December 4, 2009
The Christian Journey
Entering Christ’s time: Celebrating the Church Year
BY FATHER JIM SAUER
The magnificent spiraling staircase at the Vatican Museum’s main entrance always captivates my imagination — both its construction and the experience of ascending and descending the stairs.
This staircase reminds me of the Church’s liturgical year of celebrations, beginning on the First Sunday of Advent as it visually captures the purpose of “another year in Christ.”
We experience time as “chronological,” that is, we say “last week” or “next year.” We may even catch ourselves saying, “Why, it just seemed like Christmas yesterday.”
Christ’s time is different — for “He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow” (Holy Saturday Vigil proclamation). The danger with a “chronological” view of time is that it is so easy to observe past events as once-and-for-all past historical moments — Christmas happened 2009 years ago in Bethlehem or the Resurrection happened at the Crucified Lord’s tomb in Jerusalem.
Christ’s time doesn’t allow us to observe these events ONLY as “history” lessons, but as ever-present recurring experiences in our lives. We dare not think of Christmas only as the historical birth of Christ or “Jesus’ birthday”; otherwise, we miss the significance of Christ “taking flesh” within us in baptism. Christmas celebrates both Jesus’ historical birth and our faith that we are the “Body of Christ” in the 21st century. These two realities can never be separated otherwise Christ will be a figure relegated to past ages.
The same is true of Easter. We do not ONLY return to an empty tomb in Jerusalem to remember Christ’s resurrection. Thanks to the RCIA’s reinstitution, we celebrate how the risen Christ still abides with us calling others to become his disciples today. Baptizing adults during the Easter Vigil is essential because it makes visible for us the risen Lord who is continually joining others to His community.
Anticipating Christ’s return in glory, we also remember that Christ comes to us each day. He dwells within us inviting us to pray, forgive, build community and follow him. He comes disguised in the needy. Christ is present in our homes. We encounter Christ in the sacraments. We look for Christ to come at the end of time AND we seek Christ present today.
The saints celebrated throughout the Church year mirror the Lord’s presence. Pope John Paul II canonized many modern day followers of Christ, reminding us that God’s call to holiness is also a contemporary invitation to us.
The Church Year is like the Vatican Museum’s Spiraling Staircase. At our baptism, we were at the top of the stairs. Each year, God draws us more deeply into his love and the life of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Our celebration of the Church’s feasts year-after-year moves us down the “spiraling staircase” of Christ’s time – drawing ever more intimately into God’s own divine life.
Following the Church’s Liturgical Calendar more faithfully in our homes would enhance family faith and prayer. We will avoid a “spiritual split” between “what happens in Church” and “what happens at home.” The Church celebrations will then have a greater impact in our lives. My parents gave my siblings and me such a gift. Our home life was closely synchronized with the Church’s celebration of Christ’s life, which had a great effect on our young minds and hearts. Observe the various feasts in your homes (e.g. hang up stockings on the eve of St. Nicholas; pray night prayer around the lit Advent wreath; make Lent a special time of family prayer and good works. Joining Church and home, our lives will become richer and more fulfilled. We will not feel so fragmented for God’s time will infuse our time.