The Church's Year
The Church's year divides itself into two portions. The first portion, from
Advent to Whitsuntide, is devoted to the commemoration to the various scenes
in the mystery-drama of the life of the Christ, which in itself, as Origen pointed
out, is typical of the life of every Christian. The second portion, embracing all
the Sundays after Trinity, is left for the practice of the virtues inculcated in the
former.
It has been thought desirable to assign something in the nature of a leading
thought to Sundays in the latter portion not already marked out by the Church,
and to certain others in the earlier half of the year. These leading thoughts or
intents might have been wider in their range, had it not been for the difficulty of
gathering together suitable Epistles and Gospels.
A special day has been set apart as the Festival of the Baptism of our Lord,
and the date for the Transfiguration has been advanced, so as to make that
occurrence fit into the proper sequence of the Gospel narrative.
In addition to Whitsunday, six Sundays have been marked out for special
devotion to the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity; namely, the Sunday before
Advent, the three Sundays before Lent, and two others after Trinity. Besides
encouraging a devotion that is curiously neglected, this plan has the advantage
of introducing red as the color of some Sundays.
The number of Saint's Days to be observed in this Calendar is reduced to a
minimum. There is much to favour the contention that the whole system of such
commemorations is an anachronism, which might be allowed for the most part
to drop into abeyance without impairing the reality of our belief in the
Communion of Saints. The Roman Calendar is overladen with saints, of whom
few excite any real devotion at this distance of time, while others undoubtedly
are mythical or transformed pagan deities. One may well contrast with these
the many genuine saints -- men and women of today -- living in our midst. Our
clergy, however, are free to observe the various commemorations, if they prefer
to do so.
In regard to commemorations, we follow the ordinary custom of the Church.
When two festivals concur, we use the service of the more important of the two,
and in addition recite the Collect of the other in order that our people may not
overlook it.
-- The Liturgy
The Church's year divides itself into two portions. The first portion, from
Advent to Whitsuntide, is devoted to the commemoration to the various scenes
in the mystery-drama of the life of the Christ, which in itself, as Origen pointed
out, is typical of the life of every Christian. The second portion, embracing all
the Sundays after Trinity, is left for the practice of the virtues inculcated in the
former.
It has been thought desirable to assign something in the nature of a leading
thought to Sundays in the latter portion not already marked out by the Church,
and to certain others in the earlier half of the year. These leading thoughts or
intents might have been wider in their range, had it not been for the difficulty of
gathering together suitable Epistles and Gospels.
A special day has been set apart as the Festival of the Baptism of our Lord,
and the date for the Transfiguration has been advanced, so as to make that
occurrence fit into the proper sequence of the Gospel narrative.
In addition to Whitsunday, six Sundays have been marked out for special
devotion to the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity; namely, the Sunday before
Advent, the three Sundays before Lent, and two others after Trinity. Besides
encouraging a devotion that is curiously neglected, this plan has the advantage
of introducing red as the color of some Sundays.
The number of Saint's Days to be observed in this Calendar is reduced to a
minimum. There is much to favour the contention that the whole system of such
commemorations is an anachronism, which might be allowed for the most part
to drop into abeyance without impairing the reality of our belief in the
Communion of Saints. The Roman Calendar is overladen with saints, of whom
few excite any real devotion at this distance of time, while others undoubtedly
are mythical or transformed pagan deities. One may well contrast with these
the many genuine saints -- men and women of today -- living in our midst. Our
clergy, however, are free to observe the various commemorations, if they prefer
to do so.
In regard to commemorations, we follow the ordinary custom of the Church.
When two festivals concur, we use the service of the more important of the two,
and in addition recite the Collect of the other in order that our people may not
overlook it.
-- The Liturgy
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