The Seasons of the Christian Year
The Christian calendar is divided into a number of 'seasons' which take the believer through the development of the Faith. The Lectionary - the series of readings from both the Old and the New Testaments of the Bible forevery day of the year - appoints Sunday readings to tie in with the various themes of these seasons.
The year commences with Advent - the 'coming' - which looks forward to the birth of Jesus Christ (and also to his 'Second Coming'). The four Sundays of this period invariable commence with the story of God's creation followed by reference to thos who foresaw the incarnation of Christ
Christmas then follows, marking God's incarnation into the world in the birth of Jesus at Nazareth.
The season of Epiphany - virtually 'The Showing' - centres on the visit of the Magi demonstrating that Christ is for the whole world and not merely for the Jews.
Lent is a period of preparation in anticipation of the events leading up to the death of Jesus on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Day. This is a 'penitential' season historically marked by fasting, although this has largely been replaced by 'giving something up for Lent'.
The Easter season follows the events of the resurrection of Christ and his post-resurrection appearances, leading on to the Ascension when his bodily presence finally departed from this earthly realm.
Pentecost (or in its old form, Whitsun) follows very quickly after the Ascension and is the occasion when the gift of the Holy Spirit was given to the Apostles and other disciples, so giving 'birth' to the Church. The Holy Spirit is a way of Christ being eternally present with those who follow him.
Trinity is the longest of the seasons and covers all aspects of the development of the Church and the application of the Faith to everyday living.