In the traditional, Extraordinary Form, calendar, this Sunday’s Mass uses texts for the Fifth Sunday “left over” after Epiphany. Yes, you read that right. Sometimes it is called the “Fifth Resumed” or even “Where-do-I-find-that-in-my-Missal?” Sunday.
How can Sundays be “left over”? Perpend!
The structure of the liturgical calendar depends on the vagaries of the moon. Each year, Easter falls according to when the spring full moon occurs. Since the moon isn’t always full on the same date, Easter Sunday shifts. Lent, however, has a fixed length. Thus, the beginning of Lent slides around, earlier or later, depending on that spring full moon.
