Most people living in the West, even non-Christians, can name quite a few Christian holidays—Christmas, Easter, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day, St. Valentine’s Day, and Thanksgiving Day to name a few. There’s a bigger picture, however, that’s often missed. The oft-neglected yearly cycle of Christian holidays can be a source of meaning, inspiration, encouragement, and spiritual growth.
The year is divided into a few seasons, each of which contain holidays celebrating events in Jesus’ time on Earth, and in the early church. The year is divided into six main seasons as follows:
Advent
The Liturgical Year begins with Advent, the season leading up to Christmas. It’s a time of remembering the anticipation of Israel waiting for her saviour, just as we now eagerly anticipate His return. It’s also a time of self-reflection and preparation for His coming. For this reason, it’s considered a season of fasting. It begins four Sundays before Christmas, the passage of which are often marked with an Advent wreath.
Christmastide
The Christmas season, defined Liturgically, includes the 12 days from December 25th (Christmas day) through January 5th. It is a celebration of the birth of Jesus. Hence the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas."
Ordinary Time (The Season after Epiphany)
This season is the first of two stretches of time during the Liturgical year which do not fall into one of the major seasons. It lasts from Epiphany to Ash Wednesday, and contains a number of minor holidays commemorating Jesus’ life and ministry.
Lent
Lent is the season leading up to Christ’s death. It is a season of preparation for Easter through fasting and repentance. It recalls the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness, tempted by Satan. Lent lasts from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday. The word "hallelujah" is often omitted or replaced in liturgical texts during Lent in order to sustain a reflective, repentant environment.
Eastertide
Easter, like Christmas, is both a day and a season. It celebrates the resurrection of Christ from the dead, and is also a time to look toward the coming resurrection of the dead. It lasts from Easter Sunday until Pentecost.
Ordinary Time (The Season after Pentecost)
The second ‘un-seasoned’ time in the calendar, this period lasts from Pentecost until the end of the of the church year—until Advent. This season is often seen as a time of anticipating the coming Kingdom of God.
By recalling the life of Christ throughout the year, the Christian is reminded of the essentials of the faith. A basic understanding of the liturgical cycle brings both structure and meaning to this reflection.
