Eternity Today, Vol. 2: On the Liturgical Year: Sunday, Lent, The Three Days, The Easter Season, Ordinary Time

by Martin Connell

According to Dom Gregory Dix, the basic shape of the Christian liturgy has remained the same "ever since thirteen men met for supper in an upper room at Jerusalem" some two thousand years ago. According to Martin Connell, the same cannot be said for the liturgical year. The Triduum, or three days of Easter, only emerged in the fourth century. So, too, did Christmas. Earlier, Epiphany was the birthday of the Savior. Although a pre-Easter fast of variable length was observed since earliest times, the precise Forty Day span only appeared, once again, in the fourth century. And that foundational fourth century also saw the beginnings of the observance of Advent, which actually took centuries to catch on. As Connell demonstrates in this fascinating book, the varieties of Christian observance emerged in local communities stretching from Gaul to India and were often born in the struggles that were define orthodoxy and heresy.


Eternity Today is a vade mecum for anyone who wishes to observe the liturgical year with intelligent devotion. Throughout, Connell aims to recover the theology and spirituality of the Christian year. As an aid to reflection, he incorporates numerous selections of contemporary poetry, thereby demonstrating how secular poets can often hit upon a point that finds its echo in Christian life and ritual.


Eternity The Liturgical Year, Volume 2 covers Sunday, the Triduum, adn teh Fifty Days of Easter

254 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Rick Stuckwisch]

Not flawless, to be sure, and not without its frustrations (mostly due to what I would perceive and describe as a modern Roman Catholic liberalism). Nevertheless, a fairly well done and helpful survey, investigation, and discussion of the origins, development, and significance of the Church Year. The author's treatment of Sunday, Advent, and Lent, in particular, are quite beneficial. He is conversant with the data and the scholarship, and he does a nice job of gathering up a large and sprawling topic into a relatively tight presentation. This book and its companion are comprehensive but not superficial. A bit pricey, but worthwhile for those who are interested in pursuing the topic.