The Liturgical Calendar starts anew each November on the first Sunday of Advent. It incorporates the seasons of the life of Christ and the Church. We are taught, “Holy Church celebrates the saving work of Christ on prescribed days in the course of the year with sacred remembrance. Each week, on the day called the Lord’s Day, she commemorates the Resurrection of the Lord, which she also celebrates once a year in the great Paschal Solemnity, together with his blessed Passion.” ~ Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Moving through the Liturgical Year, we encounter the entire mystery of Christ and observe the feast days of the Saints. Our observances include the Sacred Liturgy, vestment colors, hymns, customs of local Churches, and celebrations. Unlike the marking of secular time, the Liturgical Year marks the sacred mysteries of the life of Jesus.
“The year is transfigured by the liturgy. It really is a ‘year of the Lord’s favor.’ The economy of salvation is at work within the framework of time, but since its fulfillment in the Passover of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the culmination of history is anticipated as a foretaste and the kingdom of God enters into our time.” ~ The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1168
Celebration of the Liturgical Year is not just reserved for a church. Our homes are a domestic church, and we should incorporate the celebration of the Liturgical Year into the rhythm of our family life.