Christianity isn’t just lived—it’s celebrated.
Our faith is not only about what we believe but how we worship. The Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, orders our worship through a sacred rhythm called the liturgical calendar—a yearly cycle of seasons, feasts, and solemnities that unfold the story of our salvation.
The Work of God in Time
“Liturgy” means the work of God. It is how the Church praises and glorifies Him each day through the Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours, and the celebration of the mysteries of Christ’s life.
To help the faithful participate in this divine rhythm, the Church sets her own calendar. And this calendar doesn’t begin on January 1st—it begins on the first Sunday of Advent.
This marks the start of a new liturgical year, a new opportunity to enter more deeply into the life of Christ. It reminds us that everything—our beginnings and endings—centers on Him.
As Jesus says in Revelation 22:13:
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
The Rhythm of Heaven and Earth
Just as the earth revolves around the sun, the Church revolves around the Son of God. The liturgical calendar unites heaven and earth, setting the entire Church—across every nation and time zone—on the same page of prayer.
Throughout the year, the Church celebrates the mysteries of Christ in five main seasons:
Advent – a time of preparation and hopeful waiting for the birth of Christ.
Christmas – rejoicing in the mystery of the Incarnation.
Lent – a season of repentance and conversion before Easter.
Easter – celebrating the Resurrection of the Lord.
Ordinary Time – growing in faith during the “green” seasons of grace.
The liturgical year concludes with the feast of Christ the King, the Sunday before Advent begins again—fittingly showing that all things begin and end in Christ.
Living by the Church’s Time
The liturgical calendar isn’t meant for the Church alone—it’s meant for every believer. It sanctifies time and teaches us how to live for God in every moment.
When we align our hearts to the rhythm of the Church, we live in harmony with heaven itself. Our days, our prayers, and our celebrations all point toward our final goal: eternal life with God.
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