Liturgical year & Precepts of the church Open with prayer 5 min Talk about the seasons of the year. Spring is new growth, summer is full of life, Fall is a maturing - aging, and Winter is dying. All four seasons are important - give an example: A seed sprouts (spring) and grows into a beautiful flower (summer), as the flower ages it shows its seeds (fall), then the flower dies and the seeds are spread (winter) and new life will begin again. There is a rhythm to this cycle of life, that is why it is called the cycle or circle of LIFE. Each stage (or season) gives life to the next. This is the same for the church seasons, they are all important. There is a rhythm to the life of the church, and each “season” brings life to the next one. If you pay attention to the colors and the readings and the songs during Mass you will start to see the different liturgical seasons and their importance. 30 min Discuss the different seasons of the church year, and the colors. You can do this while they are working on the activity - Liturgical Calendar (see below). Or you can give the teaching and then have them do the activity. † Explain what the colors mean. (See attached sheet for Liturgical Colors) Teaching Advent - Violet We begin the Liturgical year with Advent; it is always the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Advent last 4 weeks and the color is violet because it is a time of prayer, penance, and preparation for the coming of our Lord. During Advent we should be preparing our hearts to receive the beautiful gift of out hope, light, and salvation through this tiny baby Jesus. The third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday, it is a time of rejoicing in the hope of the coming of our savior. That is why we have a Rose colored candle on the Advent wreath for the third week. Christmas – White/Gold After Advent we celebrate the season of Christmas, did you know that Christmas last for twelve days? Christmas doesn’t end on Dec 26th, Catholics celebrate the birth of Christ for a full twelve days. The Christmas season goes through Epiphany (celebrating the visit of the Magi to Jesus) and ends on the Baptism of Jesus. Ordinary Time – Green Ordinary time doesn’t mean “Boring” time – meaning nothing is going on. Ordinary time is like the season of summer, it is a time of life in the church. There are two periods of Ordinary time during the year, the time between Christmas and Lent is shorter than the time between Easter and Advent. Lent – Violet The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and last s for 40 days, (46 days minus the Sundays during Lent). Lent is a time of prayer, penance (repent), and sacrifice (almsgiving and personal sacrifice). Every Friday during Lent we are asked to abstain from meat, and on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday we are asked to abstain from meat along with fasting. Did you know that Catholics used to have to fast from Meat on every Friday during the year? That is because we remember the death of Christ on the cross, just like every Sunday is like a “mini” Easter. It was changed to only abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent, although we are still asked to “give up” something else on the other Fridays during the year. The reason for the change is because in the USA, meat is not considered a “luxury” as it was in antiquity (the time of the Bible). What could you give up every Friday? Holy Week – Red Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter. We celebrate the day that Jesus enters Jerusalem and the people greet Him with Palms in honor of Him. Then we celebrate the Triduum; which is Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil (Holy Saturday). Did you know that the only day in the whole world that Mass is not celebrated is on Good Friday? Catholics celebrate Mass everyday of the year except Good Friday, that is because on Good Friday we acknowledge when Christ dies on the cross and is placed in the tomb. At that time, God is not with us. It is red to signify the passion and death of our Lord. Easter – White or Gold Easter is the highest of all celebrations in the church, more than Christmas. The manger stands in the shadow of the cross. When Jesus rises from the dead the gates of Heaven were opened and death was concurred, and the promises for God were fulfilled. The Resurrection gives us all hope for eternal life. We celebrate the Easter season for 50 days!!! Pentecost – Red The Easter season ends on Pentecost, the day that the Holy Spirit descends onto the Apostles, it is referred to as the Birthday of the church. Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and three thousand people became Catholic at Pentecost. It is red to represent the fire of the Holy Spirit. Ordinary Time - Green We then finish out the rest of the year in ordinary time. Activity – Create a Liturgical Calendar Supplies needed: Cardboard rounds Liturgical calendar wheel Scissors glue crayons, markers, or colored pencils 15 min Precepts of the Catholic Church As Catholics we are expected to live a certain way, the way that God calls us to live. The church gives us guidelines of what those absolute minimum actions are. So we are going to go over the basic/minimum requirements to living a Catholic life. The Church gives these precepts to remind us that Christian life requires a commitment to prayer and active participation in the liturgy and sacraments. We shouldn’t just go through the motions. If you play a sport, and you only went through the motions (not giving it your all), do you think your coach will play you very often during games? Just like that, if we fall below this bare-minimum level, we can't really say that we are living a Catholic life, and so we are really not in full communion with the Catholic Church. ***Each of these precepts of the Catholic Church is a requirement. Together with the Ten Commandments, they represent the minimum level of moral living. Intentional violation of the precepts or the Commandments is a grave matter, meaning a mortal sin. The Precepts You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor. 1. An example of servile work would be work that you do other days during the week. We must "sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord" (Sunday), as well as the principal feast days, known as Catholic holy days of obligation. This requires attending Mass, "and by resting from those (unnecessary) works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days." 2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year. We must prepare for the Eucharist by means of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). This sacrament "continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness." 3. You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season. This "guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy." It is encouraged to receive Jesus in the Eucharist every Sunday as long as you are in a state of grace. (free from Mortal sin) 4. You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church. (More info below on fasting and abstinence if there are questions or you have time to go over it.) "The fourth precept ensures the times of sacrifice and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart." 5. You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church. "The fifth precept means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability." It is recommended to tithe 10% of your gross income. (These quotations are from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, in its section about the Precepts of the Catholic Church (#2041-3).) Note that these precepts of the Catholic Church are required, unless you have a legitimate reason for not meeting them. For example: If you are sick, or tending to a sick child on Sunday and cannot get to Mass, it is not a grave violation (mortal sin) to miss Mass that day. If you are camping in the wilderness on a Sunday and can not get to Mass, you can go to a priest and get a dispensation before hand to miss Mass and that will not be a mortal sin. Children, the elderly, and pregnant or nursing women do not have to fast on normal fast days (Ash Wednesday and Good Friday). Go beyond the minimum! Always remember: the precepts of the Catholic Church are minimum levels of participation in the life of the Church. Out of love for Christ and a desire to advance in the spiritual life, you will normally try to do far more than they require. Many people recommend that Catholics: Attend Mass at least one more time a week. (Most Church parishes celebrate Mass every day of the year!) Go to confession at least once a month, and find a regular confessor so he can give you better guidance. Find a good spiritual director to give you sound guidance for growing in the spiritual life.