Today, February 22, is the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter!

The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, celebrated every February 22nd, isn't just another day on the liturgical calendar. It's a deep dive into the heart of the Church's history, spotlighting the unique role of St. Peter, the first bishop of Rome. This day goes beyond remembering Peter as a leading apostle; it symbolizes the uninterrupted succession of leaders who've shaped the Church since its inception.

First off, the "Chair" isn't just furniture. It's a powerful symbol of the teaching authority and unity in the Church, grounded in the belief that Jesus handed Peter the keys to Heaven. This idea isn't just theological fluff; it's backed by centuries of tradition and writings from early Church bigwigs like St. Augustine and councils that have steered Christian doctrine through choppy waters.

Diving into specifics, the Chair of St. Peter, as showcased in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, isn't just an artifact; it's a masterpiece of religious art and a declaration of the papacy's guiding role in the Church. Created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, this iconic sculpture isn't just for show. It encapsulates the essence of Peter's mission, surrounded by allegories of faith, hope, and charity, and topped with a celestial glow that seems to affirm divine approval.

But why does this feast matter to us? It's a vivid reminder of the Church's foundation on apostolic roots, specifically Peter's. It calls us to appreciate the continuity and the leadership that's kept the faith alive and kicking for over two millennia. It's a nod to the unity and the shared beliefs that bind Catholics worldwide, urging us to stay true to the core teachings that have been handed down through generations.

In modern terms, think of the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter as the Church's way of celebrating its backbone — the leadership and authority that have kept it standing strong against the tests of time. It's a call to remember and recommit to the values at the heart of the Catholic faith, emphasizing unity, tradition, and the enduring guidance of those who lead the Church.

So, as we mark this feast day, let's not just see it as a historical footnote. It's a living, breathing reminder of our collective journey in faith, guided by the enduring legacy of St. Peter and the line of leaders who've followed in his footsteps. It's about recognizing our place in a story that spans centuries, rooted in teachings that continue to inspire and guide millions around the globe.

January 18: Feast Day of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys

Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys was a French-Canadian religious leader and educator who lived in the 17th century. She is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church and is considered to be one of the founders of the colony of Montreal. Born in Troyes, France in 1620, she was drawn to the religious life from a young age, and at the age of 22, she decided to dedicate her life to the service of God.

She founded the Congregation of Notre Dame of Montreal, which was a religious community of women dedicated to the education of young girls. This was particularly important at the time, as the colony of Montreal was still in its infancy and there were very few educational institutions for young women. Her work in education was motivated by her belief in the importance of providing young women with the opportunity to learn and grow in a safe and nurturing environment.

She also played a pivotal role in the establishment of the colony of Montreal, as she helped to establish the first school and hospital in the city. She also worked tirelessly to promote the welfare of the colony's inhabitants, particularly the poor and marginalized. Through her tireless efforts, she helped to establish a sense of community and social cohesion in the colony.

Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys was known for her deep spirituality, humility, and compassion. She was also known for her ability to connect with people from all walks of life, and for her ability to inspire others to work for the betterment of society. She passed away on January 12, 1700, and was canonized on April 3, 1982 by Pope John Paul II, as the first Canadian-born saint. Her feast day is celebrated on January 18th, in honor of her devotion to God, her contributions to education, and her tireless work on behalf of the poor and marginalized.

Saint of the Day: January 17, 2023: St. Anthony the Great

Saint Anthony, also known as Anthony of Egypt, Anthony the Great, or Anthony the Abbot, is a Christian saint and a prominent leader among the Desert Fathers. He is celebrated on January 17th in the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. He is also honored as a saint in the Anglican Communion and in some other Christian denominations. He is known for his deep spirituality and asceticism, and is considered to be the founder of Christian monasticism. He is also known for his many miracles and for his ability to communicate with animals. He lived in the 3rd century and was born in Egypt and died in 356 AD. He is the patron saint of gravediggers, travelers, and butchers, among others.

Happy Feast of the Annunciation - March 25, 2021

Feast of the Annunciation pic.twitter.com/xR0QcRavLo

— Church Militant (Text 'CATHOLIC' to 877-690-1105) (@Church_Militant) March 25, 2021

Christian Holidays: How the Secular World Misses the Point

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?

Happy Sts Cyril and Methodius Day!

I know the spotlight is on St. Valentine today, but don't forget Sts. Cyril and Methodius! It's their feast day today. The Cyrillic alphabet, used in Russian and other languages was invented by Slavic Macedonian brothers! Imagine INVENTING an alphabet and written language. Great for one's resume!

But far more important than creating a new alphabet, is that these brothers were instrumental in the conversion of the Slavic people!

Let's remember these two great saints today.

Prayer to Sts Cyril and Methodius (found on Catholic.org):

Saints Cyril and Methodius, watch over all missionaries but especially those in Slavic countries. Help those that are in danger in the troubled areas. Watch over the people you dedicated your lives to. Amen.

It's Candlemas, not Groundhog Day!

Happy Candlemas Day or Solemnity of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple

Candlemas Day occurs on February 2 and celebrates the purification and presentation of the child Jesus in the Temple in Jerusalem. This occurred when Jesus was 40 days old, which is why Candlemas takes place 40 days after Christmas.

Some say, according to the older calendar that February 2 marks the end of the Christmas season. I have heard various things on this. Others indicate the date of the Baptism of Our Lord which took place on January 10th is in fact the end of Christmas.

It's interesting that it's called Candlemas day since the following day, February 3, is St. Blaise Day when throats are blessed with a candle. This feast day is also the 4th Joyful Mystery of the Rosary - the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple.

During this feast day, candles are blessed, in particular those which will be placed on the altar for the Mass.

I have a personal story to recount in this regard. My wife's aunt who is not Christian and lives in India wanted to go to a Hindu temple many years ago but there wasn't any where she was, so she went to a Catholic Church instead. There, she lit a candle for her son who was sick. Her son recovered and every year since then she has given candles to her local church in India. This year, however, was different since churches were all closed in India due to Covid-19 measures. So she asked my wife's parents to bring them to a church. They bought the candles and I finally brought them to the priest a few days ago.

I wasn't sure how the priest would react, but in the end he was very thankful and in fact said the candles would be placed near the altar and would be blessed during Candlemas. I wasn't even thinking of this feast day when I gave them to him. So this whole thing worked out perfectly.

Happy Candlemas Day to all readers of this blog!

Happy Feast Day of one of my Favorite Saints - Thomas Aquinas!

St. Thomas Aquinas is definitely one of my favorite saints, if not my favorite. I don't like being too committal on something like that! Aquinas isn't just another saint (as if there is such a thing). He is a pre-eminent saint. He is a doctor of the Church but in my opinion, easily one of the top. His Summa Theologiae is definitely the most used extra-biblical source within Catholicism when it comes to issues of morality, theology, and various other Catholic topics.

I went to Mass today and the priest mentioned something about Aquinas which I think we sometimes forget. We know he had a towering intellect (I'll get into that more later), but he was also an extremely holy and devout mystic. Yes, a mystic. We rarely think of him in those terms. In fact, all too often we implicitly seem to categorize saints as either mystical or intellectual. Both of these characteristics are wonderful and important, but we shouldn't always make such black and white distinctions.

It's actually quite an amazing thing when one thinks about it. There isn't a dichotomy between faith and reason in any way. In fact, as we can see from the example of Thomas Aquinas, one only strengthens the other. A false dichotomy often put forth by secular society is between "spiritual" and "religious", implying that to be spiritual means to not be preoccupied by all the "rules". I explained in a previous blog why this is a false dichotomy. An example of this is the common expression among traditional Catholics of Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi, which essentially translates to the way we pray is the way we believe.

Perhaps it doesn't fit perfectly but I think that expression does tell us something. To know God is to love God. I think that's the point from which St. Thomas comes. He helps us to better understand God and his will so that we can love him ever more fully.

To me, this comes up when understanding various concepts within the faith. If we do not have a good grasp of these concepts, we can be easily led astray. For example, knowing what true humility or true patience entail will lead us to be holier and better people. If we operate under a false idea of what these terms mean, then we can be led into bad areas without even knowing it.

The same goes for the nature of God Himself. If we have an insufficient, incorrect, or outright heretical viewpoint of God and His Nature, we can easily fall into sin and error. Ultimately we cannot be happy in this state.

St. Thomas Aquinas lived from 1225 to 1274, around 800 years ago, yet his teachings have stood the test of time ever since then. This further bolsters the fact that his ideas are perennial, and not shifting as with the current moral relativism. Truth is truth and it doesn't change. Over all the centuries and through all the various peoples of the Earth, these truths speak to us. St. Thomas has stood the test of time and we can fully trust in what he is saying.

I mention this because I feel that we as fallible human beings can easily fall into error. Often this is not deliberate, it is just a sort of dulling of the sword. We inadvertently fall into sin through many small, poor decisions. Because of faulty philosophy and theology, people can be led astray. This is why we need teachers (or "doctors" in Latin) to guide us. We know that by listening to such men and women, we are listening to God through them and not to our own fallen desires.

On an intellectual level, I find St. Thomas to be an unparalleled resource. He speaks on so many different subjects, and yet there is consistency. This is impressive given the fact that his Magnus Opus, The Summa Theologiae (sometimes written as Summa Theologica) is 3x bigger than the entire Holy Bible! It would be difficult to write even a few pages without having some inconsistencies, but St. Thomas was able to achieve this in such a large tome - obviously with God's help.

I am not suggesting that St. Thomas was infallible in everything he said. He is probably the most complete theologian in the Church's history, but he did make some small errors. Only the Church is guaranteed the charism of infallibility by Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Despite the fact that Thomas had one of the greatest intellects of all time, he was one of the most humble men as well. There are many stories of his humility. I will attempt to recount one of them. As a child in school, he spoke so infrequently that people assumed he was dumb, both literally (unable to speak) and in the modern-day meaning of being stupid. His nickname, in fact, was the "Dumb Ox". The idea that he wasn't the best student was so widely believed, that his teacher St. Albert hired a tutor to help out this poor, dumb, child Thomas. Yet, soon after beginning to teach the young Thomas, the tutor, astounded by the boy's brilliance, did something spectacular: he asked, in his own humility, if St. Thomas would switch roles with him and become his tutor.

Later in life, St. Thomas (who is said to have never committed a mortal sin) was praying when he had a profound mystical experience which caused him to declare that all his magnificent writings were but straw. This is not to be misinterpreted to mean that his writings were false or unimportant. Rather, compared to a direct experience of union with God, his writings were infinitely less significant. This shows his holiness and humility.

I could go on and on in writing about this great saint. In this day and age of confusion and relativity, we need St. Thomas Aquinas all the more!

Back to plain old "Ordinary" time....or are we?

There is some confusion as to what the term ordinary time means in the Catholic Church. I think I always assumed, and many still do, that it means nothing "extraordinary" is happening. But that's not really accurate. In fact, when the Church calls the period of time "Ordinary", it simply refers to ordinal numerals.

According to Wikipedia:

In linguistics, ordinal numerals or ordinal number words are words representing position or rank in a sequential order; the order may be of size, importance, chronology, and so on (e.g., "third", "tertiary"). They differ from cardinal numerals, which represent quantity (e.g., "three") and other types of numerals.

The other type of numbers are called cardinal numerals which would be used for things like quantities and amounts. So it makes sense that the weeks are numbered in the Church this way.

Today, Monday, January 11, 2021, is called the first day of Ordinary Time. We have begun a new season. Something I cannot seem to explain is that although today is the first day of ordinary time according to the calendar, it also says that this coming Sunday, on January 17, is the "second Sunday of Ordinary Time". Very confusing. If today is the first day of Ordinary time, that would mean yesterday was presumably not included.

In fact, yesterday is the Solemnity of the Baptism of Our Lord. According to the calendar and the archbishop this morning, today is the first day of the liturgical new year, and therefore yesterday would not be included. I am very confused. If anyone knows what is going on, please let me know.

The basic idea behind ordinary time is that there are two major periods in the Christian calendar: Christmas and Easter. We prepare for these two major periods with Advent and Lent, respectively. Ordinary time is basically the period of time outside of these. The longest period of continual Ordinary Time is between the end of Eastertide and the beginning of Advent which in 2021 will be approximately 188 days, depending on how it's supposed to be calculated. In other words, more than half the year.

It's important to note that all Masses are equally important and extraordinary in that sense since the body, blood, soul, and divinity of our Savior comes to us at those times. Also, even during ordinary time, there are major solemnities, feasts, etc. 

Happy Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord January 3, 2021

Prayer on the Epiphany of The Lord:

Father: Christ has appeared among us.

All: Come, let us adore Him.

Mother: The precious gifts which the Magi brought to the

Lord this day are threefold,

and they are signs of divine mysteries.

By gold the power of the King is signified,

by frankincense His great priesthood,

by myrrh the burial of the Lord.

All: The Magi worshipped the Author of our salvation in

the crib,

and of their treasures they brought to Him gifts of

mystic nature.

Youngest Child: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and

to the Holy Ghost.

All: As it was in the beginning,

is now and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

Father: Let us pray. O God,

by the leading of a star Thou didst manifest Thine

only begotten Son

to the Gentiles on this day;

mercifully grant that we who know Thee by faith,

may be brought to contemplate the beauty of Thy

majesty.

Through the same Jesus Christ Thy Son.

All: Alleluia.

The following hymn serves well as a conclusion.

Additional verses may be composed by members of the

family.

The Wise Men tune Jesu Dulcis Memoria

Now there appeared a brilliant Star

Which led the wise Men from afar.

They came and, kneeling down, adored

And offered gifts to Christ, the Lord.

December 28: Feast of the Holy Innocents in the Catholic Church

Today is the feast day of the Holy Innocents, the boys under the age of 2 killed by King Herod in his attempt to murder the Messiah as a young child. It is recounted in the Book of Matthew. Here is the verse (Matthew Chapter 2: 16-18):

The Massacre of the Infants.

16

When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.

17

Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:

18

“A voice was heard in Ramah,

sobbing and loud lamentation;

Rachel weeping for her children,

and she would not be consoled,

since they were no more.”

There is debate as to the exact number of children killed during this massacre. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the estimate ranges from a handful of children killed to several thousand. The important part is that the king was desperate to kill a child who could threaten his reign. This is important because many Jews expected the Messiah to be a great military leader who would vanquish the enemies of the Jews.

It is believed that the relics of the bodies of some of the Innocents are located in the major basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome.

These children are considered martyrs in deed but not in will, as obviously a child under the age of 2 cannot consent in any way to martyrdom.

Our Lady of Guadalupe - my personal thoughts

I don't currently have a strong devotion as such to Our Lady of Guadalupe, but I heard a great sermon today at Mass and wanted to share some of what the priest told me. This may not be everything he said, but it's some of the things I remember. The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a very beautiful one, and also very miraculous.

Juan Diego, who was recently canonized, was one of the few Catholics in Mexico. Our Lady appeared to him in an apparition while he was out in the desert. He went to tell the bishop from Spain about what he had witnessed. I believe the bishop had asked for some kind of proof. So he went back to the site of the apparition to tell the Blessed Virgin that he would need "proof". So she made appear a beautiful rose bush. This was a great miracle in that it was in the middle of the desert where very little grows. Also, little did St. Juan Diego know but this type of rose didn't even grow natively in Mexico, but was in fact native to Spain.

As proof of what had happened he either collected or Our Lady placed many roses in the tilma of this saint and he brought them back to the bishop. He told the bishop what had happened. When St. Juan let the roses drop from his tilma that he had been carrying, there was revealed a beautiful image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. As the priest mentioned, this image of Our Lady is unique in that God himself placed it there and it was not the work of human hands.

There are many miracles which I recall from elsewhere concerning this image. The tilma was only meant to last a few years, but has now been preserved from decay for almost 500 years. That in itself is a miracle. Tests of the tilma reveal it is not painted by any methods available to human beings. From what I recall, the image was placed there with intense radiation. There are many striking details. For example, I believe an image of what transpired in that room with the bishop is actually visible under microscope in the eye of the Blessed Virgin on the tilma. What an astonishing fact.

But the greatest miracle of all was the conversion of so many people. The priest today mentioned that the Catholic faith had not taken hold in Mexico, but after this apparition, within a decade or so, there were 9 million baptisms. People entering into the sacraments and the life of Christ is the greatest of all miracles, far more than the roses or tilma. In fact, these material miracles only serve to highlight the spiritual reality.

Happy feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe today. We'll see you all next time.

Feast Day of Our Lady of the Rosary - October 7, 2015

Wednesday, October 7, 2015 is the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Rosary. This day commemorates the victory of Christian forces over Muslim invaders in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571.

What happened was Pope Pius V called for all of Europe to pray the rosary for a victory. There was even a rosary procession in Rome. After everyone said the rosary, the Christians miraculously overcame the invading Muslim forces. Remember, Muslims at the time were centered around war and conquest. They were very powerful and formidable. Most of their time and energy was spent developing new ways of subjugating various lands.

To give you an idea of the immensity of the Christian victory, the Christians killed 20,000 Muslims vs. 7500 Christians that were killed. Also, the Christians were able to release 12,000 captive Christians. This battle was extremely important and decisive. Had Christian forces failed, it is possible all of Europe would be completely conquered by Muslims, and non-Muslims would quickly become second-class citizens.

So today, say a rosary to commemorate this important event!

Feast of the Annunciation (Christ's Incarnation)

Today, March 25th, is the Feast of the Annunication, or the Incarnation. It is when God tells Mary that she is with child through the workings of the Holy Spirit and will bear a son, and his name will be Jesus the Christ. This is a very important feast which takes on more significance during our day and age. The Church recognizes that Christ came into this world in human flesh 9 months before his birth, which we celebrate on December 25th. We recognize this same fact for all people. Although we have a date of birth, we actually come into existence around 9 months prior to this at conception.

Christ's conception is not celebrated as the Immaculate Conception. The Immaculate Conception is actually a feast for Mary, the Mother of God (the Theotokos). It is called Immaculate because she was preserved from the stain of original and actual sin throughout her life from the moment of conception. Of course, we believe she was able to be saved from sin by the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. Christ is everyone's Savior, including Mary's. Christ's conception, of course, is immaculate by its very nature, but it is not refered to that way. We usually speak of the Virgin Birth in the case of Christ.

This is a day for Pro-life thoughts and action. Mary treasured Jesus from the moment of his conception and protected him, with the help of St. Joseph. We must protect all human life from the first second of existence as a small person, otherwise known as an embryo. The fact that the universal church honors Christ's conception shows her respect for life at all stages.

Today is not a Holy Day of Obligation, but that does not lessen its signifcance. Let us pray today for an end to abortion. In your prayers, remember Jesus as a small embryo waiting to come into the world. Even then he is God. And remember that all human life whether they are 30, 100, or not even born are equally valuable. Also remember those who suffer from physical and mental handicaps. They too are children of God and must be given full respect and dignity.

Ash Wednesday is Today: Day of Repentence

For Christians, and specifically Catholics, today is Ash Wednesday and marks the first day of Lent, a time of repentence and fasting. Today is especially marked for fasting, as only one full meal and two smaller meals not equally the one meal in size are permitted to be eaten. Also, Catholics are obligied to abstain from meat.

At mass today, Catholics will receive a cross on their foreheads using ashes. This comes from the Biblical practice of people covering themselves in ashes as penitents. Also, a mark on the forehead represents ownership, so a cross represents that we are servants of Christ.

The following information is very valuable, and is from Jimmy Akin, from Catholic Answers Live:

On the first day of Lent, this signing is done with ashes because they are a biblical symbol of mourning and penance. In Bible times the custom was to fast, wear sackcloth, sit in dust and ashes, and put dust and ashes on one's head (cf. 1 Sam. 4:12; 2 Sam. 1:20, 13:19, 15:32). Ashes also symbolize death and so remind us of our mortality. When the priest uses his thumb to sign one of the faithful with the ashes and says, "Remember, man, that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return," he is echoing God's address to Adam (Gen. 3:19; cf. Job 34:15; Ps. 90:3, 104:29; Eccles. 3:20). This phrase also echoes the words at a Catholic burial, "Ashes to ashes; dust to dust," which is based on God's words to Adam in Genesis 3 and Abraham's confession, "I am nothing but dust and ashes" (Gen. 18:27).

Catholics are not required to have their foreheads signed with ashes. It is, though, strongly advised as a visible spiritual reminder that encourages us to adopt an attitude of prayer, repentance, and humility.

Neither is Ash Wednesday a holy day of obligation. Holy days are either commemorations of particular events (such as the birth of Christ), particular people (such as Jesus' earthly father, Joseph), or important theological concepts (such as the Kingship of Christ). Ash Wednesday does not commemorate any event and could be said only indirectly to commemorate a Person (Christ), since it is the beginning of preparation for the greater celebrations of Christ's saving work that follow. However, attending Mass is a fitting way to mark the beginning of penitential season of Lent. Also, it is a day of fast and abstinence.

Amazing Origins of the Stations of the Cross

The Stations of the Cross, or Via Dolorosa (Way of Agony), is a special remembrance of the suffering and death which Jesus Christ endured for our salvation. In this brief essay, I will look at this event and what brought it about.

Many believe that Mary was the first person to trace the steps that Jesus took through his final hours. It makes sense as she is his mother and this is something she would do. However, most people place the start of this practice with St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis and his followers formed a great devotion to the suffering of Jesus, including his suffering and death on the Cross. During his life in the 13th century, the Muslims had unfortunately taken control of the Holy Lands, which prevented Christian pilgrims from retracing the steps of Christ in his final hours. In order that they could continue this practice, St. Francis initiated the stations of the cross within Churches across Europe. Eventually almost every church had the stations of the cross going around their church. People would contemplate on these things, especially during Good Friday. The practice became very widespread, and today is pretty much ubiquitous in Catholic Churches. St. Francis in fact was so devoted to contemplating the suffering of Christ, that he was the first person to receive the Stigmata, or the visible wounds which Jesus bore (some people also receive the pain without the visible wounds).

This is an amazing practice, which is especially popular on Good Friday. The following is the list of the 14 stations of the Cross:

1. Jesus is condemned to death
2. Jesus receives the cross
3. The first fall
4. Jesus meets His Mother
5. Simon of Cyrene carries the cross
6. Veronica wipes Jesus' face with her veil
7. The second fall
8. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
9. The third fall
10. Jesus is stripped of His garments
11. Crucifixion: Jesus is nailed to the cross
12. Jesus dies on the cross
13. Jesus' body removed from the cross (Pieta)
14. Jesus is laid in the tomb

Next time you pray on the stations of the Cross, remember the history of it, and remember how Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

Feast of Mary the Mother of God

January 1 of each year is the feast of Mary the Mother of God. This is Mary's most important title. The name is appropriate because Jesus came to us as both fully man and fully God. Some people find it hard to call Mary the Mother of God, but logic and reason will have it no other way. Mary gave birth to Jesus, and Jesus is God, therefore she is the mother of God. Mary did not give birth to Jesus' human nature, which doesn't make sense. Jesus is both human and divine, these cannot be separated. In fact, saying Mary gave birth to Jesus's human nature is not only a fallacy, both logically and theologically, it also brings up the old fallacy of Nestorianism. This is an ancient heresy, which was preached by Nestor, and was condemned by the entire Church.

Mary is due great honor, because she accepted God's call, no matter how difficult. Even though what God told her seemed impossible, Mary willingly participated in our salvation, as the handmaiden of the Lord, as she calls herself in the Bible.

Keep the X in Christmas

During Christmas there are many signs around saying, “Keep Christ in Christmas”. These have a good intention, and often times it is very justified and necessary for such a message, especially in this day and age. Christmas is the reason for the season, but the act of giving gifts during Christmas is not something which was always associated with it, nor is it necessary. Often, people’s reason for saying Keep Christ in Christmas is to remind people that Christmas is not there just as a material celebration and reason to give and receive gifts, but that it is meant to celebrate and worship the birth of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is our Lord and Savior.

Where does the term X-mas originate? Some may say it’s a way of shortening the word Christmas because it can’t fit on a lot of signs. A sign might have 50 words on it, and be 10 meters across and 5 meters high, but someone might need to save 3 inches by putting X instead of Christ. This sounds a bit fishy. Well, many (including those putting X-Mas on their signs) will be surprised to know that X-Mas goes back a long way, hundreds of years ago. The first two letters of the name of Jesus in Greek is spelled XP, and the X came to represent Christ. XP is a famous Catholic symbol, and is often used on vestments of priests and places around Churches.

So now that I've established the original meaning of X-mas, in my next post, I will find out where the idea of giving gifts during Christmas comes from.

Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, and Lent

Mardi Gras is the french for fat Tuesday. It comes directly before Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent, a period of fasting and penance before Easter. In ancient times, and to some extent, today, Christians would refrain from eating meat and fat during Lent, so they had to make sure it was all gone the day before Lent, which is Mardi Gras. That's the day they ate all the fat and meat that was left over, before they began a long period of fasting and penance. Then, of course, on Easter Sunday, there would be an enormous feast, celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, at which time people would resume eating fat and meat again. If you would like information on any Catholic issue, please email me at philinaberdeen@gmail.com and I will gladly answer your question in a polite and friendly way. Thank you.