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Content – Understanding Religion 7

Catholic Christianity experiences and sees the world through the lens of sacramentality: in other words, Catholics recognise and see the presence of God in all things. A Catholic Christian understanding of sacraments is grounded in an experience of God’s presence and care in people’s daily lives (Understanding Religion 7 p. 122).

The Church's liturgical year unfolds through a framework of different seasons (Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Ordinary Time) significant feast days and Saints’ feast days. Each liturgical season has its own colour, customs and feel. The liturgical year begins with the first Sunday of Advent, which also marks the beginning of the cycle of readings used in the Liturgy. The three - year cycle is built around the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Year A - Matthew, Year B - Mark, Year C - Luke. The Gospel of John is used on particular feasts throughout all three cycles, particularly Easter (Understanding Religion 7 p. 107).

The Sacraments of Initiation include Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist welcome people and incorporate them into the life of The Church.

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Content – Understanding Religion 7

Explore ways that adolescents can experience God’s presence in their everyday lives (events, places, people, environment).

Recall the seasons of the Church's liturgical year and its meaning for believers today: Ordinary time begins Monday after Pentecost and ends with 1st Sunday of Advent. Advent begins with 1st Sunday of Advent and ends Christmas Eve / Day. Christmas begins with Christmas Day / Eve and ends with the Baptism of the Lord. Ordinary Time begins on Monday after the Baptism of the Lord and ends with Ash Wednesday. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and with Holy Thursday. Easter begins with Easter Sunday and ends with Pentecost.

Investigate how the sacraments can enable believers to encounter God by nurturing spirituality and sacramentality.

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Key Understanding: �What is the Catholic Church’s Liturgical Year?

For Christians, each day, month and year is considered sacred time and celebrates the presence of God in the world.

The Christian year is an annual cycle known as the liturgical year

(Understanding Religion 7, p. 107).

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The Church’s Liturgical Year: Structure

The liturgical year is a perpetual anamnesis or remembering.

The Church marks each liturgical season by using different colours, symbols and rituals.

The seasons of the Church’s liturgical year are:

• Advent

• Christmas

• Ordinary Time

• Lent

• Holy Week

• Easter.

The liturgical year begins on the first Sunday of Advent, beginning the cycle of readings used in the liturgy. The three-year cycle uses the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke.

Year A – Matthew; Year B – Mark; Year C – Luke.

The Gospel of John is used on particular feasts throughout all three cycles, especially at Easter.

(Information from Understanding Religion 7, p. 107)

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The Church’s Liturgical Year: Christmas Season

Because people did not know the actual date on which Jesus was born, 25 December was chosen to commemorate the birth of Jesus.

Advent was included as a preparation time for Christmas. Eventually, the Feast of the Presentation of Christ (Candlemass) was added.

The Christmas Cycle now consists of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany.

(Understanding Religion 7, p. 109)

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The Church’s Liturgical Year: Christmas Season

Advent

Advent, from the Latin word adventus, meaning going before, is a time of preparation and waiting for the Birth of Jesus. Advent reminds people to ‘Prepare the way of the Lord’.

One symbol of Advent is the Advent Wreath. The wreath is a green circle of branches which holds four candles, three purple and one pink - one candle for each of the four Sundays of Advent.

The empty manger is another symbol seen during the Advent season. The manger remains empty until the birth of Jesus is celebrated on 25 December. Throughout the weeks of Advent, people are encouraged to perform good deeds: the deeds are symbolised by the person placing some straw in the manger.

The Jesse tree in Advent reminds people of the ancestry of Jesus. The name remembers Jesse who was the father of King David and the first person listed in the genealogy of Jesus.

The Advent wreath (Understanding Religion 7, p. 110)

The empty manger (Understanding Religion 7, p. 111)

(Information from Understanding Religion 7, p. 109-111)

Advent, from the Latin word adventus, meaning going before, is a time of preparation and waiting for the Birth of Jesus. Advent reminds people to ‘Prepare the way of the Lord’. Communities of faith use Advent as a time to teach about trust and patience in God.

Sometimes referred to as ‘little lent’, Advent has always been less austere than Lent. During Advent people are encouraged to pray, fast and perform good deeds. Traditionally, all major feasts were preceded by a time of fasting which made the feast itself more memorable. The Roman Catholic Church no longer has a requirement of fasting during Advent, but the Eastern Catholic Church continues a period of fasting from 15 November until Christmas known as Philip’s Fast because it begins on the feast of St Philip. It reminds people to sanctify time by spending time in prayer and by helping others.

SYMBOLS

The most recognisable symbol of Advent is the Advent Wreath. which originated in the German Lutheran Church and was later adopted by Catholics. The wreath is a green circle of branches which holds four candles, three purple and one pink: one candle for each of

the four Sundays of Advent. The three purple candles remind people of the penitential nature of Advent, while the pink candle is used on Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent. Gaudete Sunday reminds people that they are past the midpoint of Advent, and the

colour change from purple to pink provides people with encouragement to continue their spiritual preparation for the birth of Jesus.

The empty manger is another symbol commonly seen during the Advent season. The idea is that the manger remains empty until the birth of Jesus is celebrated on 25 December. Throughout the weeks of Advent, people are encouraged to perform good deeds: the deeds are symbolised by the person placing some straw in the manger. On Christmas morning, when the baby Jesus is placed in the manger he has a very comfortable place to lie because of all the good deeds performed.

The Jesse tree, an old medieval tradition, reminds people of the ancestry of Jesus from the time of creation in the Book of Exodus to the birth narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The name remembers Jesse who was the father of King David and the first person listed in the genealogy of Jesus. Christian art has used the symbol of the Jesse tree for centuries. Most images include a tree with names or images of the Old and New Testament people who were the ancestors of Jesus. Joseph and Mary are usually at the top of the tree. Chartres Cathedral in France has a stained glass window of the Jesse tree.

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The Church’s Liturgical Year: Christmas Season

Christmas

At Christmas, Christians remember not only the birth of Jesus but also how God is present with them today. Christmas is a time of incarnation, when God became human, and is the second most important day in the Church’s year. Christmas reminds people that God is immanent – with us.

The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Mass on Christmas Eve and concludes with the feast of the Baptism of Jesus, which is celebrated on the Sunday after the feast of the Epiphany.

Epiphany

In Roman Catholicism, the Epiphany is celebrated on 6 January.

According to ancient custom, the Epiphany is 12 days after Christmas day.

The colours for the feast of the Epiphany are the same as Christmas – white or gold – and sometimes the symbols of crowns are used to remind people of the Magi who brought three gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

(Information from Understanding Religion 7, p. 111)

Christmas

After patiently waiting throughout Advent, Christians celebrate God becoming human with the birth of Jesus. At Christmas, Christians remember not only the birth of Jesus as it is recorded in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew, but also how God is present with them today. The season of Christmas provides people with opportunities to demonstrate the presence of God in their life such as helping the elderly, giving food to the poor or even volunteering in a soup kitchen.

Christmas, a time of incarnation, when God became human, is the second most important day in the Church’s year. Christmas reminds people that God is immanent – with us. In most churches, the birth of Jesus is recreated in a nativity scene or a nativity pageant.

The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Mass on Christmas Eve and concludes with the feast of the Baptism of Jesus, which is celebrated on the Sunday after the feast of the Epiphany.

Epiphany

In Roman Catholicism, the Epiphany is celebrated on 6 January. In Latin cultures it is also known as the Three Kings Day or Day of the Magi. According to ancient custom, the Epiphany is 12 days after Christmas day. The one or two Sundays between Christmas Day and the Epiphany are called Christmastide. The colours used for the feast of the Epiphany are the same as Christmas – white or gold – and sometimes the symbols of crowns are used to remind people of the Magi who brought three gifts:

gold, frankincense and myrrh.

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The Church’s Liturgical Year: Easter

The Easter Cycle has three major phases:

Lent
the Paschal Cycle and
Pentecost

These phases cover approximately

12 weeks within the liturgical year.

(Information from Understanding Religion 7, p. 113)

(Image modified from Understanding Religion 7, p. 107)

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The Church’s Liturgical Year: Easter

Lent

Commences on Ash Wednesday and is for six weeks prior to Easter - concludes on Holy Thursday.

Lent prepares believers for Holy Week which marks the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus.

On Ash Wednesday, Christians are marked on their forehead with a cross of ashes, usually from blessed and burned palms from the previous Palm Sunday.

As the cross is put on the person’s forehead, the words 'Turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel’ (Mark 1:15) are said. An older prayer is ‘Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return’ (Genesis 3:19).

Lent is a time of prayer, penance, almsgiving, self-denial and abstinence – reminding believers of the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert prior to beginning his ministry.

The colour for this liturgical season is purple - associated with mourning in anticipation of the suffering of the Crucifixion.

(Information from Understanding Religion 7, p. 113)

Lent

Begins on Ash Wednesday, is the six weeks prior to Easter and concludes on Holy Thursday. The purpose of Lent is to prepare believers for Holy Week which marks the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus. On Ash Wednesday, Christians are marked on their forehead with a cross in ashes, usually the blessed and burned palms from the previous Palm Sunday. As the cross is put on the person’s forehead, the minister says ‘Turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel’ (Mark 1:15). An older prayer, not used as frequently today, is ‘Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return’ (Genesis 3:19).

Lent is a time of abstinence and fasting. Catholics over 14 years of age are required to abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday, Fridays during Lent and Good Friday. People with special dietary requirements are exempt, but they usually perform some other act of self-denial. Fasting is a physical sign for Christians that Lent has begun and that during the next six weeks they should spend time in prayer reflecting on the word of God as well as responding to those in need. Lent, a time of prayer, penance, almsgiving, self-denial and abstinence, reminds believers of the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert prior to beginning his ministry.

The colour for this liturgical season is purple: a colour which is associated with mourning and so anticipates the suffering of the Crucifixion.

Throughout the season of Lent, parts of the liturgy are changed or omitted. The Gloria, usually said or sung at Sunday Mass, is omitted on the Sundays of Lent as is the Alleluia before the gospel. The gospel Alleluia is replaced with the statement ‘Glory and Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ’. Before the Second Vatican Council (1962–5), religious statues and

pictures in the church were covered with fabric so that people could not see the image for the duration of Lent. While this is not common practice today, it is still observed in places such as Spain, Peru and the Philippines. At the end of Lent, Christians begin the Paschal Cycle.

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The Church’s Liturgical Year: The Paschal Cycle

Palm Sunday is celebrated the Sunday before Easter and begins Holy Week.

‘Holy’ means ‘set apart’, so Christians set apart a week to mark:

Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday)
the Last Supper (Holy Thursday)
the Crucifixion(Good Friday)
and the Resurrection (Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday).

(Information from Understanding Religion 7, p. 114)

(Image from Understanding Religion 7, p. 113)

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The Church’s Liturgical Year: Palm Sunday

Palm or Passion Sunday commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, which is recounted in the four gospels . The priest wears red vestments, a symbol of Jesus’ Passion. The psalms distributed at Mass are to reminds people of the presence of God in their lives. The congregation joins a procession around the church following the priests, cross bearer, candle bearers, holy water bearer and the Book of Gospels. The procession is a physical reminder of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. The gospel readings for the day are the Passion of Jesus which begins at the Last Supper and ends with the Crucifixion.

(Information from Understanding Religion 7, p. 114)

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The Church’s Liturgical Year: The Easter Triduum

The Easter Triduum (the Great Three Days) involves:

beginning on Holy Thursday evening with Mass of the Lord’s Supper

a reading or enactment of the Passion on Good Friday

concluding with the Easter Vigil on Saturday evening

(Information from Understanding Religion 7, p. 115)

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The Church’s Liturgical Year: Holy Thursday

Holy Thursday commemorates the institution of the Eucharist by Jesus.

The Holy Thursday liturgy uses readings from both the Old and New Testament.

The gospel reading tells how Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.

For centuries, the Church has imitated Jesus’ action of washing the feet of the disciples through a ritual washing of people’s feet on Holy Thursday.

After communion, the Blessed Sacrament is removed from the centre of the church and placed on an altar of repose (a temporary altar).

The hosts consecrated at Holy Thursday Mass are reserved for use on Good Friday. The priest, a cross bearer, candle bearers and a thurifer (the person carrying the thurible with incense) process to the altar of repose. The congregation leave the church in silence.

After Mass, the main altar is stripped of all candles and decoration and left bare.

No Masses are celebrated from the conclusion of the Holy Thursday Mass until the vigil Mass on Holy Saturday evening.

(Information from Understanding Religion 7, pp. 115- 116)

(Image from Understanding Religion 7, p. 116)

Holy Thursday commemorates the institution of the Eucharist by Jesus. Celebrated in the evening, because as a Jew, Jesus would have gathered in the evening to celebrate Passover, the Holy Thursday liturgy uses readings from both the Old and New Testament.

The gospel reading from John 13:1–15 tells how Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. For centuries, the Church has imitated Jesus’ action of washing the feet of the disciples through a ritual washing of people’s feet on Holy Thursday. In 2015, Pope Francis washed the feet of 12 inmates of a prison when he concelebrated the Holy Thursday Mass of the Last Supper at the chapel of the Rebibba prison in Rome. After communion, the Blessed Sacrament is removed from the centre of the church and placed on an altar of repose (a temporary altar). The hosts consecrated at the Holy Thursday Mass are reserved for use on Good Friday. The priest, a cross bearer, candle bearers and a thurifer (the person carrying the thurible with incense) process to the altar of repose. The congregation leave the church in silence. In many parishes, people spend some time in prayer kneeling before the altar of repose. At the conclusion of

Mass, the main altar is stripped of all candles and decoration: the altar is left bare.

In some churches, the statues and religious images are covered in purple cloth and the Holy Water fonts are emptied. No Masses are celebrated from the conclusion of the Holy Thursday Mass until the vigil Mass of the Resurrection on Holy Saturday evening.

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The Church’s Liturgical Year: Good Friday

Good Friday is the day Christians commemorate the Crucifixion of Jesus.

In the Roman Catholic Church, it is a day of fasting and abstinence when people are required to refrain from eating meat.

Normally held at 3 pm, the priest wears red vestments to remind people that Jesus died for the sins of all.

The Good Friday liturgy consists of four parts:

• The Liturgy of the Word, which is the reading of the Passion of Jesus from the Gospels.
• Intercessory prayers for the Church and the world
• Veneration of the Cross
• Communion –The Blessed Sacrament which has been held at the altar of repose is distributed to people for communion.

The veneration of the cross is a practice which dates from the fourth century. Today, it can take many forms:

People may process forward and kiss a crucifix
A large wooden cross may be placed in the centre of the church and people place flowers around it
A large wooden cross may be passed over the heads of the congregation and people feel the weight of the cross as they pass it from one area of the congregation to another.

People leave the church in silence as a mark of respect.

(Information from Understanding Religion 7, p. 117)

(Image from Understanding Religion 7, p. 117)

Good Friday is the day Christians commemorate the Crucifixion of Jesus. In the Roman Catholic Church, it is a day of fasting and abstinence when people are required to refrain from eating meat. The liturgical service is normally held at 3 pm and the priest wears red vestments to remind people that Jesus died for the sins of all. The Good Friday liturgy consists of four parts: • The Liturgy of the Word, which is the reading of the Passion of Jesus from the Gospels. In some parishes, the Passion story is dramatised, while in other parishes there may be a number of people who participate in a dramatic reading of the Passion narrative.• Intercessory prayers for the Church and the world • Veneration of the Cross • Communion – Mass of the Pre-sanctified during which the Blessed Sacrament which has been held at the altar of repose is distributed to people for communion.

VENERATION OF THE CROSS

The veneration of the cross is a practice which dates from the fourth century. According to tradition, St Helen, the mother of the emperor Constantine, discovered a small piece of the cross when she was in Jerusalem on a pilgrimage in 326 CE. From the sixth century onwards, a container holding the wood of the cross was placed on a table in the Chapel of the Crucifixion and people either touched or kissed it as a sign of reverence while the priest said: ‘Beheld the wood of the cross’. Veneration of the cross does not mean that people adore the image; rather the cross is a reminder of what Jesus sacrificed in order to give his life to save the lives of Christians. Today, the veneration of the cross takes a number of forms. In some parishes, people process forward and kiss a crucifix; in other parishes a large wooden cross is placed in the centre of the church and people place flowers around the cross; in many parishes a large wooden cross is passed over the heads of the congregation and people feel the weight of the cross as they pass it from one area of the congregation to another. After venerating the cross, people leave the church in silence as a mark of respect, having just listened to the gospel account of the Passion and death of Jesus.

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The Church’s Liturgical Year: Easter Vigil – Holy Saturday

The Easter Vigil celebrates the Paschal Mystery - the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The priest wears white vestments to symbolise Jesus’ resurrection.

The Easter Vigil marks the beginning of Easter, and consists of four parts:

• Service of Light

• Liturgy of the Word

• Liturgy of Baptism

• Liturgy of the Eucharist.

The Service of Light is held outside the church where a fire is lit and blessed. The Paschal Candle is also blessed at the fire.

Inside the Church is different: holy water fonts are empty, the church is in darkness and the tabernacle is empty.

The Paschal Candle is processed into the Church – the congregation light individual candles from the flame of the Paschal Candle, symbolising the risen Christ as the light of the world.

Catechumens are baptised in the Liturgy of Baptism and reminded that Jesus is the light of the world and that they too should be a light to others.

(Information from Understanding Religion 7, pp. 118 – 119; Image from Understanding Religion 7, p. 118)

The climax of the Easter Triduum is the Easter Vigil, the highest feast in the Church calendar. and the oldest Christian festival.

Remembering the resurrection of Jesus, it celebrates the Paschal Mystery: the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and its significance for all

Christians. During the celebration of the Easter Vigil, the priest wears white vestments as a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus. The Easter Vigil ceremony, which marks the beginning of Easter, consists of four distinct parts:

• Service of Light

• Liturgy of the Word

• Liturgy of Baptism

• Liturgy of the Eucharist.

The vigil begins with the Service of Light, which is generally held outside the church where a fire is lit and blessed. The church interior is visibly different: the holy water fonts are empty, the church is in darkness and the tabernacle is empty. The Paschal Candle, a very large

candle with an image of the cross at its centre, is blessed at the fire. Above and below the cross are two Greek letters: alpha (A, the first letter of the Greek alphabet) and omega (Ω, the last letter of the Greek alphabet) – the beginning and the end. The current year is also

engraved on the candle. The priest inserts five grains of incense into the candle representing the five wounds of Jesus (two nails in hands and one in feet, the spear which pierced his side and the crown of thorns on his head). As he inserts the incense the priest says: ‘By

his holy and glorious wounds may Christ the Lord guard us and protect us. Amen’. The priest lights the candle from the flames of the fire, saying, ‘May the light of Christ, rising in glory, dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds’. The Paschal Candle is processed

into the Church; at the front door the candle is held high above the priest’s head. As he sings ‘The light of Christ’, the congregation responds ‘Thanks be to God’. This process is repeated in the middle of the church and then again just before the altar. As the candle is

processed through the centre aisle of the church, the congregation light individual candles from the flame of the Paschal Candle, symbolising the risen Christ as the light of the world. When the priest reaches the lectern the Exsultet (Easter proclamation) is

sung.

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The Church’s Liturgical Year: Ascension

The feast of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven is celebrated on the 40th day of Easter.

The feast of the Ascension is known as a solemnity which means it is a significantly important day for people of the Catholic Christian tradition.

The Ascension marks the end of the Easter season and anticipates the feast of Pentecost.

(Information from Understanding Religion 7, p. 119)

(Image modified from Understanding Religion 7, p. 107)

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The Church’s Liturgical Year: Pentecost

Christian Church celebrates Pentecost Sunday 50 days after Easter.

Pentecost marks God’s gift of the Holy Spirit descending on the people of the Church.

Pentecost is one of the earliest documented feasts of the Church, described in Acts Chapter 2.

Each person heard the Good News in their own language (Acts 2:6) and were inspired to spread the Good News to the entire world.

The liturgical colour for Pentecost is red, reminding people of the tongues of fire spoken about in Acts.

Pentecost offers Christians the opportunity to renew their commitment to spreading the Good News to others and to renew their own spiritual commitment.

(Information from Understanding Religion 7, p. 120)

(Image from Understanding Religion 7, p. 120)

On the 50th day aft er Easter Sunday, the Christian Church celebrates Pentecost Sunday, which marks God’s gift of the Holy Spirit descending on the people of the Church. Pentecost is one of the earliest documented feasts of the Church, being described in Acts Chapter 2. It is also reported as being a transformative moment in the life of the followers of Jesus. Each person heard the Good News in their own language (Acts 2:6) and they were inspired to spread the Good News to the entire world.

In the early Church, Pentecost was an eagerly awaited feast and celebrated with great joy. The Council of Nicaea (325 CE) banned all kneeling and fasting during Pentecost because they were marks of penitence. The Council directed Christians to stand up straight and

pray confidently and boldly. Throughout history, different ways of celebrating Pentecost developed and some of the symbolism used was quite imaginative and even exotic. In Germany, rose petals were dropped into the church through a hole in the roof to represent

the tongues of fire, while trumpets imitated the sound of rushing wind. In other parts of Europe, people dropped burning straw from the roof beams to symbolise the tongues of fire. This practice was soon stopped by the priests after several churches burned to the ground!

Another custom involved suspending either a live dove or a carved dove from the church roof – the dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

The liturgical colour for Pentecost is red which reminds people of the tongues of fire spoken about in Acts.

Pentecost day offers Christians the opportunity to renew their commitment to spreading the Good News to others and to

renew their own spiritual commitment.

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The Church’s Liturgical Year: Ordinary Time

There are two periods of Ordinary Time in the Church calendar: the first is between Christmas and Lent and the second is between Pentecost and Advent.

The title ‘Ordinary Time’ is from the word ‘ordinal’ meaning time counted – each Sunday has a consecutive number e.g. third Sunday of Ordinary Time.

Throughout Ordinary Time, the gospel stories focus on Jesus’ preaching and healing and his explanations of how to live a good life.

Ordinary Time provides people with time to reflect and establish good prayer habits and time to reflect on the seasons just passed and to prepare for important feasts to come.

The liturgical colour for Ordinary Time is green.

(Information from Understanding Religion 7, p. 121)

(Image modified from Understanding Religion 7, p. 107)

There are two periods of Ordinary Time in the Church calendar: the first is between Christmas and Lent and the second is between Pentecost and Advent. Ordinary Time provides people with time to reflect on the seasons just passed and to prepare for important feasts to come. During Ordinary Time some parishes provide programs for people to extend their knowledge of prayer or scripture and to think about their faith.

The title ‘Ordinary Time’ could be deceiving. It does not mean dull or uninteresting, rather it is from the word ‘ordinal’ meaning time counted – each Sunday has a consecutive number, for instance Third Sunday of Ordinary Time. Throughout Ordinary

Time, the gospel stories focus on Jesus’ preaching and healing and his explanations of how to live a good life.

Ordinary Time is sacred time and provides people with time to reflect and establish good prayer habits.

The liturgical colour for Ordinary Time is green.

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