Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, the holiest week of the liturgical year. During Holy Week, we walk with Jesus through his final days before his crucifixion. The tone of this week begins with joy as we remember his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Like the people in the Bible, we wave palm branches…
The Liturgical Home: Laetare Sunday
Amid the seasons of penitence and preparation in the church calendar, Advent and Lent, little gems exist known as Refreshment Sundays. On these days, the penitential tone eases, hence the name. The Refreshment Sundays are Gaudete Sunday, which falls in the middle of Advent, and Laetare Sunday, which falls in the middle of Lent. Refreshment…
The Liturgical Home: Fasting as a Family
Lent is a pilgrimage of the soul, an opportunity to walk closely with the Lord in a path of repentance and renewal. From the ashes of Ash Wednesday to the glory of Easter Sunday, Lent is a beautiful narrative of redemption that echoes the enduring love of God and his unwavering desire to draw us…
The Liturgical Home: Ash Wednesday
The following is adapted from Ashley Tumlin Wallace’s new book with Anglican Compass, The Liturgical Home: Lent, available in paperback and Kindle editions, exclusively through Amazon. As Christians, we believe that the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is the most important thing to ever happen to us (or to the world, for…
The Liturgical Home: The Feast of St. Thomas
On December 21st, as Christmas Day fast approaches, we celebrate one more commemoration of a saint, the Feast of St. Thomas. We often know St. Thomas, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles, as “Doubting Thomas” for questioning Jesus’ resurrection after the other disciples told him about it. Tradition holds that he is the only apostle who…
The Liturgical Home: The Feast of Christ the King
On the last Sunday of the liturgical year, Christians worldwide celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. This relatively recent addition to the Church calendar, established in the 20th century, holds a profound purpose—to acknowledge the dominion of our king, Jesus Christ, over all of creation and every aspect of our lives. We understand the…
The Liturgical Home: All Saints’ Day
Halloween is almost here! I doubt this is news to you. The stores have been filled with hanging witches and zombies for weeks, and nowhere is Halloween on fuller display than in neighborhood yards. Driving through my mom’s neighborhood yesterday, I passed by ghosts hanging from trees and gravestones placed in the grass. There was…
The Liturgical Home: The Feast of St. Simon & St. Jude
As the Feast of St. Simon and St. Jude approaches on October 28th, the Church anticipates a unique celebration that honors not one but two remarkable saints and apostles. The Church commemorates them together due to ancient Christian traditions and writings that suggest their collaboration in spreading the Gospel and a shared martyrdom in distant…
The Liturgical Home: The Feast of St. James of Jerusalem
On October 23rd, Christians worldwide celebrate the Feast of St. James of Jerusalem, also known as James the Just or James, the Brother of the Lord (more on that later). St. James of Jerusalem was a remarkable leader and writer of the early Christian Church. His wisdom, character, and contributions to Christian thought continue to…
The Liturgical Home: The Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist
The Feast of St. Luke, celebrated on October 18th, invites Christians around the world to honor the life and contributions of this beloved saint and evangelist. As the author of one of the four Gospels and the Book of Acts, St. Luke leaves a legacy not only on the Christian calendar but also on the…
