As God's people,
we tell time differently.

Our calendars shape us whether we are aware or not. Students count the days until spring break, vacation, or the weekend. Sports fans cannot wait for the Super Bowl, March Madness, or the World Series. US Citizens celebrate Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. Our calendar shapes our day-to-day and forms an identity. The early church developed the church calendar around the life of Jesus– infusing each season with new significance focused on the work of God in Christ.

In each liturgical season, we are guided to reflect on a different moment in the life of Jesus. The Church Calendar provides us guide more ancient and wise than ourselves. A guide that year over year reminds us that our identity, our practices, and our story should be anchored in the person of Jesus. With each season there is a theme, a tone, a posture, or a practice that we are being invited into.

Ultimately, telling time by the Church calendar gives us a deep appreciation for the now. The Church calendar is ultimately a way of marking time not by our schedule, not by the business of school, not by holidays or vacations, but by the story of Jesus. It is a peculiar practice that puts us out of step with the schedule-oriented philosophy of the moment, beckoning to recognize every season as a gift.