Thru the Bible-7

 

Thru the Bible-7 2022. 4. 10.

 

The Church Year (2)

 

As the week and the day witnessed to Jesus Christ, too, the Church year (the liturgical year or the Calendar) became a structure for commemorating the Lord. Just as Sunday was the center of the week, so too, the year focused on the Pascha (Passover-Easter) event as its central feature.

 

The Pascha had been the center of the Jewish year as commemoration of deliverance from slavery; it was no less important for Christians. Paul deliberately took over the language of the Jewish Feast of Unleavened Bread (the Pascha):

 

7  The old leaven of corruption is working among you. Purge it out, and then you will be bread of a new baking. As Christians you are unleavened Passover bread; for indeed our Passover has begun; the sacrifice is offered-Christ himself.

8  So we who observe the festival must not use the old leaven, the leaven of corruption and wickedness, but only the unleavened bread which is sincerity and truth. (1 Cor. 5:7-8, NEB)

 

This passage is the chief evidence for the keeping of Easter by New Testament church. The old Jewish commemoration of deliverance was now made completely new in Jesus Christ. Slavery and redemption were recalled but in the new sense of release from sin and death through what Christ had done. (White, 1990: 58)

 

Ever since the fourth century, Christians have kept the sacred triduum (three days) beginning at nightfall on Thursday as Good Friday, Holy Saturday (or Easter Eve), and Easter Day. (White, 1993: 63)

 

Lent is the season in which we participate in that final trip to Jerusalem and the self giving nature of love shown in Christ’s passion and death. All is changed as Christ gives himself to us as the resurrected one at Easter. (White, 1990: 74)

 

[References]

James F. White, A Brief History of Christian Worship, Abingdon Press, 1993.

James F. White, Introduction to Christian Worship, Abingdon Press, 1990.