Calendar Coincidences

Seeing how God’s providence guides everything

08/27/2021

Mt 25:1-13 Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.

Today I want to do something curious and talk about the Catholic calendar. Specifically, I want to point out coincidences in the calendar that are catechetical, meaning they teach us about our faith. The catholic calendar, therefore, is not arbitrary or accidentally arranged, but rather its focus is faith. It is often said that the calendar was “the catechism of the Jews,” and that is equally true for each and every Catholic. The calendar is our catechism.

Today’s feast of St. Monica invites this survey of coincidences in the calendar because it comes the day before the feast of St. Augustine, her wayward son who became a wonderful saint. In other words, just like Monica and Augustine are closely connected as mother and son, so that connection is highlighted in the calendar, and thus is not a coincidence. What other so-called coincidences can we cull out of the Catholic calendar?

The first such coincidence occurs on January 25 and 26. The 25th is the feast of the conversion of St. Paul. We read in Acts 9 about how he was blinded on seeing Jesus on the road to persecute Christians in Damascus. The wake of his conversion to Christianity would turn up two of Paul’s great disciples, Timothy and Titus. Indeed, Paul wrote two letters to Timothy and one to Titus that became inspired books of the New Testament. January 25 and 26 are closely connected because Paul was closely connected to Timothy and Titus. That is no coincidence.

Another so-called coincidence is often overlooked because they occur rather far apart in the year. March 25 and December 25 are closely connected in eternity even if not so close in time. How so? The Annunciation on March 25 is when the Archangel Gabriel “announced” that Mary would be the Mother of God, and Mary replied with her grace-filled “Fiat.” December 25 falls nine months later, at the end of her pregnancy, when she gave birth to the Messiah on Christmas morning. Seeing this close connection helps us learn that life begins at conception and therefore to choose life and not advocate abortion. Conception and birth are no coincidence.

Another close connection that Pope Francis urged Catholics not to miss is Pentecost and Mary, Mother of the Church. As you know, Pentecost occurs 50 days after Easter – Pentecost comes from the Greek word for 50 – and the Monday following Pentecost is the feast of Mary, Mother of the Church. Why? Well, Pentecost is really the birthday of the Church, when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles. And just like every child should thank his or her mother on their birthday, so Christians should thank our spiritual mother Mary. Pope Francis is using the calendar to make spiritual connections in our faith. And that is no coincidence.

June 11 and 12 this year were the feasts of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. And it is not hard to see the connection between these two holy hearts that beat in perfect unison. Both Mary and Jesus fulfilled God’s will flawlessly. By the way, I have never understood why the church in Barling is called “Sacred Heart of Mary” – that is totally wrong. Would someone tell Fr. Matt Garrison to change the name of the church? The close connection of the feasts of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary are no coincidence.

August 14 is the feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe and August 15 is the Assumption of Mary body and soul into heaven. Maximilian Kolbe was a Franciscan priest who exchanged his life for a father of a family in Auschwitz the Nazi concentration camp. He was inspired by his devotion to Mary, and it is fitting their close connection can be seen in the calendar. Again, no coincidence.

September 14 is the Triumph of the Cross and September 15 is Our Lady of Sorrows. Can you see the spiritual and sentimental connection of these two back to back feasts? Of course you can. No one suffers more than a mother when they see their children hurting. Well, no one has hurt more than Jesus on the Cross, and thus no mother has suffered more than Mary. Their intimate connection is clear in the calendar, and that is no coincidence.

Can you handle one more calendar connection? November 1 is the feast of All Saints and November 2 is the feast of All Souls. What’s the connection? All Saints are those who are in heaven, and All Souls are those in purgatory, who will soon be in heaven. In other words, these two feasts show the close connection of the Communion of Saints. We are still closely connected to those have died; they are not gone forever. And that calendar connection is no coincidence.

I know that is a lot to absorb for a morning Mass homily. Don’t worry, you don’t have to memorize all those connections. Why not? Well, because we will celebrate those calendar connections year after year. Just remember one thing: when it comes to the calendar, just like in the Christian life, there are no coincidences.

Praised be Jesus Christ!