Knowing your Christian Worship Liturgical calendar can be a source of great inspiration throughout the year. For instance, the cold months of January through March, when your home is cold and your mood is subdued can enhance your awareness of spiritual darkness. A darkness that visited the earth as Christ’s ministry on earth came to a close. The season of Lent shows its darkened shroud. “Celebrating” Christ’s death throughout the winter solstice makes sense and the colors of darkness and death surround us in worship (i.e. red, purple, black and the absence of color)
Likewise, the joy of spring and new life emerging from the cold of Winter fits nicely into Resurrection joy experienced in the Easter Season accented. Pentecost and the gift of the Spirit provoke love and joy! What could be better or more eye-opening then crimson red and pure white as we sing, “Christ the Lord is risen today!”
Things are certainly ordinary throughout the majority of the year as the summer drags into the beginning of a new school year. June through November is all about building, re-building, paying bills and getting business done but there is the satisfaction that comes from knowing that God is growing us (i.e. the color green) into the beautiful creatures he desires us to be. At the same time we take on new tasks and begin new projects, set new goals and get ordinary life done with those we love.
As the blue of the sunlit days of summer is replaced with the blue of cooling evenings and the darkness of descending fall, our homes become lit with decorative trees, candles and gifts. The spirit of giving consumes us as the anticipation of Christ’s arrival as a child is matched with Christmas anticipation. No longer do we look outside, to nature for inspiration, we begin to look inward to our homes, family’s and our hearts and purity created therein, by Christ’s forgiveness, incarnate for the world (i.e. white).
The joy of the Resurrection and the Joy of the Incarnation are both continued with seasons of growth visually represented with the color green. Epiphany follows Christmas and the end of the Church Year just as the Ordinary Time follows the Resurrection. Both lead into productive times following seasons of inside-living and pushing out into our communities see new ministries and to bring Christ’s love motivated in both cases by the gift of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection; the gift of Himself to mankind!
May the liturgical season bless and keep you in it’s time-oriented and Spiritually-sensitive grasp throughout this year and all years!