The liturgical
year is the "calendar" of the Church. The Church year begins with the first
Sunday of Advent and concludes with the Feast of Christ the King. The
liturgical year includes the cycle of readings (A, B, or C) that allows us to
reflect on the mysteries of Christ, the Blessed Mother, and the angels and
saints. These readings are used for Mass, the Divine Office, and other forms
of Catholic public worship.

Liturgical Calendar
(2000-2019)

Year	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Sunday Cycle	B	C	A	B	C	A	B	C	A	B
Year	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Sunday Cycle	C	A	B	C	A	B	C	A	B	C

 

On Wednesday, February
25, 2009, we
will enter one of the most important seasons of the church year: the “40 days” of
Lent. The word “Lent” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word lencten, or spring, the
time of year when the days begin to lengthen. Lent itself is always the same
period of time, but its starting date is tied to the movable feast of Easter and
can be as early as February 4 or as late as March 10.



Lent is one of the most important seasons of the church year because it is a
time of penitence, an introspective period during which we take stock of our
lives and our relationships to discover and change what we must to prepare for
Easter and experience the spiritual renewal that comes when we engage in this
type of “making right” activity. So, during Lent we each follow the example of
Jesus by sacrificing our own will to the purpose of God.



Starting on Ash Wednesday, the Lenten season includes 40 weekdays and five
Sundays before Holy Week and the culminating triumph of the Resurrection at
Easter.

Came across some resources to share with you for the Pauline Year...
Pope Benedict 16th declared this the Year of St Paul (cool!).
I tried to share it earlier, but Scribefire messed it up ;).

Some resources for the Pauline Year:
1) Our Sunday Visitor: Deepen your faith during the Year of St Paul.
2) Official Pauline Year Website.
3) Special Indulgences for the Pauline Year

I absolutely love St Paul...he's such a major "goodie" to contemplate!
A few of the things I think of when I think of him is how fiercely zealous he was in pursuing the truth as he thought it was...BUT, he was wrong....and saw that AFTER God, who is TRUTH itself, opened his eyes up....it reminds me about how we need to be sure we are in God's truth and not just using our own minds to "reason up" truth....because we can be sincere, but sincerely wrong! We can have misplaced compassion and be in sin. So, we need to ground ourselves in TRUTH...and there is only one truth...and it has a name: Jesus. The way, the truth, and the light....as soon as St Paul was instantly converted, he was "on his way" which was following God, he was "in the light" and in the Truth....on the real correct path this time. It reminds me also that there is ALWAYS hope for conversion for those we think there is no hope. St Paul would have never guessed he'd be a Christian and also "ST PAUL" at that!! :P Nobody else would have guesses either! But, God gives graces. Somebody obviously was praying for this St Paul. Perhaps they saw he was sincere but sincerely WRONG. ("Behold, I make all things new."--Scripture "Nothing is impossible with God" --Scripture).

We all have those we pray for...for their conversion back to God or just to God for the first time. And, for many we think, we'll pray for them, but I can never imagine THEIR conversion! :P Well, we must never lose hope! That shows a lack of trust in the Divine Mercy. We must always pray and hope and not worry about things that we can't worry about. Conversions lie with the soul and God...we play our part by praying for sinners...for the grace of conversion. God came for sinners and loves all souls. All without exception. St Paul is a shining example that anyone can be converted at any moment, too! Keep the faith! Keep praying!

St Paul also reminds me to "keep on keeping on"....even when I am "in jail"...whatever that form of "jail" may be.....even when I am "locked up"..."bound"....even when I am tired....even when I see I have a lot of "miles ahead"....even when it seems that it's easier to die than to keep up the good fight LOL...we must keep up the good fight....rest will come!.... St Paul felt that way and kept on keeping on for our sakes....for souls. We are God's hands and feet and mouth and touch here on earth....we need to be here as long as He wishes and to be his instruments of love, charity, mercy, forgiveness, hope,etc.

I just love reflecting on St Paul, don't you?!

What a guy! What a saint!

Thank you, St Paul, for your role in the Church history!

Pray for us, St Paul!