Some other important celebrations

The season of Trinity lasts almost until the end of the Church’s Year, but during that time there are some important celebrations:

All Souls’ Day

On November 2nd is All Souls’ Day when we pray for the souls of all those who are waiting in Purgatory until they are fit to go to Heaven.  But all of us whether on earth or in Purgatory or in Heaven, we all belong to the great Church of God, and in prayer and Sacrament we have fellowship or communion with one another.  We speak of this as the Communion of Saints.

Christ the King

Then we come to the four Sundays before Advent and on the last Sunday in the Church’s Year (the Sunday before Advent) we keep the Festival of Christ the King.  On this day we celebrate the Kingship of Christ and we own him as our Lord.  Jesus himself made it very clear that his rule is not the oppressive one of a tyrant.  On the contrary, he is the Servant King who “came not to be served but to serve…” (NRSV, Mark 10:45) and to die to free us from our sins.  On Maundy Thursday, he showed this in a very practical way by washing his disciples’ feet, a role normally performed by a servant. 

Advent

So we reach the end of the Church’s Year.  Soon another Advent comes round again and we think of how the Jewish people prepared for the coming of Jesus.  At the same time we look ahead and get ourselves ready for that day when Jesus will come again at the end of the world to judge the living and the dead.

Then evil people who do not love God and do not want him will remain in Hell, but all those who really love God will live with him for ever in Heaven, as God meant all human beings to do when he made the world.