Maundy Thursday. I drifted lazily on my Southern Baptist roots well into adulthood having never heard the phrase. My childhood neighbors were mostly of the same ilk, giving great reverence to Easter Sunday but skipping right past all other Passion Week observances. To this day I don’t even recall Maundy Thursday being mentioned in casual … Continue reading A Baptist’s Reflections on Maundy Thursday
Palm Sunday is one of the rare days in the Church Calendar when most churches, regardless of the denomination, manage to get in the spirit of things (at least in my limited Catholic-Presbyterian-Anglican experience). Who doesn’t love a good parade of children waving palm fronds at the beginning of a service? Even Baptists can get … Continue reading Palm Sunday: The Return of the King
In America, we are familiar with celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in January. Set aside on the Monday that falls near his birthday (January 15), most of us enjoy a day off without giving a second thought to the reason for the commemoration. In the Anglican tradition (and the … Continue reading Commemorating the Life and Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Lent is a sober season within the Christian calendar. As we progress through Lent, we inch closer to celebrating Easter. However, celebrations don’t have to wait until Easter, as there are feasts and occasions we can honor in the meantime. One such occasion is the Feast of the Annunciation, which we typically celebrate every year … Continue reading The Feast Day of the Annunciation
Today is the Feat Day of Saint Joseph, husband of Mary and earthly father of Jesus our Lord. In Saint Joseph we have an impeccable model of biblical manhood, and a man worthy of more of our admiration and attention. Joseph was a man who listened to the voice of God above all else and … Continue reading The Feast Day of St. Joseph
Saint Patrick’s Day has been impressed in the public consciousness as a day that evokes the imagery of leprechauns, rainbows with pots of gold at the end, and the shamrock. It is also known for traditions such as dressing in green, parades, and drinking a pint of Guinness. Yet with the commercialization of this holiday, … Continue reading The Feast Day of St. Patrick
This week begins the most solemn fast of the Christian liturgical calendar known throughout the world as Lent. Growing up in a non-liturgical tradition, I did not observe the Lenten season. It was not until I was older that I was exposed to the broader celebration of Lent. Even then, I didn’t observe it in … Continue reading What is Lent and Why it Matters?
February 24 marks the feast day of Saint Matthias the Apostle for Anglicans (his feast day is celebrated on May 14 in Roman Catholicism and on August 9 in Eastern Orthodoxy). Saint Matthias is unique in church history in that he is the first apostle admitted to the College of Apostles by election (casting lots) … Continue reading The Feast Day of St. Matthias the Apostle
February 21 marks the ecumenical commemoration day for Rev. Billy Graham, the world renowned evangelist and preacher. This date marks the day that Rev. Graham died in 2018. Billy was the son of a prosperous North Carolina dairy farmer. His future steered away from the family vocation when, at the tender age of 16, he … Continue reading Commemorating the Life and Legacy of Billy Graham
The church calendar and secular society acknowledge February 14 as St. Valentine’s Day. Much of its historical origins are patchy. There are a few saints named Saint Valentine who lived in the Roman Empire during the third century A.D. and became martyrs. One Saint Valentine was imprisoned and martyred by Emperor Claudius II for rebelling … Continue reading The Feast Day of St. Valentine
Today is the Feast Day of the Confession of St. Peter the Apostle. Saint Peter was one of the first disciples Jesus Christ called to follow him (Matt. 4:18-20; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11; John 1:40-42). He worked as a fisherman in the Sea of Galilee with his brother Andrew. Jesus called him to follow him … Continue reading The Feast Day of the Confession of St. Peter the Apostle
Growing up in a non-liturgical context, I had never heard of the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Even though there is a small reference to the event in the Gospels, the day serves as a reminder to us of God’s love and justice. The Feast Day of the Holy Innocents, commemorated on December 28th, honors the … Continue reading The Feast Day of The Holy Innocents
