Marking Time: Forming Spirituality through the Christian Year

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Mark i ng T ime : Formi ng Sp i r i tua l i t y through the Chr i s t i an Year

3. These Sundays tend to emphasize Jesus’ earthly life and ministry (in the first group of Ordinary Time), and his headship, harvest, and vigilance in light of Christ as our hope (in the larger group of Sundays in the second).

4. All Saints Day : A time to remember those heroes of the faith who have come before us (especially those who died for the Gospel). The living Christ is now seen in the world through the words and deeds of his people (John 14.12; Heb. 11; Rev. 17.6). 5. Feast of Christ the King : Last Sunday before Advent – (also called the Feast of Reign of Christ ), important segue into advent, instituted in 1925 to function in counter cultural way against the secularization of the modern world. The church is conscious that it must celebrate the saving work of the divine Bridegroom by devoutly recalling it on certain days through out the course of the year. Every week, on the day which the Church has called the Lord’s Day, it keeps the memory of the Lord’s resur rection, which it also celebrates once in the year, together with his blessed passion, in the most solemn festival of Easter. Within the cycle of a year, moreover, the Church unfolds the whole mystery of Christ, from his incarnation and birth until his ascension, the day of Pentecost, and the expectation of blessed hope and of the Lord’s return. Recalling thus the mysteries of redemption, the Church opens to the faithful the riches of the Lord’s powers and merits, so that these are in some way made present in every age in order that the faithful may lay hold on them and be filled with saving grace.

III. The Edification of the Church Year

~ Robert Webber. The Services of the Christian Year . Nashville: Star Song Pub. Group, 1994. p. 79.

A. It is based on Scripture: It grounds believers in biblical salvation history.