Notes on the Liturgical Year

Notes from presentation on The Liturgical Year

Spiritual Academy Burlingame, CA

Note: most of these notes come from documents created for The Worship Design Studio, an online subscription service to help guide you in worship planning through the liturgical year.

For more information, please visit www.marciamcfee.com/studio.htm

Why consider the liturgical year?

From the beginning, humans have been finding ways to ritualize human longing. Early peoples: rituals regarding seasons, food, survival, coming of age, procreation Later Hebrews: rituals regarding meaning, commemorate “happenings” (encounter with God), community, promise, covenant Later Christians: rituals regarding history, memory, story, identity, discipleship

Still, we look for ways to ritualize human longing… and the liturgical year becomes an organization of the story of faith and its messages as it intersects with human longing

Advent/Christmas: yearning for the presence of the mysterious; something “beyond,” something more; something planted and born within us

Epiphany: yearning for illumination, knowing, discovery, relationship

Lent: yearning to be fully known, accepted, transparency

Holy Week: yearning for comfort in suffering, making sense of pain of life; crying “justice!” in the midst of injustice

Easter Day: yearning for purpose, renewal, new life in the midst of death, starting again

Easter Season: yearning for joy, the “joie de vivre,” for celebration

Pentecost: yearning for a sense of empowerment, filled and fulfilled, finding a common purpose

Ordinary Time: yearning for something extraordinary along life’s journey

ADVENT/CHRISTMAS HISTORICAL POINTS OF INTEREST

Traditional/historical images: wreath, candles, tree, root, plumb line

Historical note: Epiphany is older than the practice of commemorating Christmas and the Advent season probably grew out of the practice of a 40 day season of preparation for Epiphany. Rome eventually adopted the four-week Advent before Christmas

Begins as prep for baptisms on Epiphany in Spain, Gual and Northern Italy

Ascetic practice - time of discipline, spiritual practices, preparation

Rome creates commemorative day of Christmas first and sets a 4-week “Advent” before December 25

Advent = adventus = “coming of Christ” - past historical, present commemorative, future eschatological (depending on the focus of your tradition, you will accentuate one of these over others… or a look at all three could be instructive)

• computation of Christmas date: even though there is a popular notion that Christmas was dated to usurp the pagan solstice celebration, there is further evidence of another kind of computation based on the ancient belief that the date of death is also date of conception: early date of Pascha was March 25 if conception was March 25th, then 9 months later is December 25

Quote to ponder:

“The production of Christmas directly contradicts probably the one single relatively uncontaminated value inherent in the deep core of the [season]: that of the grateful and humble reception of a gratuitous gift. A better pastoral approach would be to present as normative, and truly to live out in a personal witness, the virtue of receptivity: letting Christmas be a gift, on its own terms, out of our own power, reminding us of the futility of our often obsessively intense efforts to control not only our own live, but too often to control other people, places and things… The incarnation of God opens up a space within which, because humans cannot achieve the production of God on demand, God can move. God took the initiative on Christmas without obtaining human permission to do so. This, in fact, amounts to grace.”

- Susan K. Roll, “Embodied Wisdom: Christmas in a Contemporary Context” from The Origins of Christmas, Kampen, 1995, p 244.

• the meeting of the human and divine, incarnation of God in human history, continuing incarnation in our lives

• mystery, sacramentum

• entrance of light where there is no light

• gestation, anticipation

• deep place of receptivity in the human heart

• yearning for reconciliation, for presence

• tenuous human circumstances as seedbed for the holy

• narrative of hope

• promise of solidarity with humanity - Emmanuel, “God with us”

• expectancy of justice and peace

• “thy kin-dom come, thy will be done”

• eschatological element, moving toward God’s “reign”

• call to the prophetic

• intimacy, tenderness, profound, mutual love

• what others?

EPIPHANY “PLUS” HISTORICAL POINTS OF INTEREST

Greek meaning “to manifest” or “to show”

Epiphany emphasis predates Christmas commemoration

Originally a unitive celebration of birth and the celebration of the beginning of Jesus’ work - manifesting the holy in the world birth, magi visit, Jesus’ baptism, changing water into wine at Cana time for baptism - 40 day preparation appears octave post-Epiphany celebration appears mid 4th c. Rome split into two dates: December 25 commemoration of the birth and January 6 as Epiphany (baptism of the Lord)

In many western countries Epiphany continues to be important with particular emphasis on the Visit of the Magi (often called The Day of the Kings) and “King cakes” are baked (with little prizes inside) and children leave shoes at the door for the kings to leave gifts for them

For Orthodox Christians (Eastern tradition) Epiphany is especially important and emphasizes the baptism of Jesus as the manifestation of God in Christ (often called “Theophany”). This is a day when Orthodox priests have a blessing of the water (both inside the church and outside at a body of water).

Quote to ponder:

“… what common thread is there between Christmas Day, the Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord? Summed up in one word: identification. The coming of the Magi and the baptism of Jesus help us to identify who it is that is born in Bethlehem and thus enable us to get past ‘the cute baby’ approach that so vitiates the deep meaning of the incarnation and prevents us from appreciating the great exchange of divinity and humanity.”

- Laurence Hull Stookey From Calendar: Christ’s Time for the Church, 112

• manifestation of God’s presence in Christ

• revealing for the world to see, mysterion, sacramentum

• recognition

• adoration

• gifts, gifting

• led, guided by light

• sojourn, finding, searching, discovering

• royalty, power in the powerless, juxtaposition

• baptism, renewal, changed, washed

• blessing of water, water of life, water as life

• “you are my beloved”

• Holy Spirit, dove, voice, message, listening

• wilderness, trek, sojourn

• temptation of Christ, where is/who has the power?

• water to wine, transformation

• encouragement of Mary to son, encouragement to share our own gifts

• all filled, fulfilled, fulfilling

• others?

LENT HISTORICAL POINTS OF INTEREST

• the Lent season as we know it originated as a time of preparation of catechumens for baptism at Pascha (Easter). The first mention of “Lent” as 40 days before Easter comes in the records from the Council of Nicea in 325 CE

• the 40-day Lent has multiple possible origins: • a post-Epiphany fast of 40 days in Alexandria, focusing on Jesus’ 40 days post- baptismal fast in the wilderness and as a time of preparation for baptism • an early two-day fast on Friday and Saturday before Easter extended to 6 days in Alexandria and Syria but now scholars relate this primarily to the development of Holy Week, not Lent • a three-week preparation of catechumens, including Holy Week, practiced in Rome and perhaps Jerusalem and elsewhere

• By the time of Augustine (late 4th c. - early 5th c), all Christians were encouraged to see Lent as a time of personal preparation for the Lord’s passion, involving fasting and penitence. According to a 5th c document, the 40 days of Lent became standard as a time of preparation for baptism, and for those who were undergoing public penance for reconciliation on or before Easter, and for the pre-paschal preparation of the whole community in general.

• In the late 5th c and afterward, when infant baptism replaced adult baptism (extinguishing the need for the catechumenate), Lent took on an extreme penitential focus (and has colored it in that way today)

• The beginning of Lent known as “Ash Wednesday” began as late as the 11th century, when the more penitential theme for Lent was the norm

• The Sundays in Lent are not counted as part of the “40 days” since Sunday is always a “Day of Resurrection” (a “little Easter”). The forty day computation begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes the day before Easter.

• Western sense of “penance” has to do with “making up” for one’s sins but in Eastern traditions, penance is more about healing what has been hurt (the journey to Easter is more about learning to “live the Easter life” - living as if death has no hold on us)

• “fasting” is about feeding our spiritual life, not being enslaved by other things

• various types of fasting in history: fast for purification; fast of solidarity of whole congregation; ascetical fast (penitential); fast to induce visions and engage in spiritual discourse; fast for agricultural supply reasons (economic need to conserve food at end of the season)

What would it be like to emphasize the more ancient baptismal, rather than penitential, themes during Lent?

Aspects to consider for the Lent “Seasonal Brainstorm”

• baptism, preparation, instruction, examination

• baptismal reaffirmation, preparation

• washed, new, start again

• claimed, named

• follower, path, journey

• conversion, growing, transformation

• process, possibilites

• growth together as community, reaffirmation of mission and direction

• repent, return, turn around

• getting right, honesty, integrity of life and faith

• deepen, experience, connection

• fasting, disciplines that refresh, sustain and focus

• slow down, contemplation, readying

• cocoon, gestation, warming, sprouting

• others?

HOLY WEEK HISTORICAL POINTS OF INTEREST

• the first yearly commemoration (first 3 centuries of the church) was a single unified celebration of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus called “Pascha” (“Passover”)

• for some time in the early church, the etymology of “pascha” was thought to be “to suffer” from the Greek verb pachein. From an early time, the church began to make associations with “Passover” themes from Jewish practice - equating Jesus’ death with the Passover lamb (heavy “sacrificial” theme). However, there were some ancient theologians (Clement and Origen from Alexandria) that took Philo’s interpretation of Pascha as diabasis, transitus or “passage” - connoting spiritual renewal. Rather than focus on its connection to Passover, putting Christ in the sacrificial role of the slaying of the lamb, this other interpretation pointed more toward the Exodus story from Egypt and the passage from slavery to freedom and passing with Christ from death to life.

• distinct commemorations of separate events of the Passion began in the 4th c as pilgrims flooded Jerusalem. You have to have something to do with all those devotees! Why not have worship at all the “sites” of that fateful week in Jerusalem?

• Egeria was a 4th c. pilgrim to Jerusalem’s Holy Week activities and she kept a journal which has proved very helpful in knowing what was going on liturgically in Jerusalem at that time: Palm/Passion Sunday as beginning of Holy Week (“Great Week”) - pilgrims process from the gates of Jerusalem Minor services on Mon, Tues, Wed (with the account of Judas’ betrayal on Wednesday… she says that all the people mourned with wailing and weeping in response to the reading) Maundy Thursday - vigil with hundreds of candles (“Maundy” comes from the Latin word meaning “command” - referring to Jesus’ words “do this…”) Good Friday - venerating the wood of the cross, mourning, lament, vigil Holy Saturday/Easter vigil - catechumens baptized

• The Easter “Triduum” is considered by many to be the three most holy days of the Christian year–from sundown on Maundy Thursday to sundown on Easter Day.

• immersion in the story - story “dwelling”

• steeped, focused

• justice, injustice

• “King” enters into Jerusalem on a donkey, “Master” washing feet - topsy-turvy kind of “power”

• risk, what does it mean to follow Jesus?

• marking the passages of time, events

• tension, uncertainty, disbelief (is this really happening?), fear

• extravagant love, grace, poured out (oil, water, wine)

• last things, last wishes “Do this”

• “when the going gets tough”

• ultimate love, willing to die for another, ultimate forgiveness “they know not…”

• mourning, grief, loss

• earth-shattering events

• light in darkness, the incessant nature of hope

• passing from death to life with Christ

• life, victory, “the rest of the story”

• resurrection, Jesus’, ours, our life together

• others?

© 2008 Marcia McFee, Ph.D. 9 www.marciamcfee.com A Brief Synopsis of the Rituals of Holy Week [Note: all of these documents are part of my “Worship Design Studio” online (www.marciamcfee.com/studio.htm) so there are some references to that in this synopsis]

Palm/Passion Sunday: This is a day of contrasts–of the triumphal entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem (albeit on a donkey!) but also the foreshadowing of what coming to Jerusalem means to Jesus. This is the political and religious center where the controversy Jesus is stirring will all come to a head. Many worshipers in our churches will not come to special Holy Week services throughout the week, so this Sunday has to hold some of the descent into lament before the glory of Easter Sunday. There are many ways to make this “turn,” including reading the whole passion narrative (quite lengthy). We talk on the PODcast about some ideas for making this progression through symbols and music. “Marcia’s Doorway” document, as well as the document called “A Trip with Egeria” gives suggestions about special worship opportunities for Sunday evening as well.

Monday - Wednesday: These are usually called “minor” days of Holy Week. Often there are no worship opportunities on these days but I’d like for you to consider offering short, meditative gatherings (perhaps in the style of Taizé–meditative chant-like music with short readings and silence) either at noon or in the evening. There could be an open invitation to other churches, creating a way for ecumenical partners to pray together. Perhaps cooperative service/mission opportunities could be offered, showing the real face of Christianity to the world. [See the song “Brother, Sister Let Me Serve You” in the Faith We Sing songbook]

Holy (or “Maundy”) Thursday: There are many things that can happen in the first worship service of the “Tridduum” (the three holiest days from Thursday night to Easter Sunday). Recalling the last night Jesus spent with his followers and modeling our worship on that encounter brings with it proclamation of the Word, footwashing and remembering Jesus’ words at the table in the midst of the usual Jewish prayers–“do this in remembrance of me.” We also remember what happened right after this… the trip to the garden for prayer, and Jesus’ arrest. The stripping of the church and “tenebrae” or (service of shadows) with things getting darker and more bare is also a possibility this night (although I prefer the distinguishing of light on Good Friday).

Good Friday: This night is full of drama. In my artistic career, I have done drama, dance, sung requiem’s, you-name-it. Artists can help us experience the depth of lament in ways that add immeasurably to words. Some of the most common rituals include, as I just mentioned, a “Tenebrae” service involving reading the passion narrative and distinguishing lights/candles until the church is in darkness. A journey to prayer stations, or “stations of the cross” can be made on this night, recalling the journey of Jesus to the cross and the events of his crucifixion. The cross as symbol may be central on this night, a reminder of the hard reality that this was an execution. A prayer vigil may begin this night, extending through Friday night and onward until the Easter

© 2008 Marcia McFee, Ph.D. 10 www.marciamcfee.com Vigil or sunrise service. I can still remember the vigil at the little church I grew up in–just a little side room with a candle and Bible and suggested prayers. It was an amazing feeling to be part of a group of individuals keeping the prayer going until the celebration of the resurrection.

Holy Saturday or The “Easter Vigil”: Many of our churches over history began doing sunrise services on Easter morning instead of the more ancient Easter Vigil late in the night on Saturday. This Easter Vigil originates with early Christian communities who believed the moment par excellence to baptize new members into the Body of Christ was the just before sunrise of Easter morning–the moment of dying and rising with Christ. And so the whole community would begin to hold a vigil on Holy Saturday, praying and singing and reading through the night and then finally holding communion at dawn when the newly baptized came back into the waiting community dressed in their new white clothes. There are four “movements” to this service: 1) the service of Light, often starting with a bonfire outside (the kindling of new fire drawing on an ancient Jewish practice) and a procession bringing light into the dark sanctuary; 2) the service of the Word where we proclaim the resurrection and the return of life and hope; 3) the service of the Water at which people are baptized or reaffirm their baptism; and 4) the service of the Bread and Cup where we embody the heavenly banquet, the image of a new heaven and a new earth where all have a place at the table.

Easter Day: Of course! Flowers, light, alleluia’s, etc! The name of the game here is celebration. We will talk even more about Easter Sunday on the Easter Season PODcast because in the liturgical year we get a whole “Great 50 Days” to celebrate … not just one day!

EASTER SEASON HISTORICAL POINTS OF INTEREST

Pentecost in Greek = “the 50th day”

“Great 50 Days” season of joy and peace at first far more important than Lent season focus on Alleluia’s no kneeling in prayer - standing as sign of resurrection no fasting continued celebration of resurrection of Christ in early church - second most important commemoration after Pascha

Pentecost at the same time as Jewish harvest festival (grain-offering, offering of “first-fruits”) 50 days after Passover

Originally a unitive commemoration of the Ascension of Jesus and the descending of the Holy Spirit on the “church”… two distinct celebrations by the end of the 4th c. (date of Ascension taken from 40 days that the resurrected Jesus instructs the disciples before Ascension [Acts 1:3])

Another favorite time for baptisms

Pentecost begins the “church history” commemoration phase rather than simply the historical Jesus

“Did you know” • an Italian tradition is to drop rose petals from the ceiling of the church to remember the tongues of fire • a French tradition is to blow trumpets recalling the wind of the Holy Spirit • in Poland and Ukraine, it is called “Green Sunday” symbolizing new life in the church. Greenery decorates the church and private homes

• rejoice! Thanksgiving!

• living as if death does not hold us - no fear

• season of joy, amazing, believe it!

• resurrection continues

• God’s creation, God’s new creation

• our lives in Christ as the Body of Christ, breath of Christ

• our lives filled with the Spirit

• expansive, freedom, beyond eternity, endless

• great “spiritual harvest” season

• gathering the scattered

• party, festive, celebration

• appearances, present in our midst

• baptism, confirmation, new members

• presence of Christ in community

• others?

SUNDAYS AFTER PENTECOST HISTORICAL POINTS OF INTEREST

• “Ordinary” comes from “ordinal” (“numbered”) Latin term Tempus per annum (literally "time through the year")

• Ordinary in its usage here does not denote a value (ordinary vs. extraordinary)

• the lectionary does not necessarily correlate between readings assigned to each Sunday as it does in other seasons so in using the lectionary for preaching, you will probably want to choose one reading to focus on. The readings from Sunday to Sunday are semicontinuous–lectio continua–moving through scriptural books in sequence. Sermon series focusing on various biblical authors is especially appropriate during this time.

• the emphasis is growing in faith and being steeped in the stories of God’s action in human events as well as emphasis on social justice

Special Sunday during this period (Summer): Trinity Sunday - the Sunday after Pentecost established about 1000 CE. It is the only ancient feast day based on a theological concept rather than an event.

A quote to ponder:

“Sunday worship, every Sunday, is a celebration of God’s story. And the constant bathing of our worship in this story–songs, preaching, baptism, Eucharist… form and shape our conscious and unconscious living in this theater of God’s glory!”

- Robert E. Webber, Ancient-Future Time: Forming Spirituality through the - Christian Year, Baker Books, 2004, p 171

• What about our community’s journey/context needs to be addressed?

• What authors/books in the Bible would speak a needed word to your congregation’s context?

• What popular imagery is capturing the imagination of this community? How can we re- contextualize it in a way that speaks to our spiritual journey?

• What other “starting points” could offer fruit for our spiritual journey during this period?

Hymns and songs