HALLOWEEN
Halloween, October 31st is forty days after the autumnal equinox and marks
our descent into the underworld. Now we must come face to face with the
shadows and all the unconscious life within us. While this is really a pagan
and secular festival, it corresponds to our liturgical observance of the
dead, because the need to face death is great in us. In looking at the dark
underworld of our being, we perform the sacred task of redeeming the lost,
forgotten parts of ourselves and of humanity. Only by so doing will we be
able to grasp the energy needed to accomplish the great tasks of life. This
is a time to loosen our rational hold on conscious shadows, ever keeping one
eye on our further aims of greater consciousness. A good Halloween party is
both fun and at times serious.ALL SAINTS' DAY
All Saints Day, November 1st, is the age-old festival of the Church
Triumphant. We give thanks for the existence of those people who attained to
the perfect insight of their divine souls, and we pray "that in the fullness
of the time of our perfection, we might join the ranks of (Gods) Leaders of
Light " So do the saints hold lamps on our path of return, showing us the
way to the Fullness within the tradition of the Catholic Church. We, the
living, are the Church Militant, still fighting the battle between the light
and darkness. All Souls' Day commemorates the departed, called the Church
Suffering, being those souls who did not achieve God-consciousness in their
lifetime and thus were doomed to torment in the unconscious realm.ALL SOULS' DAY
All Souls Day, November 2nd, is observed with the General Requiem Eucharist.
We pray for all the souls of those departed from this life and make a bridge
between the worlds of the living and the dead. We may also see that we are
in the state of death in unconsciousness and we are striving to become fully
alive in Gnosis. Thus we pray for the dead within us and without us.THE DAY OF ALL GNOSTIC SAINTS
The Day of All Gnostic Saints, is November 20th. This time is set aside to
teach of all those who have helped keep alive the Gnosis throughout the
ages, so that aspiring modern Gnostics will know that many came before us in
this work. Many of them were martyrs, people who stood up for what they knew
to be the Truth, and paid for it with their lives. Martyrdom is not an ideal
in itself in the Gnostic tradition, because living for the Truth is much
harder than dying for it, yet we should remember those lights of Gnosis who
gave all they had and could do no other. Also, we are aware that many people
worked for Gnosis in their lifetimes and never received recognition for it;
"those, known or unknown, who held aloft the light of Truth through the
darkness of human ignorance," as the Sufi prayer goes. By attuning ourselves
to the Gnostic saints, we become mre permeable to unseen and unknown aid.THANKSGIVING DAY
This holiday is celebrated with the rest of the United States on the fourth
Thursday of November. It seems that we need a special time set aside to
express our gratitude for the blessings life bestows upon us, although it
should be a daily practice. The remembrance begins with a Eucharist of
Thanksgiving, usually followed by a joyous feast. While enjoying the repast,
it becomes us to remember that much of humanity goes without sufficient
nourishment. In addition to our expression of gratitude, we may become more
aware of the millions of people who dont have that.
THE ADVENT SEASON
Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas Day. The somber color of purple
sets the tone for a season of preparation. In the heart of silence, one
undertakes the darkness to prepare a habitation for the coming Light. We
seek the birth of God within the soul, awaiting the treasure in purity and
devotion. Without this inner preparation we are in no position to receive
the glorious Child of Light or to understand his message.THE DAY OF HOLY NICHOLAS, BISHOP OF MYRA
Celebrated December 6th, St. Nicholas is traditionally the patron saint of
children and of mariners. He died in his city in Asia Minor about 350 AD and
has been popularly celebrated all over Europe and Asia Minor. His life set
such an example of love, especially for children, and of service to God,
that he has inspired Christians for 1600 years. Many legends of miracles
attributed to him continue to the present day. He is the original Santa
Claus, St. Nicholas.THE DAY OF THE HOLY APOSTLE THOMAS
Celebrated December 21st. The Gnostic scriptures teach that Thomas
understood deeply the mysteries that Jesus imparted to this disciples, and
the Gospel of Thomas is a major Gnostic work. It seems this was not
understood or not appreciated by the orthodox church, which excluded his
gospel from the canonical New Testament. He is mentioned many times in other
Gnostic scriptures as being one who had Gnosis. The beautiful story called
both "The Hymn of the Pearl' and "The Hymn of the Robe of Glory" is
attributed to him.THE DAY OF HOLY RAPHAEL THE ARCHANGEL
Celebrated December 22nd. Raphael is the angel of healing and health, and is
always invoked in the Sacrament of Unction. Raphael represents the principle
of regeneration as related to the powers of health and also the regeneration
of the Light in the realm of darkness. Thus Raphael has been celebrated in
our tradition at the winter solstice, because when the darkness has reached
its epitome, it engenders the renewed Light, which is then "born" on
Christmas Day.CHRISTMAS
The Mass of Christmas is best observed liturgically as a midnight mass on
December 24th, so that people can experience the darkness to contrast the
birth of the Christ-Light. Tradition of old has given us much to celebrate
in ritual, music, and singing. While the joyousness and the mystery of
Christmas can elevate people greatly, let the Gnostic pause to remember that
the infant Christ can be born in the soul, there to be nurtured by the
person as a mother suckles her infant, so that the Christ consciousness may
grow into its full stature in the life of mankind.NEW YEAR'S EVE
December 31st, is observed with a Eucharist of Thanksgiving for suitable
preparation to enter the New Year. A party most assuredly follows.
CONCLUSION
This, then, is a most brief outline of the liturgical year.| Main Calendar Page | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calendar 1 | Calendar 2 | Calendar 3 | ||
| Gnostic Calendar (1) | Gnostic Calendar (2) | Gnostic Calendar (3) | ||
| Sabbats & Meaning | Holiday Origins | Holiday Terms | ||
| Moon Information | ||||
<--INDEX RING-->
