The church calendar is divided into seven parts. Some of them are very short but others last quite a while. Interspersed with the times, there are also special days. Not all churches recognize those days, but many do and they can be helpful in understanding Christianity.
The church year doesn’t start in January. It starts at Advent, the four Sundays prior to Christmas. In that time, we try to prepare our hearts for the birth of Christ; an aspect of the Promise God gave to mankind.
Christmastide follows Advent. This usually lasts partway into January. Christmastide may feel like the most important season on the calendar, but it isn’t. I would call it the second most important season. After all, you can’t have Easter without Christmas.
Epiphany celebrates the Wise Men arriving to worship the infant Christ child. Tradition says there were three of them, but that is not mentioned in the Bible; only that wise men came. They brought gifts as offerings. These included gold, frankincense and myrrh. In this season, there is also the flight to Egypt and the slaughter of the innocents.
Lent is another preparation period. In it, we prepare our souls for the most important season in the calendar, Easter. Many choose to give up something for Lent as a means of showing their penitence and preparing themselves for the death and resurrection of Christ.
Easter is the holiest time of the year. Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, God can see us and we can communicate with Him. Christ’s blood covers our sins and we are once again acceptable to God.
After Easter comes Pentecost. This season celebrates the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. God promised us a Helper. This Helper can guide us in the right paths and offer us comfort in times of trouble. The Holy Spirit can also help us to help others by knowing what to say or do.
The longest part of the calendar is “ordinary time.” Some may equate that with boring, but don’t. A lot of things happen in ordinary time, too. As an example, the last Sunday in ordinary time is called Christ the King Sunday. It’s fitting, as it is the Sunday before Advent.
Reformation Sunday also happens in ordinary time. This is not a time practiced by all denominations of the Christian faith, but most protestant churches do so. This is the celebration of returning to the Bible and the knowledge that Christ’s death has made us loved and forgiven. In the Lutheran Church, the sermon usually focuses on Martin Luther and the ninety-nine tenets. He was not a popular fellow after he posted that on the church door.
Understanding the Christian calendar can help you in your faith walk. It helps you know why certain things are done or messages preached. It can even suggest which areas of the Bible might be best for your daily reading of God’s word.