Ash Wednesday (March 9, 2011) = beginning of Lenten season
Lent (March 9 - April 23, 2011)
Palm Sunday -(April 17)
Holy Week (April 17 - April 23 [24], 2011) in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter. It includes the religious holidays of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday) and Good Friday, and lasts from Palm Sunday (or in the Eastern, Lazarus Saturday) until, but not including, Easter Sunday,
Maundy Thursday (April 21 2011)
Good Friday (April 22, 2011)
Easter (April 24, 2011)
Pentecost (June 12, 2011)
Customs and Christianity
Many of our customs that we follow today have aspects or timing associated with the pagan worships that were prevalent when Christianity was introduced to a region. Some people, when they discover this for the first time, feel that this diminishes the importance of whatever celebration it is.
But why is that so?
“As a congregation moves through the church calendar, they are presented in an organized way with the opportunity to talk about, reflect upon, and respond to the entire range of faith confessions that lie at the heart of the Christian Faith.” Dennis Bratcher from “The Seasons of the Church Year” http://www.crivoice.org/chyear.html
Through our celebrations and study we are presented with opportunities to learn more and more about the spiritual basis of our faith. We can use the Christian calendar as a springboard for teaching our children about the real meanings of the holidays that they will be hearing about in the world or we can waste our time worrying about things that matter least.
Hosea 4:6 (New King James Version)
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being priest for Me;
Because you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.
Where will our children find knowledge?
What a wonderful opportunity to use the whole season of Lent to study for ourselves the earthly ministry of our Lord at a time when He was preparing his apostles for His death and resurrection.
How wonderful for our children to know that Easter really is the Resurrection Sunday and that we are celebrating what truly makes us Christians.
“Following the church year is more than simply marking time on a calendar or a note in the church bulletin. Every effort should be made to use the various aspects of the church year as an opportunity to tell the story of God's redemptive work in the world. “ Dennis Bratcher
This is truly a time to:
"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth."
--2 Tim. 2:15.
As we prepare to enter our holiest of seasons, we can devote ourselves to studying God's Word; and, as so often admonished by David, pray for understanding.
Do you understand the significance of the 40 days of Lent?
Can you teach your children, loved ones, friends the relationship of the Jewish Passover and our Holy Communion?
We are approaching an awesome time in the lives of Christians. Every year at this time we have many opportunities to reflect on the final days of God's life as the Son of Man. We have so many opportunities to study His role in fulfilling the prophesies of Old Testament times. We have so many opportunities.
We can begin now to prepare ourselves to study and teach our loved ones the significance of all of the celebrations leading up to the great celebration of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.
I pray for wisdom. I pray that all our studies will be guided by the Holy Spirit.
May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!
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