A DOUBLE-SHOT WEEKEND

A DOUBLE-SHOT WEEKEND

 

The Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, published in the Roman Missal which every priest uses to celebrate Mass, states that “Holy Church celebrates the saving work of Christ on prescribed days in the course of the year with sacred remembrance.  Each week, on the day called the Lord’s Day, she commemorates the Resurrection of the Lord, which she also celebrates once a year in the great Paschal Solemnity, together with his blessed Passion.  In fact, throughout the course of the year the Church unfolds the entire mystery of Christ and observes the birthdays of the Saints.” 

 

The mysteries of the life of Christ include his Conception, Birth, Baptism, Transfiguration, Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension into heaven.  All of these are celebrated as either Solemnities or Feasts.  What the Church calls the “birthday of the Saints” is the date of their passing from this world into heaven; they are born unto eternal life.  The rank of a liturgical celebration depends on many considerations, including its history of devotion, its place in the mysteries of Christ, its impact on the Church, etc..  A feast day is ranked a Solemnity, a Feast, an Obligatory Memorial, or an Optional Memorial.  A higher rank takes precedence over a lower rank; for example, if a Memorial falls on a Sunday it gives way to the Solemnity of Sunday. 

 

The most important Solemnities in the Church year are Easter and Christmas.  They each have an Octave of eight days and a season which proceeds them and follows them.  Jesus rose from the dead on the Sunday following the Jewish Passover.  Jews determine the date of Passover every year based on a lunar calendar, which depends on the cycle of the moon phases to determine the length of months, which is not consistent.  Passover is fixed on the 15^th day of the month of Nissan, marked (more or less) by a full moon.   In the year 45 BC the Roman Emperor Julian adopted a more accurate solar calendar for the empire which became known as the Julian calendar.  (Pope Gregory XIII promulgated a better calendar in 1582, which is now named after him).  The early Christians kept the annual celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord around the time of Passover but followed the Julian calendar.  Easter is not celebrated on a specific date like Passover, but always on the Sunday following the spring equinox.  In 2024 it will be celebrated on March 31.

 

Christmas has a fixed date since it commemorates the Nativity of Christ.  It is number two in the rank of Solemnities, and takes precedence over any other celebration, including Sunday.  This year December 25 falls on Monday, which means that Christmas Eve will be celebrated on Sunday beginning at 4 p.m.  The Fourth Sunday of Advent will be celebrated in the vigil Mass of Saturday, December 23 and on Sunday morning, December 24.  It is a holy day of obligation, and all Catholics are obliged to assist at a Mass for Sunday as well as a Mass of Christmas.  Two Masses in two days, or one in the morning and one in the evening.  Here is our parish schedule of Masses:

 

Fourth Sunday of Advent:  Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. and one Mass in the morning of Christmas Eve day at 10:00 a.m.  Please note that we will not celebrate an 8:00 a.m. Mass on that Sunday.

 

Christmas:  Sunday, December 24 at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and

on Monday, December 25 at 10:00 a.m.

 

Here is a curiosity from Canon Law.  The Sunday obligation is fulfilled whenever a Catholic attends any Mass on the vigil or day.  For example, to assist at a funeral Mass or Nuptial Mass on a Sunday would fulfill one’s Lord’s Day obligation.  Therefore, next weekend, if you attend a Christmas Vigil Mass you will fulfill your Sunday obligation even if you do not attend a Fourth Sunday of Advent Mass.  However, you will still be obligated to fulfill your Christmas duty by attending Mass on Christmas Day!