The Christian Year

Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Ascension, Whitsun, St John's, Michaelmas. The cycle of the Earth's changing seasons figures the eternal drama of life, death and resurrection. Waking and sleeping, breathing in and breathing out, humankind daily and annually lives through the cosmic rhythm together with the Earth itself and all of nature. The influence of sun, moon and other heavenly bodies affects every living thing. Christianity reveals that it is cosmic in character through perpetuating the ancient observance of festivals throughout the year. Old traditions and customs do endure, though these are not easily comprehensible to many people nowadays. A new understanding is needed for the meaning of these festivals and a new appreciation for the spiritual rhythms in the life of the Earth. Then we shall discover for ourselves a bridge between the inner and outer life, along a path of truly Christian experience taking through each year.