A First Sunday of Lent Thought to Start the Week Off Right
With the beginning of Lent, we should all be in the swing of those special pious practices that include prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. If, for some reason, you haven't begun your observances, by all means do so. Be disciplined.
This week also brings us Ember Days. For some of us, Ember Days have faded into the night of a modern Catholic Church bereft of so many - really most - of it's previous traditions. Ember Days were one such tradition. They were once observes at the beginning of each of the four seasons. Other Christian denominations observed, and some still observe Ember Days. Why shouldn't we? Well, we can. Why not?
Indeed, we should give serious consideration here. And while most of our pastors and priests may not reference these days anymore, the current website of the venerable "Farmer's Alamanac" does. Here's what they have to say about the observance of Ember Days:
But don't just observe the fast and abstinence. Get into the spirit of the tradition. As even the Farmer's Almanac understands, these important days put us in touch with the natural world, and have done so for centuries. When you think about it, it's rather odd that those in leadership positions in our Holy Church (no names please) who make a fuss about “the environment” don’t restore Ember Days to their full observance. Wouldn't that make perfect sense? Why don't they?
Perhaps it's got something to do with the unfortunate trend since Vatican II of "unburdening" the faithful. (Were the faithful so burdened then? Hmmm...) The idea of making any sort of demand seems verboten these days. In fact, we're even dallying with what were once considered clear Commandments that required our strict obedience. Maybe it's got something to do with the idea that if there are no demands made, there's no chance that anyone who lacks compliance “feel guilty” (never mind actually be guilty). No, our Church - or at least our current leadership - makes it “easy as pie” to call yourself Catholic and think you really are when you…well, what is it that you need to do to consider yourself Catholic these days? Not much really, including going to Mass on Sunday. Witness our half-empty and mostly empty churches, which are being closed and sold off one by one.
Ember Days won’t “restore all things in Christ,” but perhaps they would be a small step in that direction. So maybe on this first Sunday of Lent we resolve to observe Ember Days this week in that spirit. Maybe we even resolve to observe them at the beginning of each of the four seasons starting this week with spring; then summer June 7th, 9th, 10th; fall September 20th, 22nd, 23rd; finally winter December 6th, 8th, 9th. And there you have it, a full year of Ember Days. Then we start all over again in 2018.
Not only will the small sacrifices we make during these Ember Days bring us closer to Our Lord whose suffering and death we will observe so intently at the end of these 40 days of Lent, but they will help us to be authentic stewards of God's beautiful Creation. And we'll be reviving a tradition that not only made perfect sense then, but makes perfect sense now.
Concluding in the spirit of this holy season we pray:
A Blessed and Holy Lent to you all!
This week also brings us Ember Days. For some of us, Ember Days have faded into the night of a modern Catholic Church bereft of so many - really most - of it's previous traditions. Ember Days were one such tradition. They were once observes at the beginning of each of the four seasons. Other Christian denominations observed, and some still observe Ember Days. Why shouldn't we? Well, we can. Why not?
Indeed, we should give serious consideration here. And while most of our pastors and priests may not reference these days anymore, the current website of the venerable "Farmer's Alamanac" does. Here's what they have to say about the observance of Ember Days:
...this is grounded in some common sense since the beginning of the four seasons cue the changes in weather as well as a shift in how we keep harmony with the Earth and respect our stewardship of the Earth, our “garden of Eden.”Personally, I had forgotten about all this, even though they weren't suppressed when I was very young as they are now. Something I read a while back mentioned them and that opened a door. So if you've either forgotten, or were not aware of the observance of Ember Days, you've got an opportunity to revive them - at least in your own life - this week. In fact, with Lent here, the fast and abstinence called for on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday (the actual Ember Days) shouldn't be a big deal. (You're already fasting in some fashion, right?)
But don't just observe the fast and abstinence. Get into the spirit of the tradition. As even the Farmer's Almanac understands, these important days put us in touch with the natural world, and have done so for centuries. When you think about it, it's rather odd that those in leadership positions in our Holy Church (no names please) who make a fuss about “the environment” don’t restore Ember Days to their full observance. Wouldn't that make perfect sense? Why don't they?
Perhaps it's got something to do with the unfortunate trend since Vatican II of "unburdening" the faithful. (Were the faithful so burdened then? Hmmm...) The idea of making any sort of demand seems verboten these days. In fact, we're even dallying with what were once considered clear Commandments that required our strict obedience. Maybe it's got something to do with the idea that if there are no demands made, there's no chance that anyone who lacks compliance “feel guilty” (never mind actually be guilty). No, our Church - or at least our current leadership - makes it “easy as pie” to call yourself Catholic and think you really are when you…well, what is it that you need to do to consider yourself Catholic these days? Not much really, including going to Mass on Sunday. Witness our half-empty and mostly empty churches, which are being closed and sold off one by one.
Ember Days won’t “restore all things in Christ,” but perhaps they would be a small step in that direction. So maybe on this first Sunday of Lent we resolve to observe Ember Days this week in that spirit. Maybe we even resolve to observe them at the beginning of each of the four seasons starting this week with spring; then summer June 7th, 9th, 10th; fall September 20th, 22nd, 23rd; finally winter December 6th, 8th, 9th. And there you have it, a full year of Ember Days. Then we start all over again in 2018.
Not only will the small sacrifices we make during these Ember Days bring us closer to Our Lord whose suffering and death we will observe so intently at the end of these 40 days of Lent, but they will help us to be authentic stewards of God's beautiful Creation. And we'll be reviving a tradition that not only made perfect sense then, but makes perfect sense now.
Concluding in the spirit of this holy season we pray:
We adore Thee O Christ and we bless Thee
because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
A Blessed and Holy Lent to you all!
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