Once upon a time, way back in November 2021, I introduced to you the above liturgical calendar with these words:
“Very early on in the life of the Church, Christians made their own calendar that helps us to this day have a different rhythm of life and reminds us of the Gospel” (Corey Widmer). The liturgical seasons invite us to “Live His Story” – to remember that the story of our lives is woven into the greater story of God’s re-union of all things in Jesus (Ephesians 1:3-10). All of history moves toward the answer to our Lord’s prayer: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Let’s pause for a moment, take a deep breath, and revisit the map of His Story. Our steps so far have been walking alongside Jesus on his messianic journey:
· Advent: The great anticipation of Jesus exiting heaven and entering Mary’s uterus, initiating God’s ultimate intervention in history to rescue us from the d
eath-dealing consequences of sin.
· Christmas: Jesus born as God-made-flesh, entering our world to experience the fullness of our humanity that we might experience the fullness of his divinity.
· Epiphany: Jesus revealed in word and deed as God’s King for all people.
· Lent: Walking with Jesus to Jerusalem, seeing with convicting clarity what it means to be his disciple, and witnessing again the Passion and Crucifixion endured by Jesus endured to free us from bondage to sin, Satan, and death.
· Easter: “His heart beats, his blood begins to flow, waking up what was dead a moment ago.” God’s resounding YES in the resurrection of Jesus, resulting in forgiveness and freedom, grace and life being available to all who believe in his name.
· Ascension: Watching with awe as the resurrected Jesus ascends to the Father’s right hand and takes his place as King over all, eternally interceding for us.
· Pentecost: In response to the intercession of Jesus, the Father gives the Holy Spirit through him to his disciples, empowering the Church to extend the message and ministry of Jesus into every culture on earth.
From Advent through Pentecost, we have journeyed with Jesus from the domain of darkness into the Kingdom of Light (Colossians 1:13-14). And the journey continues….
This past Trinity Sunday, we stepped into the next season of our liturgical year, Ordinary Time. And what a way to begin our apostolic adventure—realizing that we are invited to participate in the Holy Community of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that we are to extend that invitation to others. Ordinary Time is not so “ordinary.” The remaining months of our liturgical calendar invite us to continue living His Story in our daily lives, in the embrace of the Father and the company of Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Listen to these words concluding an old commentary on “The Acts of the Apostles”:
Church of Christ! The records of these acts of the Holy Ghost have never reached completeness. This is the one book which has no proper close, because it waits for new chapters to be added so fast and so far as the people of God shall reinstate the blessed Spirit in his holy seat of control.” (Arthur T. Pierson)
His Story continues!
Your Pastor in Christ,
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