Over the course of a year, the Church unfolds in its liturgy the various mysteries of our redemption.  The following is an outline of the Church calendar:
Advent: marks the beginning of the Church year. It begins around the end of November and lasts about four weeks.  It is the season to prepare for Christ’s coming, in history, at the end of time, and into our lives today. 
Christmas Season:  begins with Christmas and the celebration of God becomes human.  This season also celebrates the Holy Family, the Solemnity of Mary (January 1), Epiphany (Jesus being revealed to the Magi), and ends with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
Ordinary Time 1: Between Christmas season and Lent, no particular aspect of the Christian mysteries are celebrated.  The Church reads one of the Gospels in sequence (Matthew-Cycle A, Mark-Cycle B, and Luke-Cycle C).  John’s Gospel is read during the Lent and Easter season and for some of the ordinary time in Cycle B – Mark’s Gospel because it is short.  In this way, over 3 years, a good portion of the New Testament is proclaimed.
Lenten Season: begins with Ash Wednesday and is a season of penance and preparation for Easter.  It lasts six Sundays and forty weekdays. It concludes on Holy Thursday with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.  Originally Lent was a time of preparation for those preparing for Baptism. In later years, all the baptized joined in penance and prayer as a way of renewing their baptismal commitment.
Easter Season: begins with the celebration of Easter, the high point of the liturgical year, and ends on the feast of Pentecost.  During this time the readings focus on death to sin, Resurrection, and living a life of grace.  We hear about the formation of the early faith communities in Acts of the Apostles.  Toward the end of the season, we focus on the coming of the Holy Spirit, Pentecost, which is considered the event that began the Christian Church.
Ordinary Time 2: a return to ordinary time and stories of the ministry and teachings of Jesus.  The Church year ends with the Feast of Christ, King of the Universe.