A Good Catholic Calendar and the Spiritual life!

Greetings,

After Mass a couple of weeks ago I announced that we had Catholic calendars free at all the entrances.  I then mentioned why a good Catholic calendar is very important for our spiritual life.  Someone asked me to repeat my reasons:

1.  All Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation are in RED on the Calendar.  You will never miss a holy day if you have a Catholic Calendar.   Did you ever wonder why important days were called:  "Red Letter Dates"?  It is because of Catholic calendars have always had holy days and Sundays in Red.

2.  Violet is a penitential color.  All Fridays, the number of the date is written in violet.  This is because Jesus Christ offered himself in Sacrifice on the Cross for our salvation on a Friday.  Every Friday should be a day of penance.   Every Friday All Catholics should Abstain from meat OR do some other act of penance to remember what Christ did for us on this day.

This is part of the Catholic rhythme of life:   Every Friday we commemorate the crucifixion, and every Sunday we celebrate the Resurrection.  The paschal mystery is celebrated every week in time(Death and Resurrection).  Every Friday is a little 'Good Friday', and every Sunday is a little Easter.

3.  A good Catholic Calendar tells us which Liturgical Season we are in:  Advent, Christmas, Lent, Triidum, Easter, or Ordinary Time.  It even says what week we are in each season.  Our spiritual life should be different in Advent than in Christmas.  The seasons should effect our prayer and our devotions.

4.  A good Catholic Calendar tells us about Fast and Abstinance days.  There are certain days that Catholics are REQUIRED to fast or abstain from meat.  Days of abstinence are normally marked with a picture of an outline of a fish on the calendar.  Actually this does NOT mean that we must eat fish, but rather that we cannot eat meat.  Fast days have a solid fish so that you know when you are required to fast.  Fast and abstinence are very important parts of Catholic Spirituality.

5.  Catholic Calendars also mark 'First Fridays'.   Many people go to Mass on First Fridays of the month in addition to Sundays.  This is a spiritual practice connected to the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Part of the devotion is to go to mass for 9 First Fridays in a row and receive communion.

6.  Catholic Calendars also mark the saint day.  Many days of the Catholic Calendar are dedicated to specific saints.   We celebrate saints in order to celebrate what the POWER of God's grace is able to acheive in a human being.  God's grace is so powerful that it can change us.   We also know the saints so they can be examples of holiness and heroic virtue.  We look to the saints as examples.   We can also ask saints to pray for us.  If they are in heaven, then they can pray for us and our needs.

I would encourage families to get a good book of saints.   Every night at supper read either the saint of the day OR the gospel of the day from daily Mass.  This is a great addition to family prayer.

7.  Other celebration of Christians mysteries.  There are days that celebrate things such as "The presentation of the Lord in the Temple", or the "Transfiguration".  Through these celebrations we enter more deeply into the mysteries of Jesus Christ.  After a while you will notice patterns.    For example:  The annunciation(when Mary is told that she will bear a child) is March 25, which is exactly 9 months before Christmas.

8.  Most Catholic Calendars also have beautful Catholic Art.  I think All Christian homes should have a crucifix and other Catholic Art in the home.  This is an easy way to at least have some art in the home.

9.  Lastly, it has Mass times for Church.  You will never forget what time Mass is:  Just look at your calendar.

Catholics have what is called:  Liturgical Time.   We live in time in a very specific way.   Catholic Calendars re-inforce this and help us to think and live as Catholics.

Peace