany: God's glory revealed to the nations in the flesh
Ordinary Time: Celebrating the Presence of God's Grace in Everyday Life
Every Sunday is a celebration of Easter
A 3-year cycle of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke)
The Time of Lent: A Time To Return To The Lord
A time of baptismal preparation and renewal
A time of penance, reform and reconciliation with God and so with each other
The Sacred Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil
Easter: The Celebration of the Lord's Resurrection
A celebration of 50 days
Ascension
Pentecost, the 50th Day, the gift of the Spirit
Ordinary Time
Sunday: An ongoing celebration of Easter
Solemnities of the Lord: Corpus Christi, Sacred Heart, Transfiguration
Feasts of Mary and the Saints
Feast of Christ the King
The Church's Liturgical Year and our Spiritual Life
The Liturgical Year structures our time so that we can live in the world
The Liturgical Year is our participation in the Mystery of Salvation
The Liturgical Year guides our spiritual life
Advent Hope, Christmas Joy, Lenten Renewal
Resurrection Life, the extraordinary grace of ordinary time