Our Liturgical Colours tell what Season it is.

The Catholic Church uses different colors for the various seasons and occasions during the Liturgical year. You will notice these colors on the priests’ vestments, the covers of the books, decorations in the church, etc. All of the colors have different meanings.

GREEN is the default color and represents nature and life. It is used for Ordinary Time, the Sundays between Epiphany and Lent (roughly January to March) and the Sundays after Trinity (roughly May/June to October/November). These two seasons are also called ‘Ordinary Time’ because the Sundays have no names, just ordinal numbers, like The 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

RED is the color of blood, and therefore is used for the feasts of saints who are martyrs (those who have died for the faith). It is also used on Palm Sunday when we remember...and read...the Passion of the Lord. Because it is also the color of fire and, therefore, the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:3), red is used for Pentecost Sunday and for priests’ ordinations and installations. 

In antiquity, purple dye was very expensive, so purple came to signify wealth, power, and royalty. Therefore PURPLE is the color for the seasons of Advent and Lent, which celebrate the coming of the King. Since, as Christians, we prepare for our King through reflection and repentance, purple also represents penance and humilty. The priest also wears a purple (violet)stole when hearing confessions.

Angels announced Jesus’ birth and His Resurrection, and the New Testament consistently uses white to describe angels and the risen Lord. Therefore, WHITE is the color for the seasons of Easter and Christmas. It represents light, innocence, purity, joy, triumph, and glory. White is used for funerals, since it is the color of the Resurrection, for weddings, regardless of the season, and for secular holidays that are observed in the church. It is also used for feasts of saints who are not martyrs.

GOLD vestments are often worn on solemnities in lieu of white as a sign of joy and great celebration, as at Christmas and Easter. 

ROSE represents joy, and is always used on Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent), and Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent). This is the Church’s way of further heightening our expectation as we draw ever nearer the Solemnities of Christmas and Easter.

Take notice of the colors used on any given Sunday. As you can see, there is special meaning and significance!

Why We Do What We Do

The vestments worn by our priests are not only beautiful and decorative—they have significant meaning. 

Alb - The alb is the long white, robe-like vestment worn by all clerics at liturgical celebrations. White is the symbol of purity and the term alb, from the Latin word albe, means white. It can be traced to the Roman alb worn under a cloak or tunic. The priest prays: “Purify me, O Lord, and cleanse my heart, that being made white in the Blood of the Lamb, I may come to eternal joy.”

Stole - The stole symbolizes the clerical office, immortality, and the Yoke of Christ. This, matching the liturgical color, is a long, scarf-like vestment worn over the alb and under the chasuble. This is presented at Ordination when made a Deacon and worn diagonally across the body. When ordained Priest, the stole is ceremonially untied and from then on worn hanging equally down the chest. (A Bishop wears the stole in the same way because he never ceases to be a priest.) The origins of the stole are the towels that slaves wore around their necks. When bending down, or kneeling, they would use the towel to wipe the feet of guests or their masters. Jesus wore a towel around his waist and washed the feet of the disciples at the Last Supper. The stole is seen as a symbol that the cleric is to serve the people of God. When putting on the stole, the priest kisses the Cross on the stole 

Chasuble - The chasuble symbolizes charity and the Yoke of Christ. This matches the liturgical color and is a long, often ornate, sleeveless poncho-like garment worn by priests and bishops over the alb and stole during the sacrifice of the Mass.

In future articles we will look at the meaning of the different colors of the vestments and church decorations.

Why We Do What We Do

Ten Signs from the Sign of the Cross

This Sunday we celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Here are ten ways the sign of the cross is a sign of  God’s presence in our lives:

1. It begins our prayers with prayer. The sign of the  cross is itself a prayer, lifting us up to God and reminding us that God is always present.

2. It renews our baptism. We use the same words that made us members of the Body of Christ, the Church.

3. It affirms the Holy Trinity. Naming God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit places us in the mystery of the Triune God.

4. It grants us the power of God’s name. Scripture continually reminds us of the power that God’s name holds for our daily living.

5. It recalls the passion of Christ. We remember Christ’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection to the new life that has been given to us.

6. It reminds us that we are disciples. As Jesus himself taught-in order to follow him-we must take up the cross daily.

7. It signs us with Christ. Signs and symbols are ways we make divine realities truly present in our lives; so too with the cross.

8. It commits our whole being. We give our mind (Father), heart (Son), and daily labors (Holy Spirit) to God.

9. It witnesses. At times like Mass or other community prayers, at mealtime, and elsewhere, we show our faith publicly.

10. It concludes our prayers. The name of the Trinity and our “Amen” seal our prayers.

What is the difference between a cross and a crucifix?

a) They are two terms for the same thing.

b) A crucifix has an image of Christ’s body on it; crosses do not.

c) Crucifixes are found only on rosaries.

d) (b) and (c)

Answer: (b) The official rites of the church rarely use the term “crucifix” but will instead use “cross adorned with a figure of Christ crucified” or some other phrase based on “cross.”

A Walk Through the Mass

For the next several months I would like to use the blog and each week take one part—one moment—of our weekend Mass and ‘break it open.’ Did you ever wonder why we sign our forehead, lips, and heart with the Sign of the Cross before the Gospel Reading? Or why we bring the bread and wine up the center aisle during the collection? Why not just put it on the altar from the beginning? We will also address some questions about the ‘mechanics’ of the mass. 

For example, ‘Where do all the hosts come from? Do we buy them? Do we make them? What about the wine? The palms for Palm Sunday? Why do we use different colors for different seasons, and what do they mean? The mass is a beautiful celebration, rich with tradition, art, symbols, sacred texts, and meaningful rituals (rites). A deeper understanding of ‘why we do what we do’ will hopefully enhance our own participation in the Mass. Look for it here beginning next week!