A few days ago, we celebrated St. Patrick's Day. St. Patrick was sold into slavery in Ireland, and later returned to spread the Gospel. It sounds like he had a pretty tough life! Since then, the Irish have celebrated the date of his death March 17, 461 as St. Patrick's Day. In fact, it has become a feast day all over the world with the spread of the Irish Diaspora.
On St. Patrick's Day, people's main concern is drinking beer and other drinks. Along with their drunkenness, people engage in all kinds of other questionable behavior such as sexual promiscuity, violence, and gluttony. Doesn't sound a lot like the life of St. Patrick. How many people are going to Mass to celebrate this feast day? Probably very few.
This isn't unique to St. Patrick's Day. In secular society, people have come along and taken the parts they like and find pleasurable and have ignored the rest. What's even the point of calling it what it really is if what you are doing doesn't even resemble it?
The list is almost endless as to how people have distorted holidays.
Christmas
True Meaning: God sent his only begotten Son to us to save us from eternal damnation. Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, came to bring us the grace of salvation.
Advent: Advent is meant to be a time of spiritual preparation for the celebration of Christmas, yet few if anyone in the secular world even recognize it or know what it is beyond the chocolate-filled calendar incorrectly called an Advent Calendar (it usually goes from December 1 to December 24 every year, regardless of when Advent actually is).
Secular Celebration: Overindulging in food and desserts, drinking excessively. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with eating food and desserts and having a drink and enjoying oneself during Christmas. In fact, we should do this. But it makes no sense to celebrate "Christmas" if it has nothing about "Christ's Mass" whatsoever. Also, much of the celebration centers around Santa Claus. Although sometimes referred to as St. Nicholas, little if any recognition if given to the actual saint who was a real person.
Easter
True Meaning: Christ gave himself to be sacrificed on the cross for our salvation. From his death and resurrection come all graces to the Church.
Lent: A time of penance and self-denial in which Catholics prepare themselves spiritually with prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Secular Celebration: Completely ignore Lent. Some ask "What is Lent?" Others give up random and very insignificant things: "I won't eat special edition mint KitKats on Thursdays between 4:30pm and 5:00pm"
For Easter, secular people ignore Christ rising from the dead on the third day after being crucified and dying. Instead they give chocolates and candies and have the Easter bunny all over the place.
Valentine's Day
True Meaning: Catholic saint and martyr who ministered to Christians being persecuted and killed by the government.
Secular World: The secular world celebrates with wining and dining and romance in general. Nothing wrong with this in principle, but often it's done with unmarried people and/or people just hooking up for a day or two. Does not contribute to society overall. No recognition of St. Valentine whatsoever.
New Years
True Meaning: Many people do not know this but January 1 is the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. In fact, January 1 was seen as the beginning of the year for several centuries from just before the 1st millennium until the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century. After this, Christian countries celebrated New Years Day on March 25. That is until the Gregorian calendar of Pope Gregory XIII came into effect in 1582. That's when he decided to change the day to January 1. January 1st is a holy day of obligation for Catholics, even in Canada where there are only two such days - the other being Christmas Day.
Secular World: Drunkenness (I'm sensing a theme) and partying. No recognition whatsoever of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.
Halloween
True Meaning: All Hallows Eve. The day before the celebration of All Saints Day. This is a day dedicated to all those in heaven. It is a day of prayer and reflection and asking for intercession for those who have gone on before us.
Secular Meaning: Nothing to do with contemplating death and our eternal salvation or asking for intercession. No, just another excuse for adults to party. In recent years, this event went from being for children to being mainly for adults. As usual, it involves copious drinking and partying. Oh, and of course neither All Saints Day nor All Souls Day is in any way recognized by the secular world.
Conclusion
The list could go on and on. The secular world is desperate to strip away and distort the pleasure from these legitimate Christian celebrations for their own personal satisfaction. I think they should just use their own terms when describing these events and let Christians use the true names. Their versions have essentially lost all meaning anyway, so why continue calling it by the authentic name?
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