THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CHURCH YEAR

Next Sunday is THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT~ Seen by many as the beginning of the church's season of preparation for Christmas, it also marks the beginning of a new 'church year', a year which ended today with the Feast of the Reign of Christ, also known as the Feast of Christ the King.

Some might see this as a piece of religious trivia. I would like to suggest that it is much more than that!

When we celebrate a 'church year', also known as a 'liturgical year', what we are really doing is recognizing that the REAL TIME in which we live has been infused with God's actions among us, actions that have taken place in history yet which contain the power to live within us as we live out our lives.

Today's feast of the Reign of Christ serves as reminder that when all is said and done, Christ HAS reigned and DOES reign, that when the cycle of seasons are over, the victory is also won. ADVENT reminds us that, though we know this and though we know that Christ HAS come, we yearn for WHO He is in our daily lives. We yearn for the peace, joy, hope and love He has embodied.

The church year reminds us of an ongoing paradox......Though in reality Jesus does not really get born at Christmas because he has already been born and died..and MORE...in some other sense, He does! There is the potential for His birth in us. Though the objective facts have occurred, we live as subjects who experience birth, suffering, death and resurrection in the events of our lives, the events the church year expresses...

SO---HAPPY NEW CHURCH YEAR!!

Your thoughts?
PB