Liturgical Year The End and the Beginning of the Church Year Interlocking Clasps in the Hidden Season by Wilhelm von Kaulbach by by Michael P. Foley Titus Destruction of Jerusalem by t may seem strange that in a calen- tial nature of liturgical development, of the Jews that is to take place at Idar with “only one” annual cycle the Time After Pentecost, and the the end of time, and even after its of readings, two of the Sundays season of Advent. And perhaps most readings were later modified to give share virtually the same Gospel. And interestingly, it reveals a hidden the Sunday its current configuration, it may seem stranger still that these season in the Church year. it continued to explore those themes two Sundays occur consecutively. indirectly.2 The Gospel for the Twenty-Fourth or Historical Background A few centuries ago, however, Last Sunday after Pentecost, taken An obvious place to begin is how the the Church added the Twenty-Fourth from Matthew 24:15-35, contains 1962 calendar took its present shape. Sunday after Pentecost, with its Gos- Christ’s twofold description of the Some time during the pontificate of pel reading of Matthew 24:15-35, destruction of the Temple and the Saint Gregory the Great (590-600), knowing full well that essentially the world. That same discourse reemerg- a devastating natural catastrophe same Gospel would be read the fol- es the following week on the First (possibly a hurricane) struck Rome lowing “Advent Sunday.” Instead of Sunday of Advent, in the slightly in late November. To console the ending on the “eternal Alliance” that abridged form in which it appears in people, the Pope read Luke 21:25- would at last be struck between Gen- the Gospel according to Saint Luke 33, which warns of natural portents tile and Jew, the Church year would (21:25-33). From the perspective and “the distress of nations,” and now conclude with “the prophetic of the worshipper, it makes little delivered a homily on it. The Pope’s description of the dread coming of difference that these Sundays are precedent was duly noted by later the Lord, which is to put an end to at opposite ends of the calendar, generations, who assumed (mis- time and to open eternity.”3 since the cyclical recurrence of the takenly, it is believed) that it was liturgical year ensures that they are his intention to make this Gospel a How to Interpret experienced back-to-back. permanent feature of Advent. Hence A cynic looking at these histori- Why then this redundancy, it was included in later liturgical cal data might conclude that the especially when there are fewer books.1 Tridentine calendar has both a false “slots” for Gospel readings in the During that same millennium, start and a false ending. But were traditional Missal? Shouldn’t one of the Twenty-Third Sunday after he to do so, he would be neglect- these “slots” have been put to better Pentecost served as the capstone ing two important considerations, use? The answer to these questions to the liturgical year. Originally, it one “aesthetic” or artistic and the teaches us much about the providen- dealt explicitly with the conversion other theological. Like the great 46 Fall 2013 The End and the Beginning of the Church Year: Interlocking Clasps in the Hidden Season Liturgical Year cathedrals of Europe, the traditional souls in Purgatory). Then, it moves recapitulate the thirty-three-year era Roman rite is a work of art; and to the Church Militant, especially of Jesus Christ’s earthly sojourn, the like any work of art, every element to my own dreadful ill-preparedness Time after Pentecost corresponds to must be understood in context, even for the Last Things. Finally, it the penultimate chapter of the story authorial “mistakes.” What may be conditions me in such a way that I of redemption, the chapter that is an accident, a later interpolation, or may, God willing, find just cause to currently being written. even a defect, can, with or without say gladly with the Apostle, Mara- Put differently, just as Pentecost the author’s intention, contribute to natha—Come, Lord! marks the birthday of the Church in a larger unified whole. Sometimes, To espy this season more clearly, the Holy Spirit, so too does the Time these “happy faults” can even be the let us first turn to the Time after Pen- after Pentecost mark the life of the best or most interesting part of the tecost. As both the Bible and Church Church moving through the vicissi- work. And if this is true on a purely Fathers attest, there are several dis- tudes of history under the protection human level (and as a Great Books tinct periods of and guidance of teacher I can assure you that it is), sacred history. that same Spirit. imagine how much more it is true The age before It is for this when the art in question involves the the Law was reason that the providential guidance of the Holy replaced by Epistle readings Spirit. the age under from this season Second, we must be careful not it; and that emphasize the to confuse historical development age, in turn, Apostles’ advice with theological meaning—an was closed to the burgeon- unfortunately common presumption during the ing churches of in a great deal of twentieth-century time that Jesus the day while its liturgical scholarship. The historical Christ walked Gospel read- reasons behind the use of incense upon the face ings focus on in Christian worship, for example, of the earth. the kingdom of may be quite different from its Likewise, the Heaven and its ongoing symbolic significance. As age of divine justice. It is also Saint Gregory the Great would put revelation Saint Phillip Neri at the Consecration by Joan Llimona the reason why it, the fact (factum) is one thing, the (which ended the correspond- mystery (mysterium) another; and at the death of Like the great cathedrals ing lessons from although every fact discloses a mys- the last Apostle) of Europe, the traditional the Breviary tery, the mystery cannot be reduced gave way to a Roman rite is a work of draw heavily to the fact. different era, the from the history era immediately art; and like any work of of the Israelites Time After Pentecost preceding the art, every element must be in the Old Testa- When we keep in mind these artistic Second Coming. ment. All are and theological hermeneutics, a It is that era understood in context, even somehow meant startling image emerges, like a which the Time authorial “mistakes.” to teach us how figure from the fog: a hidden liturgi- After Pentecost to comport our- cal season, if you will, that begins liturgically commemorates and that selves as citizens of the city of God around the Eighteenth Sunday after era in which we now find our- as we pass through the kingdoms of Pentecost, stretches over the Last selves. Despite the expanse of two this world. Sunday after Pentecost and Advent thousand years and the plethora of The Sanctoral Cycle that con- Sunday, and ends on Epiphany. This cultural and technological changes curs with the Time after Pentecost season, as we shall see, begins in that separate us from the Christians underscores this ecclesiastical focus. wonder at the eschatological glory who outlived the Beloved Disciple, Providentially, this is the part of and justice of God present in Him- we are still living in the same age as the year with the most saints’ days. self and in His members: the Church they, the last age of mankind. Just as Saints are an important component Triumphant (the Angels, the Saints, Advent symbolizes life before and in the Christian landscape, not only and the bodies of the Elect) as well under the Old Law while the Christ- because of their capacity to inter- as the Church Suffering (the poor mas, Lenten, and Easter seasons cede for us, but because they are Fall 2013 47 Liturgical Year The End and the Beginning of the Church Year: Interlocking Clasps in the Hidden Season living proof that a holy, Catholic life Parousia or coming of the Lord and hidden season, I have been rumi- is possible in every age. be ready for the end times. nating on “a magnificent vision of In fact, the feasts kept during the Consequently, beginning on the eternal glory and reward,” both in Time after Pentecost encompass eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Christ the King and in His members, virtually every aspect of Church the Sunday Mass Propers begin to the Church triumphant and suffer- life. If the saints in general remind take on an apocalyptic tone and ing.6 Even on the previous Sunday, us of the goal of holiness, certain theme. Verses from the prophets depending on the date of Easter, I saints, such as Saint John the Baptist become more common and refer- was happily contemplating how our (June 24 & August 29) and Saints ences to the final manifestation or Savior will “reform the body of our Peter and Paul (June 29), remind us visitation of Christ more insistent. lowness” to make it like “the body of the role that the hierarchy plays Again the Sanctoral Cycle col- of His glory” (Phil. 3:21).7 But with in leading the Church towards that laborates. In August, there are early the Gospel for the Last Sunday, goal. Likewise the feasts of the salvos across the bow with feasts I am now vividly struck by how Temporal Cycle, such as the Feast like the Transfiguration of our Lord Doomsday will affect me and other of the Holy Trinity, Corpus Christi, (August 6) and the Assumption of members of the Church militant.