Hebrew Catholic Liturgical Year

7/29/2019 Hebrew Catholic Liturgical Year

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Hebrew Catholic Liturgical Year

Let us begin with the sign of the Cross in

Hebrew:B'shem haAv In the name of the Father

v'haBen and of the Son

v'Ruach haKodesh and of the Holy SpiritElohim echod. Amen one God, Amen.

May the Holy Spirit, Ruach haKodesh, direct

you as you dip into the rich well of tradition

which we have as Hebrew Catholics.


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Hebrew Catholic Liturgical YearUnlike pagan religions which see time as

an endless cycle,Christians see time as being linear.

It has a beginning and will have an end.

Within Christianity's linear,

"big picture sense of time,

the passing of hours is experienced as cycles ofmeditations on holy things

Think of a spiralof a circle of time moving ever forward toward His

Coming.


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Hebrew Catholic Liturgical YearGod, in His Wisdom, provided very tangible and

memorable ways for the children of Israel to pass on their faith to their children,

to ensure the continuation of the Jewish people as a nation,

and to teach them and others His ways.

The feasts and holidays which punctuate the Hebrew yearprovide opportunities

to celebrate communally,

to hear and proclaim God's Word,

to relive lessons in Jewish history,

and to echo messages of hope and consolation through the

generations.


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Hebrew Catholic Liturgical YearLeviticus 23 lists seven feasts, the main holidays

of the Jewish calendar.In addition, there are two other holidays

commemorating victories over enemies of theJews.

The Queen of all feasts, the Sabbath, is theculmination and high point of every week in the

Jewish household.

For each of these holy days there are distinctive

prayers, songs, foods and activities- a multisensory experience

- involving all members of the family.


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Hebrew Catholic Liturgical YearAs Hebrew Catholics, we can recognize this same

teaching technique in the parables of Jesusand the Sacraments which He initiated.Bread and wine, water and oil, incense and candles,

prayers and songs are all rich and integral parts ofCatholic liturgy and tradition.

By celebrating the Hebrew feasts in light of Catholictruth, we can pass on to our children

the great heritage of Faith, the wonder of God's actions in the history of His

people, and the enduring promise of salvation through

Yeshua haMashiach.


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Hebrew Catholic Liturgical YearThis study is a means of incorporating Jewish

traditions into our families cycle ofcelebrations.We find that some of the holidays are more popular

than others.Sometimes we are too busy to do more than mention

the holidays in our prayer times.But over the years our sense of Jewishness willgrow, as well as our appreciation for the Jewish

roots of Catholicism.

This brief summary of feasts and traditions offers anopportunity to inspire us to develop our own

family expressions of our Hebrew Catholic faith.


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Hebrew Catholic Liturgical YearRosh haShonah

October 4 & 5, 2005

During the Jewish New Year, the greeting,"L'shanah tovah tikosevu"

(May you be inscribed for a good year),is often seen on greeting cards.

On Rosh Hasho-nah (the Head of the Year),also known as the "Feast of Trumpets",

it is believed that God judges each one and decides his fatefor the coming year.

It opens with the blowing of the shofar (ram's horn) at the

synagogue.Two days of prayers and synagogue services begin thefestivities.

At home, eating apples dipped in honey is supposed to ensurea sweet year.


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Rosh haShonah

For the Hebrew Catholic, Rosh Hashonah is anopportunity to send New Year's cards to Jewish

friends and relatives as a sign of our continued

loyalty to and prayers for our Jewish brethren.

We invite guests to dinner to share in our prayers forthe nation of Israel and all the children of

Abraham.


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Hebrew Catholic Liturgical YearYom Kippur

October 13, 2005Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the day when God's judgment is

believed to be sealed for the coming year.

The ten days between Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur are called the

Days of Penitence.

It is a time to repent of and to correct those things we have done wrong,

especially to our neighbor, and to ask God's forgiveness.For everyone thirteen years and older, Yom Kippur is a day of fasting.

Fasting encourages humility and repentance, disciplines the body and

clarifies the mind as we examine our conduct and thoughts.

In the synagogue, the ancient Kol Nidre (Absolution of All Vows) is

chanted and confession of sins as commanded in Leviticus 26:40 ismade.

At home, memorial candles are lit for members of the family who have

died.

The Mourner's Kaddish and final blowing of the Shofar conclude the day.


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Yom Kippur

Hebrew Catholics may continue to keep Yom Kippuras a day of fasting and repentance, not for

themselves but for the Jewish people,

especially those who have turned away from God.

We may light candles and have Masses offered fordeparted relatives.

It is the only holiday that makes itself known by the

absence of food and festivities.

We offer our prayers as we conclude the fast at the

evening meal.


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Hebrew Catholic Liturgical YearSuccoth

October 18-23, 2005

The Feast of Booths, two weeks after Rosh Hashonah,commemorates the wandering of the Jews in the

wilderness for forty years before entering the PromisedLand.

Families build simple, temporary shelters decorated withfruits of the autumn harvest.

Meals are often served in these "booths" for the six days ofthe festival.

In the days of Temple worship, there was the pouring ofwater from the Pool of Siloam, symbolizing the prayers for

winter rains.At this time, in John 7:37-38, Jesus declared, "...If any man

thirst, let him come to Me and drink."


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Succoth

We celebrate the feast as one of harvest andthanksgiving.

A large bowl or basket with various produce from

the garden is our centerpiece.

Candles are lit and prayers of thanksgiving areoffered during the six days of the feast.


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Hebrew Catholic Liturgical YearPurim

March 25,2005

The Feast of Lots, also called the Feast of Esther, occurs inlate winter and celebrates the liberation of the Jews ofPersia from destruction at the hands of the proud andwicked Haman, Prime Minister under King Xerxes.

It is a wonderful tale of intrigue, loyalty and royal trappingsthat children and adults enjoy acting out.

Costumes can range from draped sheets and towel turbans toactual robes and harem veils.

As the story, or Megilla, is read and dramatized, the audienceis supplied with a variety of noisemakers which are used to

drown out the name and words of Haman.Traditional foods such as hamantashen (pastry in the shape of

Haman's hat) are eaten and alms or gifts for the poor aredistributed.


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Purim

We can try to gather enough people together to actout or read aloud the story of Esther, Mordecai,

Haman and the King.

The children prepare costumes and noisemakers in

the preceding days.(a string of metal nuts or washers in a tin can is a

loud one)

The performance is followed by serving

refreshments, including hamantashen.


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Hebrew Catholic Liturgical YearPassover

April 24May 1, 2005The most well-known and elaborate of the Jewish feasts, Pesach

commemorates the miraculous exodus of the Jewish people from the

land of Egypt under the leadership of Moses.

It is also a springtime celebration, provoking a flurry of cleaning in the

traditional Jewish home as the mother removes all trace of leaven and

prepares for the Seder, the ritual Passover meal.Passover includes the weeklong Feast of Unleavened Bread when

particular foods are prohibited while other symbolic foods are eaten.

The Hagaddah, a collection of scripture readings, prayers, rabbinical

commentaries, songs and poetry is the guide for the Seder and sets the

tone for the entire eight days.The Feast of First Fruits, which occurs during Passover, was a feast of

thanksgiving in biblical times for the first grain of the season.


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Hebrew Catholic Liturgical YearPassover

With its direct association with Easter, Passover is a very special holiday

in the Hebrew Catholic family.

It is also a time of spring cleaning, a culmination of our Lenten

purifications.

We can invite guests to our seders so they can see for themselves the

origins of the Mass.

Our family prefers to use a traditional Jewish Hagaddah for the Seder,commenting frequently on the significance of many of the prayers and

Messianic symbols and prophecies.

We enjoy preparing the special foods: charoseth, bitter herbs, roasted

eggs, etc.

We made our own Matzoh Tash with three compartments for the threematzohs used during the Seder, a clear symbol of the Trinity.

And we have plenty of matzoh, matzoh brei (fried matzoh), knoedlech

(matzoh balls) and sponge cake (with matzoh flour).

Recipes are available in any Jewish cookbook.


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Shavuoth

June 13-14, 2005The Feast of Weeks, occurring fifty days after

Passover, commemorates two things:

thanksgiving for the grain harvest

and for the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai.Coming seven weeks from the second day of Pesach

(First Fruits), Shavuoth is a time for reading the

Book of Ruth, for eating dairy foods and fresh

bread.In the Old Testament, the priests offered two loaves

made from the newly harvested grain.


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Shavuoth

It was on Shavuoth that the Holy Spirit fell on theApostles and the Church was born, the Christian

feast of Pentecost.

For Catholics this is a glorious time to celebrate the

establishment of the Church and the presence ofthe Holy Spirit in our lives.

A meal of potato or cheese blintzes, lighting candles

and singing songs such as "Come, Holy Ghost" are

appropriate and joyful ways to mark this feast.


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Hebrew Catholic Liturgical YearHanukkah

December 26January 2, 2005The Feast of Lights or the Feast of Dedication marksthe victory of Judah of Maccabee over the Syrian

and Greek armies of 167 B.C.The story of the profanation of the Temple and its

subsequent cleansing and rededication is retold,with particular emphasis on the miracle of the oil.

In restoring the Temple, Judah needed pure olive oilfor the "eternal light" which burned continuously.

He was unable to find enough oil for more than oneday's burning; however, the lamp continued to

burn for eight days until more oil could beobtained.


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Hanukkah

In Jewish homes, candles set in a special menorahare lit for the eight days of Hanukkah:

one on the first night, two on the second and so on

until eight lights are glowing on the last night.

Celebrations include singing songs, spinning topscalled dreidels, and playing games. Foods fried in

oil, commonly potato pancakes for Jews of

European descent, are traditionally served.


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Hebrew Catholic Liturgical YearHanukkah

Hanukkah is one of our favorite celebrations.We send homemade cards and gifts to Jewish friendsand relatives.

We light the Hanukkah candles - each child takingturns during the eight nights - and sing:

On this night, Let us light,One (or two or three...) little candle fire.

'Tis a sight, Oh so bright,One little candle fire.

We invite friends for potato pancakes and retell theexciting story of Judah Maccabee's victory.

The boys especially like dressing up as warriors.


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Hebrew Catholic Liturgical YearSabbath

If anything has distinguished the Jew from the gentile for

centuries it has been his dedication to the Sabbath ascommanded by God in Exodus 20 (one of the Ten

Commandments).In various cultures and times, the ways of keeping the Sabbath varied in

detail but not in essence.

It is a day of resting from labor and honoring God.All housecleaning and meal preparation are done before sundown of

Sabbath eve (Friday night) at which time the woman of the homechants the centuries old Sabbath prayers before flickering candles.

The meal begins with blessings over wine and bread (challah, a rich eggdough) and continues as a feast to conclude the ordinary work week.

The Sabbath is the soul of the Jew for it is a foretaste of theEternal Sabbath each child of God longs to spend with the

Creator.The Sabbath is called the Queen who helps prepare the Jews

for their King and His heavenly Kingdom.


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Hebrew Catholic Liturgical YearSabbath

As Hebrew Catholics we observe the Sabbath on the Lord's

Day, Sunday.On Saturday evening, I light the Sabbath candles as I remember mymother doing. My head covered and my hands over my eyes, I recitethe blessing, adding a prayer of thanksgiving for Yeshua, the Light

who has come into the world.A prayer over the wine is invoked. The one cup is held by a guest at the

table who gives thanks for a particular blessing received that week.After sipping from the cup, he passes it to the next guest and the ritual

is repeated around the table.A prayer over the bread is next. The bread is broken, passed around and

eaten.

The Sabbath celebration is a simple yet effective way tobridge the Old Testament with the New Testament.Our children can clearly see, week after week, that

Christianity is rooted in Judaism and it is the same Godwho commands, forgives and blesses.


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The Catholic Liturgical Year

The Catholic "liturgical year" is made special

by celebrationscommemorating the lives of

Jesus and His mother,

the angels,

and the legion of Saints

who lived their faith.


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Below are 25 Feasts and times, in chronological order,

that demonstrate how the liturgical year is a reliving of the

life of Christ:

Advent He is coming

Nativity He comes

Circumcision He follows Old Testament Law

Epiphany He reveals Himself as God

Holy Family He grows up in a human family

Candlemas Simeon's prophecy

Septuagesima We are in exile without Christ

Ash Wed. Without Christ, we are dust

Lent Christ is in the Desert

Passion Sun. Jews make plans to kill Jesus

7 Sorrows Mary's suffers at what is to comePalm Sun. He triumphantly enters Jerusalem

Spy Wed. Jesus is betrayed by Judas

Maundy Thu. He offers the first Holy Mass

Good Friday He is put to death and fulfills Old

Testament Law

Holy Sa. He is in the tomb

Easter He is risen

Ascension He ascends into Heaven

Pentecost He sends the Holy Ghost

Trinity Sun. The Most Holy Trinity has been

fully revealed

Assumption Mary is assumed into Heaven

& crowned Queen

Christ the King We recognize Christ's Kingship

now and forever

All Saints We will triumph as have ourheroic Saints

All Souls We pray for those who are

awaiting their triumph

Last Sun. in Time Apocalypse. He will come

after Pentecost to judge the world.


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Every single year, aware Catholics "re-live" the

Gospel, from Christ's Incarnation and Birth to His

Ascension and Heavenly reign. In Spring He enters the world by coming to rest in Mary's immaculate

womb

Nine months later, in Winter, He is born, circumcized, and given a

Name.

He is raised in the Holy Family, and meets His cousin, John. He goes into the Desert and we go with Him during our Lenten

Season.

Then follow His Passion and Agony, which are soon vanquished by

His Resurrection, His Ascension, and the Pentecost.

Now He reigns forever, and we await His Second Coming as weprepare to celebrate again His First Coming.

The cycle begins again, like a wheel that's been

spinning for two millenia.


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The Catholic who is aware of this wheel is

necessarily aware of Christ

The Catholic who also celebrates the Feasts well andpractices the traditions of the Church livesintimately with Him.

All of the Church's Feasts fall into

one of the 2 main "liturgical cycles"

made of 7 "liturgical seasons."

Each of the Seasons has an associated mood,

its own "feeling in the air,"

its own scents and ornaments.

There is even for each Season an associated color which will be reflectedin the priests' vestments and liturgical art, church decoration, and so on

(though on certain Holy Days within a particular season, that Day's colorwill take precedence over the season's color).


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There is a definite rhythm to Catholic lifeA rhythm expressed well in this poem by Robert Herrick

(1591-1674):

Ceremonies for Candlemas EveDown with the rosemary and bays,

Down with the misletoe;Instead of holly, now up-raiseThe greener box (for show).

The holly hitherto did sway;Let box now domineer

Until the dancing Easter day,

Or Easter's eve appear.

Then youthful box which now hath graceYour houses to renew;

Grown old, surrender must his placeUnto the crisped yew.

When yew is out, then birch comes in,And many flowers beside;

Both of a fresh and fragrant kinTo honor Whitsuntide.

Green rushes, then, and sweetest bents,With cooler oaken boughs,

Come in for comely ornamentsTo re-adorn the house.

Thus times do shift; each thing his turn does hold;New things succeed, as former things grow old.


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Here's an overview of the two liturgical cycles and

their seven seasons -- those times that "do shift".

Cycle I: The Christmas CycleSeason 1: Advent

The liturgical year begins with this season, which lasts

from the first Sunday of Advent ("Advent Sunday") to

sundown on 24 December.

The word "Advent" comes from the Latin "advenire"

which means "arrival" and is our awaiting the arrival of

Christ's birth at Christ's Mass (Christmas) and His Second

Coming.

Its mood is one of somber, penitential expectation.

Its color is violet. (22 - 28 calendar days)


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Cycle I: The Christmas Cycle

Season 2: Christmastide This season lasts from sundown on 24 December to 13

January.

It's the celebration of Christ's Incarnation, the mood is of

humble, grateful, joyous celebration.

Its color is white 19 days).

Season 3: Time After Epiphany This season lasts from 14 January to the vigil of

Septuagesima Sunday (the ninth Sunday before Easter,

which is the same as 3 Sundays before Ash Wednesday).

Its season's focus is Jesus' manifestation of Himself as Godduring His public ministry.

Its color is green (4 - 38 calendar days).


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Cycle 2: The Easter Cycle

Season 4: Septuagesima

This Season lasts from Septuagesima Sunday toShrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday).

Its name means "Seventy," and recalls the

Babylonian Exile.

It is a time of preparation for Lent (16 calendardays).


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Cycle 2: The Easter CycleSeason 5: Lent (Quadragesima)

This season, also called "Quadraegesima," meaning

"Forty," is a somber, penitential Season lasting from AshWednesday to the Thursday before Easter. (46 calendardays) Per the everyday calendar, Lent lasts 40 days + the six Sundays, but the

Sundays aren't counted as "Lent" because Sundays are always about theResurrection and are joyous.

It recalls Christ's 40 days in the desert, and the Israelites'wandering in the desert for 40 years.

"Passiontide" is the last two weeks of Lent, from PassionSunday (the 5th Sunday of Lent) the day before Palm

Sunday, The second week of Passiontide is called "Holy Week." The last three days of Holy Week -- i.e., Maundy

Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday -- are calledthe Sacred Triduum.

Its color is violet.


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Cycle 2: The Easter CycleSeason 6: Paschaltide (Eastertide)

The Easter season lasts from the EasterVigil to the day before Trinity Sunday (theSunday after Pentecost). (56 calendar days,not counting Easter Vigil)

Because it contains the two greatest Feastsof the Church -- Easter Sunday andPentecost -- the mood is joyous and

victorious. Its color is white.


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Cycle 2: The Easter Cycle

Season 7: Time After Pentecost

This season lasts from Trinity Sunday to theday before Advent Sunday.

This Season's focus is the Holy Spirit in the

Millennium, the Church Age that we nowlive in, and Christ's Reign as King of Kings

-- the time between the Age of the Apostles

and the Age to Come.

Its color is green.


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The Proper of Saints(also called the Sanctoral cycle)

The Proper of Saints are Feast Days which are notmovable, that is, they fall on the same date each

year.Proper of Seasons(also called the Temporal cycle).

The Proper of Seasons are those Sundays and otherFeasts of the year, whose dates of celebration

depend on the dates of Easter Sunday and AdventSunday and are, therefore, movable

(they change each year).

"Overlaid" on this grid of Seasons are two setsof dates:


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Imagine a regular, standard, everyday calendar

Mentally overlay on that the Proper of the Saints,filling in each day of the regular calendar with the

names of the Feasts for each day,

the dates of which don't change -- e.g.,

January 21 will always be the Feast of St. Agnes,

February 3 will always be the Feast of St. Blaise,

etc.

Then determine the dates of the Proper of Seasons

and overlay that on top of the Proper of Saints.

In other words, to imagine the liturgical year:


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Mark the Season of Easter:

First, we determine the date of Easter,which will be the first Sunday afterthe first full moon on or

after March 21

(even if the full moon on or after March 21 falls on a Sunday,

go to the Sunday after).The Vigil of this Feast marks the beginning of Eastertide.

Mark the Season of Time after Pentecost:Counting Easter as "one," count 9 Sundays forward from

Easter and mark that Sunday as the beginning of Time

After Pentecost.

A Sunday of this Season is referred to as "(First, Second,

Third, etc). Sunday after Pentecost."

To determine the dates of the Proper of Seasons:


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Mark the Season of Septuagesima:Counting Easter as "one," count 10 Sundays back from

Easter and mark that day as the beginning of

Septuagesima. The three Sundays of this Season are

referred to, respectively, as Septuagesima Sunday,

Sexagesima Sunday, and Quinquagesima Sunday.

Mark the Season of Lent:Counting Septuagesima Sunday as "one," count 3 Sundays

forward from Septuagesima Sunday, then go to the

following Wednesday and mark that Wednesday as "Ash

Wednesday," the beginning of Lent. A Sunday in thisSeason is referred to as "(First, Second, Third, etc). Sunday

of Lent."



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Mark the Season of Advent:Then, starting with the date of Christmas (always December 25), we

count back 4 Sundays to mark Advent Sunday (if Christmas is aSunday, don't count it; count back 4 entire Sundays so that there are 4

Sundays in Advent). This date marks the beginning of Advent. ASunday in this Season is referred to as "(First, Second, Third, etc.)

Sunday of Advent."

Mark the Season of Christmas:Mark the Vigil of December 25 as the beginning of Christmastide

Mark the Season of Time after Epiphany:Mark January 14 as the beginning of Time After Epiphany. A Sunday

of this Season is referred to as "(Second, Third, etc.) Sunday afterEpiphany." Note, the first Sunday of this Season is the "SecondSunday

after Epiphany," the "after Epiphany" referring to the Feast of theEpiphany, not to the Season.

Then refer to the Temporal Cycle page to fill in any movable Feastswhose dates depend on the date of Easter or Advent Sunday as

determined above.



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The only things left to do are:

to mark the "Octaves":Octaves are 8-day periods of observance,

beginning with the Feast day itself.

Not all Feasts have "Octaves"; only the most

important ones do.So, starting with the Feast Day itself, counting it as

"one," mark 8 days of the following Feasts as

"Octaves":

Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost.Then mark the octave before ChristmasEve as

"The Golden Nights."



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The only things left to do are:to mark Ember Days:

o the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after theThird Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday) are the

days of Advent Embertideo the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the

First Sunday of Lent are known as LentenEmbertide

o the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday afterPentecost Sunday make up Whit Embertide

o the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after theFeast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (14

September). Note that these Ember Days mustcome a full week after the Holy Cross Day.



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Now, each of the Sundays of a Season has its own

"Propers" -- prayers that are specific to that day inthe liturgy (the Divine Office and the Mass).

Each of the Feasts in the Proper of Saints will also

have its own Propers.

So, because the Feasts in the Proper of Saints and theProper of the Seasons can sometime overlap with

two Feasts falling on the same day, all Feasts are

ranked according to their importance.

The higher ranking Feast will be the one celebrated.



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Feasts fall into one of a few categories, indescending order of precedence 1:

1st Class2nd Class3rd Class

Commemoration

When two Feasts of the same rank fall on the sameday, they are ranked further by whether they relate

to (in descending order of preference):Our LordOur Lady

the Holy Angels

St. John the Baptist, St. Joseph, St. Peter, St. Paul, the other ApostlesMartyrs

Other Saints

http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/


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In addition to each Sunday, there are a handful ofHoly Days of Obligation on which we must attend

Mass.These Holy Days differ from country to country:

CircumcisionAscension

AssumptionAll Saints

Immaculate ConceptionChristmas

EpiphanyCorpus Christi

SS Peter & Paul

Holy Days of Obligation


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the family's Name Days"the First Friday of each month for devotions

to the Sacred Heart

the First Saturday of each month for devotions

to the Immaculate Heart

the anniversaries of loved ones' deaths so we

remember to have Masses said for them,

and light candles, fast, and pray for them

Other days a family might want to mark on their

home calendars are:

Documents

Hebrew Catholic Liturgical Year