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Advent, Christmas and Epiphany

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Advent, Christmas and Epiphany Liturgical time-Advent, Christmas and Epiphany 2016-2017 “Year A” What is liturgical time? Holy (Sanctified) Time Where does the Modern Liturgical Calendar Come from? • Jewish tradition • Daily, Weekly, Seasonal Prayer • Observations ofChurch Feast and Calendar Fasts • Day from Sundown to Sundown • Roman tradition • Midnight to Midnight • Christian tradition • Focus on incarnation and resurrection Advent 4 Weeks Preceding Christmas Season of Waiting, Preparation, Anticipation May the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you and scatter the darkness from before your path; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen For What are You Waiting… Be prepared… Be mindful in your waiting… There are no specific numbers of days in Advent. There are 4 Sundays which are fully incorporated into the Season. The season is “back dated” based upon the celebration of Christmas. Advent Wreath Relatively new liturgical practice- Which started as a home devotional and was adopted into liturgical use in the mid-twentieth century. Purple or Blue Truth is – in the Book of Common Prayer there are no rubrics The Great Advent Debate which determine color. Tridentine pattern in 1570 Latin Rite in the 13th Century Council of Trent About Liturgical White – for all feasts except Remains the same as Latin Colors martyrs Rite but allows for Blue or Violet to be used instead of Red- for martyrs Black Black – for penitential days Green- for all other occasions Purple or Blue are both Liturgically appropriate Tradition says to use your best vestments and paraments for the Feasts of Incarnation and Resurrection (Christmas and Easter) Genesis 2: 4b-9, 15-25 Isaiah 7: 10-15 God creates man and woman to live in God promises that a child shall be conceived obedience to him in the Garden of Eden. who will be known as "God with us." Genesis 3: 1-22 or 3: 1-15 Micah 5: 2-4 Adam and Eve rebel against God and are cast The one who is to rule Israel will be born in out of the Garden of Eden. the village of Bethlehem. Isaiah 40: 1-11 Isaiah 11: 1-9 God comforts his people and calls on them to The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon the Holy prepare for redemption. One. Jeremiah 31: 31-34 Zephaniah 3: 14-18 Advent A new covenant is promised which will be The Lord will be among us; we are summoned written in our hearts. to rejoice and sing. Lessons and Isaiah 64: 1-9a Isaiah 65: 17-25 Carols God is called upon to act and to come among God promises a new heaven and a new earth. us. Luke 1: 5-25 Isaiah 6: 1-11 An angel announces to Zechariah that his God reveals his glory to the prophet and calls wife Elizabeth will bear a son. him to be his messenger. Luke 1: 26-38 or 1: 26-56 Isaiah 35: 1-10 The Angel Gabriel announces to the Virgin The prophet proclaims that God will come Mary that she will bear the Son of the Most and save us. High. Baruch 4: 36--5: 9 Do you see any themes in these The Scribe Baruch urges the people to look readings? East because salvation is at hand. Christmas The Feast of the Incarnation Celebrating the Word made Flesh Being present in our bodies… Being fully human… Check in with your physical being during the celebration of the Incarnation First Lesson from Genesis 3: 8–15; Fifth Lesson from the Gospel of 17–19 Luke 1: 26–35; 38 God tells sinful Adam that he has lost The angel Gabriel salutes the Blessed the life of Paradise and that his seed Virgin Mary. will bruise the serpent’s head. Sixth Lesson from Luke 2: 1; 3–7 Second Lesson from Genesis 22: St Luke tells of the birth of Jesus. 15–18 Christmas God promises to faithful Abraham Seventh Lesson from Luke 2: 8–16 that in his seed shall all the nations of The shepherds go to the manger. Lessons and the earth be blessed. Eighth Lesson from the Gospel of Third Lesson from Isaiah 9: 2; 6–7 Matthew 2: 1–12 Carols The prophet foretells the coming of The wise men are led by the star to the Saviour. Jesus. Fourth Lesson from Isaiah 11: 1–3a; Ninth Lesson from the Gospel of 4a; 6–9 John 1: 1–14 The peace that Christ will bring is St John unfolds the great mystery of foreshown. the Incarnation. Celebration of Christmas was not established until the late 4th Christmas is not Century Jesus’ Birthday Births were not celebrated in the ancient world Jesus’ birth was only considered important in hindsight Contrary to what you may have learned in Sunday School. The Humanity of Jesus became of equal importance to his death and resurrection between the 325 (The Council of Nicaea)and 381 (The Council of Constantinople) Incarnation Nativity The Feast of Christmas celebrates two God made Man in Christ Jesus born in a manger themes The Gospel of John The Gospel of Luke Roots of Christmas Celebrations Rome and Jerusalem In Rome In Jerursalem Blended Customs Three Services for the Feast The Feast of the Nativity was of the Incarnation actually observed at Epiphany Lead to our Daily Papal Mass- at 9 am (Missa in die) Consisted of two services on modern the eve in Bethlehem Sunrise service (Missa aurora) observance One Service in the Main Midnight mass (Missa Church in Jerusalem the nochte) following morning. O God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth The Episcopal of your only Son Jesus Christ: Grant that we, who joyfully receive him as our Redeemer, may with sure confidence Church has 3 behold him when he comes to be our Judge; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and versions of collects for ever. Amen. (Christmas Eve Early Service) Combines Advent and Christmas Themes and Eucharistic O God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light: Grant that we, who have known prayers for the mystery of that Light on earth, may also enjoy him perfectly in heaven; where with you and the Holy Spirit he Christmas lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen (Christmas Eve Late Service) This comes from the vigil mass at the basicilica of St Mary Major in Rome which highlight the themes of the season Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born [this day] of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen. (Christmas Day) This comes from the 1549 prayer book and is possibly part of the sun down service as described by Egeria in her 4th century pilgrimage to Jerusalem December 26, 27: The Feasts of Stephen and John predate the 12 Days of Celebration of the Feast of the Incarnation. December 28: The Feast of Holy Innocents is the only one related Christmas to the season of Christmas –(Matthew 2:13-18 Herod’s murder of Why does this include Feasts of St the innocent children in Jerusalem) Stephen, St John and the Holy Innocents? January 2 The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (Always the 8th day after Christmas) Epiphany A Feast and A Season Day of Epiphany is not the “Completion” A season of hopefulness and looking forward The Baptism of Jesus is always the 1st Sunday in Epiphany of Christmas Looking forward to the ministry of Jesus Season after Looking forward to our own ministry as baptized Christians Epiphany is “Ordinary Time” Epiphany Season Better to be called the season after Epiphany as our siblings in the ELCA call it Or Ordinary Time as Roman Catholics do The Ministry and Life of Jesus Themes of the Beginning with his baptism in the Jordan Looking forward to the miracles Readings for Looking forward to the healings the Season Looking forward to the cross After Epiphany Our Ministry and Life are likewise in the future What are we looking forward to? Time between January 6 and Ash Wednesday No set length of time for this season it is dependent on the date of Easter which is determined based upon the lunar calendar … more information about this when we talk about Lent and Easter. Trans- Despite the fact that the Last Sunday After Epiphany always figuration includes the readings which refer to the Transfiguration of Jesus- it Readings is not the Feast of the Transfiguration. The Feast of the Transfiguration is observed on August 6. Confusion .
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