Lenten Sundays: why do we do all these things if Sunday is for the Resurrection?

[augustinegirl]

I was talking to someone who really made me think about the liturgical directives for Lent. I’ll start with this premise: we know that the Sundays are not included in the 40 days of Lent because the Resurrection takes primacy on Sundays. We’re still in the liturgical season of Lent, but this allows us to be free from fasting and the like. So…how does this work with really everything else that we do liturgically during Lent?

If the Resurrection takes primacy on Sundays and thus we don’t have to fast on Sunday because the Bridegroom is with us, why do we have certain liturgical practices that seem to contradict this? Is my entire premise flawed? Originally I was thinking about this for music, because a lot of parishes opt out of a closing hymn and cut down on the use of instruments, etc. during Lent, but then I realized I was confused about it beyond that. I know we’re in Lent, but the Sunday Mass stuff is what’s tricky. I guess this would also apply to the omission of the Alleluia (I said it) and the Gloria. Don’t get me wrong, I love these things about Lent and I love that it feels like a time apart with God, but it just seemed very puzzling to me. I understand why we’d have less music and obviously the Alleluia and Gloria omissions in the spirit of Lent, but then how do we explain that Sunday isn’t technically in Lent? It even extends to the purple vestments. I accept these teachings, just wanted to know where it’s outlined or how it works if anyone knew.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

In my family, whenever someone passes away, it’s entirely possible to hear laughter and a lot of noise. Does this mean we aren’t crying and mourning? No. It’s just that there are various ways and degrees to which we express our emotions throughout different parts of the timeline of events. That laughter and noise doesn’t happen during the funeral; it usually happens most at the meals.

To me, that’s the best analogy I can come up with to explain what the Church does liturgically during Lent (and other times, too). Rather than being an on/off switch of joy and sorrow (or celebration/preparation, or insert your own descriptors), the Church is acknowledging and providing for the very human experience of variation in celebration and recognition of the seasons. Sundays of Lent are still Sundays, but not to the celebratory degree as an Easter Sunday would be. Lenten weekdays focus more on penitence than an ordinary time weekday, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t still somewhat penitential in June.

Hope that makes sense and helps… I think it was clearer in my mind before I started writing!

 

[Bookcat]

Sundays are Part of Lent - and Lent is not literally 40 days.

Yes we celebrate the Resurrection on Sunday for it is the Lords Day -but it is still a “Sunday of Lent” so different than other Sundays.

 

[pnewton]

As said, Sundays are still part of Lent and always have been. Opting out of fasting on Sunday is a personal decision, as pretty much all fasting is, and it is not the only day you could choose to opt out.

 

[Red_James]

As others have said, Sundays are part of Lent and the Church does not go on and off with those. Most of the laity that come to Mass on Sunday do not attend weekday Mass, at least in my parish. If the season of Lent went off on a Sunday, then most of the laity would not go through Lent (meaning there would not be any differences inside the church and during the mass indicating that its a time for fasting, prayer, and preparation for the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ). The altar would be decorated, the Gloria would be sung, the Alleluia would be sung. There would be no noticeable differences between Ordinary Time and Lent on a Sunday. Only the people who attended weekday Mass would see a bare altar without any flowers or decorations. Only they would experience the Mass with minimal music. Only they would see the veiled cross (if you parish practices that tradition). The Easter Triduum would not be the same. Singing the Alleluia for the first time in over a few weeks during the Easter Vigil would not be as joyous as it is currently, since we would have only sung it six days ago on Palm Sunday (and all the other Sundays before).

 

[augustinegirl]

I see all of your points and agree, but can this info be found anywhere just out of curiosity? Like the GIRM or something?

 

[Blue_Horizon]

As said, Sundays are still part of Lent and always have been.

Just a very trivial observation…
Between Ash Wednesday and Holy Sat inclusive there are 46 days inclusive.
Now Lent is meant to be 40 days.
Thus the 6 Sundays included in that time are not counted.

I always knew Lautare Sunday did not count, it was only some years ago I worked out that the other Sundays literally did not count in Lent.

A very non rigid, Catholic attitude I thank God for and relax my coffee fast if I have gotten too desperate!

 

[commenter]

I see all of your points and agree, but can this info be found anywhere just out of curiosity? Like the GIRM or something?

This info can be found in the Masses themselves. The crucifixion is referred to in every Sunday Mass, just as the resurrection is part of every Lenten weekday Mass. Sundays are a little different from weekdays during Lent, just a continuation that they are a little different from weekdays throughout the year.

It is hard for most of us to see that distinction, because most of us treat Sunday just as every other day, except we go to Church. Ideally families should be in some mortification or discipline all Fridays, not just during lent. Many Polish parishes in the US have special devotions, Gorzkie Zale, or “Bitter Lamentations”, usually on Sundays during lent.

The general spirit of lent, and advent, does carry over to Sundays too, though Sundays are always treated a little differently. I don’t know, but suspect, this counting of “40 days” by omitting the Sabbath (Saturdays?) may trace back to the Jewish way of counting days. I guess that is also how they count “3 days” in the tomb as Friday night to very early Sunday morning. The early Christians were still in Jewish cultural milieu.

 

[Blue_Horizon]

I don’t know, but suspect, this counting of “40 days” by omitting the Sabbath (Saturdays?) may trace back to the Jewish way of counting days. I guess that is also how they count “3 days” in the tomb as Friday night to very early Sunday morning.

I learnt long ago to avoid building truth on suspicions and guesses when it comes to historical scholarship. Fate is always stranger than fiction as it were.

Jesus was in the tomb for three days because Jewish expressions back then were “inclusive” and the “three days” never meant 72 hrs. Also, the day began at sunset.
Thus Jesus died just before Day1 ended (3pm Friday), Day2 ended sunset Sat, and sunrise Sunday, when He rose, was thence the middle of the 3rd day.

I have never heard that the Jews do not include Sabbaths when they count days.

 

[Vico]

I was talking to someone who really made me think about the liturgical directives for Lent. I’ll start with this premise: we know that the Sundays are not included in the 40 days of Lent because the Resurrection takes primacy on Sundays. We’re still in the liturgical season of Lent, but this allows us to be free from fasting and the like. So…how does this work with really everything else that we do liturgically during Lent?

If the Resurrection takes primacy on Sundays and thus we don’t have to fast on Sunday because the Bridegroom is with us, why do we have certain liturgical practices that seem to contradict this? Is my entire premise flawed? Originally I was thinking about this for music, because a lot of parishes opt out of a closing hymn and cut down on the use of instruments, etc. during Lent, but then I realized I was confused about it beyond that. I know we’re in Lent, but the Sunday Mass stuff is what’s tricky. I guess this would also apply to the omission of the Alleluia (I said it) and the Gloria. Don’t get me wrong, I love these things about Lent and I love that it feels like a time apart with God, but it just seemed very puzzling to me. I understand why we’d have less music and obviously the Alleluia and Gloria omissions in the spirit of Lent, but then how do we explain that Sunday isn’t technically in Lent? It even extends to the purple vestments. I accept these teachings, just wanted to know where it’s outlined or how it works if anyone knew.

The Sundays take on a different character than other days because Sunday of Lent is always a celebration of the resurrection and Sunday is a feast day.

Similarly in the Byzantine Catholic church, the Liturgy of St. Basil, which is more penitential than that of St. John Chrysostom, is celebrated for the five Sundays during Lent and the sixth week ends on Friday before Lazarus Saturday and then Palm Sunday (rather than at Holy Thursday evening).