Have a good sense of the liturgical year

WE have just ended a liturgical year with the celebration
of the Solemnity of the Christ the King. We are now beginning a new
one with the season of Advent, the proximate preparation for the birth
of Christ.

            The immediate thought that comes to mind in this
transition of the old and new liturgical years is that while we should
have the mind of ending well and also beginning well, we should
neither forget that this cycle of life is meant to catapult us to the
eternal life where there will be no more changes of seasons and shifts
of days and nights.

            In eternity, there will be no more past nor future.
Everything will be in the present, with everything either resolved
properly in the bliss of heaven or unresolved in the never-ending pain
and anguish in hell.

            It would be good if we have a deep understanding of the
significance of the whole liturgical year, so that we can have a
functional sense of purpose and direction as we go through it,
avoiding getting entangled, distracted and lost along the way.

            We can say that the whole liturgical year presents to us
the whole mystery of Christ and his message, and the different aspects
of Christian life together with their requirements. How nice it would
be if at any given time, we have a global picture of it, know where
exactly we are in that picture, as well as a roadmap to lead us to our
goal in life.

            We should be quick to discern what is being asked of us,
what is expected of us as we go through the messages of the different
parts of the liturgical year. We should somehow feel that there is
progress taking place in our spiritual life as the year moves on. To
be sure, the liturgical year is not simply a passage of time. Some
growth is expected.

            In this regard, we should be ready to set specific goals
that are appropriate for that part of the year we may be in. We have
to have a clear idea of what are needed to reach those goals. We
should come up with strategies and alternative plans, just in case
unexpected or undesirable things happen.

            In these times, we cannot afford to be casual in our
attitude toward our spiritual life, which is true in all the other
aspects of our life. I remember that during my childhood, I never
heard my parents talk about budgeting. Life was so simple then that
the concern for money was not that felt. Not anymore now.  You don’t
budget! You simply will perish in no time!

            Also we have to be wary of the increasing number of things
that can grab our attention and lead us to all sorts of distractions.
Now it’s imperative to have a good system of traffic management of our
attention, otherwise we will just get lost. We need good traffic signs
around, (read, a good sense of priorities), so we would be properly
guided in our highways of life.

            With Advent, we are asked to prepare ourselves well for
the coming of our Savior. We have to elicit in ourselves a longing for
Christ who is our “way, truth and life,” the very pattern of our
humanity, the redeemer of our wounded humanity.

            With the Christmas season, we are happy at the birth of
Christ and we follow closely his hidden life that is also full of
meaning for us. This part somehow serves as a foundation for our adult
and mature life that will be filled with trials and challenges. A
happy childhood redounds to a happy adulthood.

            With Lent, we are made to face our wounded humanity and to
heal it with Christ, ultimately with the cross through his passion and
death. We have to be quick to learn the art of interior struggle,
fighting temptations and growing in the virtues. We will be taught how
to value suffering and how to suffer.

            With Easter, we will be filled with the joy of the
resurrection, the final victory of Christ, and also of ours with
Christ. We will somehow be taught how to maintain a life of sanctity
that is not only personal but also apostolic.

            The Ordinary Time of the liturgical year presents to us in
greater detail the different virtues we have to learn to live. We will
be constantly reminded of our duties as a true child of God.

            Let’s always strive to have a good sense of the liturgical year!