Holy days of the church year - From Midsummer to Judgment Sunday

Writer: 
Liisa Rossi

Midsummer

On Midsummer, we remember the birth of John the Baptist. John was a relative of Jesus who was born half a year earlier. His mission was to clear the way for Jesus. John did not hesitate to declare sin to be sin and call people to repent and turn away from unrighteousness. As a result of this uncompromising declaration, he finally lost his head when he dared to criticize the lifestyle of the king himself.

Although on Midsummer we remember John the Baptist, his birth and life, he is not the main character of the day. Everything in the Bible points to Jesus and so does John. He didn't preach about sin because he wanted to lead people to despair, but to show them Jesus: "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)

After John's birth, his father Zechariah sang a song of thanksgiving - not to praise his own son, but to thank God for the salvation he had prepared. When we enjoy the summer at Midsummer, we can remember that Jesus is the true light of the world, and join Zechariah in a stream of thanksgiving:

"And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Luke 1:76–79

Michaelmas

Michaelmas is named after the Archangel Michael, commander of the heavenly host. Today, the day is celebrated as All Angels' Day. However, the main characters of the day are not the angels, but God, who also does his work through them. Angels are God's servants and messengers who have their own important mission. Yet we Christians do not focus on angels, worship or pray to them or ask them for help or deliverance from danger. Angels are just creatures created by God, just like us humans, although as spirit beings they are very different.

On Michaelmas we thank God that He has sent His angels to protect us. Many people today ask how to contact angels or how to identify them. For Christians, however, that question is irrelevant, for we ask: "Why would we focus on the servants when we have access to their master?"

The angels' task is to bring glory to God, as they declare on Christmas night: "Don't be afraid! I bring you glad tidings, great joy for all the people. Today a Savior has been born to you in the city of David. He is the Christ, the Lord. -- To God be glory in the highest, on earth peace to the people he loves." Because Jesus specifically mentioned the guardian angels of children, Michaelmas has also become a children's holiday.

All Saints' Day

Many celebrate Halloween between October and November, which has become a celebration of various horrors and powers of death. We Christians do not celebrate Halloween, but All Saints' Day, the idea of ​​which is much more beautiful. Then we remember our dead loved ones and all those who died in the faith and light candles in their memory.

On the one hand, All Saint's Day brings a lot of beautiful memories and gratitude, but on the other hand, sadness and longing. On earth, death is final. Once someone is dead, we can't get them back. At All Saints' Day, we also see the reality of death everywhere in nature: colors disappear, leaves fall, everything turns brown, gray and black - dead.

The message of All Saints' Day is that despite the finality of death in this world, there is also the reality of God, where death has been defeated. Just as a new spring comes in nature, brown and dead become green and alive, the winter of our death is not final either. All Saints' Day is a day of hope for Christians, because Jesus has conquered death and the resurrection awaits.

Judgment Sunday

The last holy day of the church year is Judgment Sunday, which reminds us that this world is not eternal, but will meet its end once. On that day, Jesus will come back, no longer humble and quiet like the first time, but as a King whose glory and power will be visible to all. Then it's time for the final judgment. Those who have believed in Jesus and placed their hope in Him will enter eternal life in heaven, with God; those, on the other hand, who have not wanted to live with God on earth, will also have to live forever without God and His goodness, in condemnation.

The end of the world, and standing before the court of a holy God may seem scary, but God's people will have nothing to worry about that day. It is a day of joy, because we finally get to meet Jesus face to face. Then all that has been bad on earth will end. Then all the dead will be resurrected and eternal life full of joy and goodness will begin. Judgment Sunday reminds us every year that that day will come, even if we don't know when. That's why we are called to be ready and to also invite others to the path of heaven, so that that day does not have to be scary and terrifying for anyone.

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