Greetings in Christ,
On my liturgical calendar in my study are several useful tools. The days are color coded to show the season of the year or the Feast that particular day celebrates. As Lutherans, we are familiar with a few of the Feasts of the Church year, Easter, Christmas, Pentecost and such. We may even know some of the less familiar Feast days such as St. Peter and St. Paul. All of the important witnesses to Jesus’ life, death and resurrection are remembered on a Feast day, usually the day of their death.
All around these major and important Feast Days are lesser know witnesses to Jesus. In the month of June we could observe the Feasts of Blandina and her companions, June 2, who were martyred in 177 A.D.. We could celebrate the Council of Nicaea on June 12. We could give God thanks for the ministry and witness of Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria, A.D. 444, whose Feast day is June 27. Nearly every day of the week has a remembrance of persons on events that were important in the life of the Church.
Most Protestants don’t observe Feast days as we are concerned with making too much out of them at the expense of Jesus. It is true that we should keep our focus on the Lord, but it is important that we learn from the witness of those who have gone before us. Their examples of faith and service can inspire us to a deeper devotion to Jesus as well as a better outreach to the world around us.