Advent Season and the Liturgical Season

What “Advent” mean?

• Etymology

• When you start a new year, what are you anticipating?

• History

• Matthew 24:37-44

• CCC 524

Advent Marks the Catholic New Year

• When does Advent Begin?

• The new Liturgical Cycle

How to Celebrate Advent?• Now that we know what advent is,

how might one prepare for advent?

• Anticipatory Setting for Christmas– Jesse Tree– Advent Wreath

-Matthew 3:1-12 (Advent)

-Matthew 1:18-24(Advent)

The Liturgical Calendar

1. Advent2. Christmas3. Ordinary Time (not seasonal)4. Lent5. Triduum6. Easter7. Ordinary Time

We Catholics Begin to Celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December and the 4 Weeks that Follow, not Before.

Christmas season has 4 Major events:– The Nativity : Luke 2: 1-14

– The Feast of the Holy Family: Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

– The Epiphany of the Lord (Revelation) : Matthew 2:1-12

– The Baptism of the Lord: Matthew 3:13-17

What is a Liturgical Year?

C h ristm as b e gin s w ith C hri s tm as D a y, go e s thro u gh E p ip ha n y a nd co nc lu d es w it h th e B ap tism o f t he L o rd. A s a c e le br at ion o f t he in ca rn a te , th e C hri s tm a s se a son a lso h ig hl igh ts th e m a nife s ta ti on of C h ris t’s d iv in ity to th e w o rld.

L e n t is som e tim e s d es c r ib e d a s the “ C h urc h o n re tre a t.” I t i s as e as o n o f fa s tin g,p ra ye r an d a lm s g i v in g. L en tis a tim e t o re f le c to n h ow w e ll w e a re l iv i ng ou t ou r b ap tis m .

T h e T r id u u m , or P a sch a l T ridu u m ,b eg in s w ith th e M a ss o f th e L o rd ’s S u p p er o n H o ly T h u rsd ay an d co n c lu d es o n E as te r ev e n in g . M ean in g “ th ree d ay s” th e T rid u u m ce leb ra tes E as te r

E a ster is th e se aso n fo llo w in g E a s te r an d c o n c lu d in g o n P en te c o s t S u n d ay . D u rin g th is tim e , th e C h u rc h re f le c ts o n th e m y s te ry o f o u r red em p tio n th ro u g h th e su ffe r in g , d e a th an d re su rre c tio n o f Jesu s .

The Liturgical Year

Advent begins the liturgical year on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. A season of hope as well as penance, Advent features the writing of the Old Testament prophets in its Mass readings.

Ordinary Time is the only liturgical season that comes in two sections. The first begins with the Baptism of the Lord and goes until Ash Wednesday. The second follows Pentecost and concludes with the Feast of Christ the King.