Year A Through the year with Matthew
Preliminary thoughts
The Church Calendar divides the year into two parts of roughly equal length. From Advent Sunday to Pentecost we reflect on the coming of the Son of God into our world, beginning with a period of waiting, followed by his birth and baptism, the first disciples and the early ministry, his death, resurrection, ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit. After the pivotal Trinity Sunday, we then have approximately 26 weeks in which we reflect on our response to what we have heard in the first half of the year. This cycle is repeated each year, and is part of our walk with God.
The lectionary is arranged so that it illustrates this, and in this year we encounter the Lord in a series of sermons from Matthew, beginning with the Sermon on the Mount.
It is also worth remembering that the task of the preacher in a sermon can be understood as a breaking of the Word. This enables a sharing of the Word, so that there can be a communion with the Lord who is the Word of Life. Thus the Eucharist becomes a succession of meetings with the Jesus, meetings which can challenge, renew, transform and give life to the people of God.
Lent
The season of Lent has its origin in the rigorous preparation of Christians for the celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ in Holy Week and at Easter. This observance was at first undertaken by candidates for baptism. It was the final part of their preparation before their initiation into membership of the Church (through Baptism and Confirmation) at the Great Vigil of Easter on Holy Saturday. At the same time, those who had been excommunicated for grave and public sin would be re-admitted to the life of the Church in time for Easter after a period of public penitence.
It was not long before the Church realised the benefit to all Christians of joining in this season of preparation and penitence, and it is these two themes that have characterised Lent for Christians. There is an acknowledgement of the origins of Lent in the fact that the Sunday readings, when viewed together, make up a short course on Baptism (covering an 15 week period, five weeks every year for three years.)
Baptismal themes in Year A.
Lent 1
Renunciation
‘Do you reject the devil and all rebellion against God? Do you renounce the deceit and corruption of evil?’
O.T. Adam and Eve
N.T. Adam and Christ compared
Gospel the temptation of Christ
Lent 2
Conversion
‘Do you turn to Christ?’ ‘…they may be cleansed from sin and born again..’
O.T. Call of Abraham
N.T. Abraham justified by faith
Gospel Nicodemus and Jesus
Lent 3
The water of Baptism
O.T. Moses striking the rock in the wilderness
N.T. faith leads to salvation
Gospel Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well
Lent 4 (for those who are not keeping Mothering Sunday at the main service)
New Life (1)
‘renewed in your image, may they walk by the light of faith’
O.T. the anointing of David
N.T. live as children of light
Gospel the healing of the man born blind
Lent 5
New Life (2)
‘continue for ever in the risen life of Jesus Christ our Lord’
O.T. Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones
N.T. “he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his spirit that dwells in you”
Gospel The raising of Lazarus – “I am the resurrection and the life”.
Holy Week
The observance of Holy Week began in Jerusalem in the fourth century and was given a great boost by the work of the then Bishop Cyril. Cyril (later to be St. Cyril of Jerusalem) laid great emphasis on the teaching ministry of the Church. It was one of the hallmarks of his ministry and his Catechetical Lectures survive to this day. He saw immediately the great value to all Christians of following literally in the steps of Jesus in the period from the Palm Sunday Eucharist to the Great Vigil of Easter (at which new members of the Church were baptised and confirmed, and the whole community renewed their baptismal vows).
Visitors to Jerusalem were suitably impressed by the drama of this and the idea gradually spread to the rest of the Church community. Over the years the keeping of Holy Week has been developed and refined so that we now have a period of 8 days.
Come and enter into the drama of Holy Week. It is thought provoking how a careful keeping of these days as an entity helps us to draw closer to the Lord in his suffering and death, his passion and his resurrection.
And then, if you have been keeping Lent with the whole congregation as a preparation for the general renewal of Baptismal vows, the Easter Vigil or the main service on Easter Day provide an ideal opportunity.
Preliminary thoughts
The Church Calendar divides the year into two parts of roughly equal length. From Advent Sunday to Pentecost we reflect on the coming of the Son of God into our world, beginning with a period of waiting, followed by his birth and baptism, the first disciples and the early ministry, his death, resurrection, ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit. After the pivotal Trinity Sunday, we then have approximately 26 weeks in which we reflect on our response to what we have heard in the first half of the year. This cycle is repeated each year, and is part of our walk with God.
The lectionary is arranged so that it illustrates this, and in this year we encounter the Lord in a series of sermons from Matthew, beginning with the Sermon on the Mount.
It is also worth remembering that the task of the preacher in a sermon can be understood as a breaking of the Word. This enables a sharing of the Word, so that there can be a communion with the Lord who is the Word of Life. Thus the Eucharist becomes a succession of meetings with the Jesus, meetings which can challenge, renew, transform and give life to the people of God.
Lent
The season of Lent has its origin in the rigorous preparation of Christians for the celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ in Holy Week and at Easter. This observance was at first undertaken by candidates for baptism. It was the final part of their preparation before their initiation into membership of the Church (through Baptism and Confirmation) at the Great Vigil of Easter on Holy Saturday. At the same time, those who had been excommunicated for grave and public sin would be re-admitted to the life of the Church in time for Easter after a period of public penitence.
It was not long before the Church realised the benefit to all Christians of joining in this season of preparation and penitence, and it is these two themes that have characterised Lent for Christians. There is an acknowledgement of the origins of Lent in the fact that the Sunday readings, when viewed together, make up a short course on Baptism (covering an 15 week period, five weeks every year for three years.)
Baptismal themes in Year A.
Lent 1
Renunciation
‘Do you reject the devil and all rebellion against God? Do you renounce the deceit and corruption of evil?’
O.T. Adam and Eve
N.T. Adam and Christ compared
Gospel the temptation of Christ
Lent 2
Conversion
‘Do you turn to Christ?’ ‘…they may be cleansed from sin and born again..’
O.T. Call of Abraham
N.T. Abraham justified by faith
Gospel Nicodemus and Jesus
Lent 3
The water of Baptism
O.T. Moses striking the rock in the wilderness
N.T. faith leads to salvation
Gospel Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well
Lent 4 (for those who are not keeping Mothering Sunday at the main service)
New Life (1)
‘renewed in your image, may they walk by the light of faith’
O.T. the anointing of David
N.T. live as children of light
Gospel the healing of the man born blind
Lent 5
New Life (2)
‘continue for ever in the risen life of Jesus Christ our Lord’
O.T. Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones
N.T. “he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his spirit that dwells in you”
Gospel The raising of Lazarus – “I am the resurrection and the life”.
Holy Week
The observance of Holy Week began in Jerusalem in the fourth century and was given a great boost by the work of the then Bishop Cyril. Cyril (later to be St. Cyril of Jerusalem) laid great emphasis on the teaching ministry of the Church. It was one of the hallmarks of his ministry and his Catechetical Lectures survive to this day. He saw immediately the great value to all Christians of following literally in the steps of Jesus in the period from the Palm Sunday Eucharist to the Great Vigil of Easter (at which new members of the Church were baptised and confirmed, and the whole community renewed their baptismal vows).
Visitors to Jerusalem were suitably impressed by the drama of this and the idea gradually spread to the rest of the Church community. Over the years the keeping of Holy Week has been developed and refined so that we now have a period of 8 days.
Come and enter into the drama of Holy Week. It is thought provoking how a careful keeping of these days as an entity helps us to draw closer to the Lord in his suffering and death, his passion and his resurrection.
And then, if you have been keeping Lent with the whole congregation as a preparation for the general renewal of Baptismal vows, the Easter Vigil or the main service on Easter Day provide an ideal opportunity.