What if this year, you started your year with the Catholic Church?
As a reminder, Holy Mother Church doesn’t begin her new year on January 1. We’re less than a month away from the beginning of Advent, which also marks a new liturgical year for us Catholics. (This year, the First Sunday of Advent, aka “Catholic New Year”, falls on December 1, 2024.)
This is why you may have new hymnals at the beginning of Advent, if your parish uses the annual books with Sunday Mass readings included. Each liturgical year we begin a new cycle of Mass readings, following one of three years – A, B, or C. In our new liturgical year, we’ll be in Year C, during which we’ll largely hear from the Gospel of Luke on Sundays.
The beginning of our liturgical year won’t have a countdown from Times Square, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate! This year, why not have a little Catholic New Year’s Eve celebration on November 30th? It’s a great way to ring in the new year the evening before the season of Advent, a time of preparation and prayer, begins.
Like many do when our calendar flips from December 31 to January 1, you could also make some resolutions for the upcoming liturgical year. Rather than trying to eat healthier or exercise more, think about spiritual goals God is calling you to set for Advent and beyond.
You might also consider choosing a patron saint to guide you through this new liturgical year. If you can’t decide on one, search “Saint Name Generator” and let yourself be surprised. Perhaps you’ll make a great friend of a saint you knew nothing about.
There’s still time to prepare, so take these next few weeks to get ready. I know, preparing for a season of preparation sounds a bit like overkill, but hear me out: if you don’t take time to prepare for Advent, it will quickly pass you by. During this busiest time of the year, we have to be really intentional about slowing down and entering in to the beauty of the liturgical season. I like to get most of my Christmas shopping and gift wrapping done before Advent begins so that I have less on my to-do list and more time for silence and reflection. Don’t let that fourth Advent candle glow before you’ve taken time to ponder and wonder in the glory of Christ’s birth and His second coming.
Let the Holy Family be your guide as we journey towards a new liturgical year. Saint Joseph, the quiet and strong leader and protector. Mother Mary, a model of complete surrender, joy, and hope, even when faced with unexpected circumstances. And baby Jesus, God’s immeasurable love for us sent down from heaven in spite of our weakness and failure.
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