An Invitation To A Journey

I've been fascinated by the Christian Calendar for years. As a child, my family celebrated Thanksgiving, Advent, and Holy Week in ways that spoke of something much deeper than palm branches, Easter bunnies, presents, and turkey dinners. These were times of family closeness, rich traditions, serious contemplation, engaging with Jesus Himself, and opening our home to others in our community.

In high school, I was introduced to Lent through a friend. The idea of giving up something for 40 days in recognition of Christ’s self-deprivation in the desert somehow clicked with me. Since my family had always celebrated Advent, it seemed appropriate to have a corollary for Easter. In the past 15 years, Lent has been as superficial as giving up chocolate or caffeine to truly using the time to clean the clutter and sin out of my life.

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But it wasn't until college that I learnt that these seasons and holidays were part of something much deeper, much more intricate, and much more all-encompassing. I had gotten little bits and pieces of a story that had originally flowed throughout the entire year and, much more importantly, throughout two millennia of Christianity. I say that I had gotten bits and pieces of a story, but this isn't correct at all: The Story is the same one I knew well, that I had been taught since before I was born; what I had gotten little bits and pieces of was the experience of that Story, the annual journey to retell it through the seasons. The Christian Calendar aims to tell the same Story as what I heard from my parents and Sunday School teachers, read in my Bible and literature, and that I myself have taught to others. Indeed, if it tells a different story, it isn't worth telling at all.

Yet it seeks to tell the Story in a different way: participants in the Christian Calendar actually arrange their lives in a way so as to experience the Story. The observer of the Christian Calendar lives the Story. The Calendar dictates when we are festive and when we are sombre. It dictates what times of the year we should “go on holiday” from our labour (indeed, when we must do so!), what types of foods we should and should not eat, what types of music we should listen to, what types of decorations to have in our homes, and even what types of prayers we should pray.

Whenever the subject of sombre days or religious tradition dictating how we do or don’t do a particular thing arises, there are always concerns over legalism. Aren't we doing these activities to earn God’s grace? Aren't we doing them to show people that we are “better”, somehow more religious? Is it even possible that we actually have no reason at all to do them? The answer can be “yes”, and, if it is, the Christian Calendar is no more Christian than the Latin Saturnalia. It is, at best, a harmless social and cultural style of life. At worst, it is legalism or idolatry.

But the answer does not have to be “yes”. Christian traditions, whatever they are, offer a significant potential benefit: the chance to experience. We can turn any Christian discipline or tradition into legalism or social and cultural elements: prayer, Scripture reading, church attendance... But they can also be a way of truly engaging with God. So, too, can we experience the Christian Story through the Christian Calendar. And perhaps, perhaps mind you, we might just meet God along the way.

We do not live the Christian Calendar in order to earn favour with God; we do it in order to better understand the favour we have already received. We do it in order to proclaim the old, old Story to those parts of ourselves that typically don’t experience It through secular living and cannot experience it through simply hearing the words. We ask our bodies, our emotions, and our minds to come along on the Journey so that that they may learn to love the Lord our God with their entirety. 

The Calendar isn't for everyone, nor am I convinced yet that it is for every year. I've lived sections of the Story for many, many years now without truly following the entirety of it. I've thought seriously about doing what I’m now attempting to do for at least three years. This Journey may not be for you, and that doesn't make you any less Christian.

So what exactly are you invited to?

I have decided to try to follow the Christian calendar intensely throughout this next year and blog my experience. You are invited to any level of engagement you believe would benefit you. Live the journey along with me, follow my journey to (hopefully) inspire you, read my blog posts as a sort of devotional, simply check in every once in awhile, or just pray that God will grant me the endurance to persevere. However much you decide to be involved, I'm in it for the long haul, and plan to post at least three times a week throughout the coming Year.

The Year doesn't officially start until 1 December this year. I will, however, be beginning a prefatory period on Stir-Up Sunday (24 November) which will, happily, include American Thanksgiving (28 November). Any posts between now and 24 November will be designed to answer questions about the Calendar or clarify my intentions for blogging.

Feel free to post your comments below or contact me privately if you have any questions or thoughts about this project.

Welcome and Bon Voyage!