The Observance of Liturgical Seasons with Adjectives
In the last four years, I have written and published here at The Reimagine Forum these three articles which pertain to the observance of Advent:
The Penitential Psalms, Advent, and Lent
Some Ideas for the Observance of Advent
The O Antiphons and the Observance of Advent
While thinking about how I might observe Advent this year, I thought of a way by which one can observe not only that liturgical season, but all the liturgical seasons.
That way is with adjectives. More specifically: by thinking about how one or more adjectives apply to the aspects of the biblical events which are directly related to a liturgical season.
To do this in a methodical and disciplined manner, I suggest one choose the quantity of adjectives and the number of days with which one would like to think about each of them throughout the season. For example: one adjective for a whole season, one adjective for every week of a season, or one adjective for every day of a season.
Here are some ideas for how one might employ this idea:
1. Focus on a set of adjectives which are related to traditional themes of a liturgical season. For example, many churches consider Advent to have these four themes, each of which receives special attention on one of the four Sundays of that season: hope, love, joy, and peace. Thus every day of the first week of Advent, one might think about the hopeful aspects of both advents of the Lord Jesus Christ (His first advent being His coming in humility in the past and His second advent being His return in glory in the future). Likewise, with every day of the second week of Advent, one might think about the loving aspects of both of them, with every day of the third week one might think of the joyful aspects of both of them, and with every day of the fourth week one might think about the peaceful aspects of both of them.
2. Focus on a pair of adjectives which are opposites, such as "ordinary" and "extraordinary". For example, every day of Christmastide, one might think about an aspect of the Nativity which is ordinary and an aspect of it which is extraordinary. In some cases, both adjectives are applicable to the same aspect. For example: the manger in which Jesus lay was an ordinary manger, but it was also an extraordinary manger because Jesus lay in it.
3. Focus on a set of adjectives which describe God. For example, these seven: holy, good, merciful, gracious, righteous, faithful, and glorious. Thus over a period of seven days or seven weeks one might think about how those adjectives apply to aspects of the biblical events which are directly related to the liturgical season. For example, on the first day of Holy Week one would think about the applicability of the adjective "holy" to the Passion of Christ, on the second day one would think about the applicability of the adjective "good", on the third day one would think about the applicability of the word "merciful", and so on. (Among the passages of the Bible which mention divine attributes are Exodus 15:11 and 34:6–7, Psalms 86:15, 103:8, and 145:6–9, and I Timothy 1:17. One can derive divine attributes from the description of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22–23.)
I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
—Psalm 143:5 (AV/KJV)
Questions for consideration
1. What do you think about the observance of liturgical seasons?
2. What do you think about the idea of the observance of liturgical seasons with adjectives?
3. Would you like to observe a liturgical season with adjectives? If so, why? If not, why not?
4. If you would like to observe a liturgical season with adjectives, how would you like to do this?
5. What are some other spiritual disciplines one could perform with adjectives?
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My thanks Salvatore.
I know this can be helpful personally as well as corporatley with small or large groups.
Biblical. Practical. Spiritual.
Phil