Ash Wednesday / Lent

[watchinginawe]

Is this a household observance for you?

No, it's a religious observance.

For the Christian, Christmas is a religious observance. However, it is celebrated (generally) by the entire household in exchanging gifts, cards, etc. So that is the context of my question there.

[IMINXTC]

I was led out of a devout Catholicism at 27, but was saved as a teen when confronted with the Bible. I have since rejected Catholicism.

[49ersALLS.F.]

Let occurs at the same time as the historic Festival of Booths. I’d explain the language arts joke, but it’s probably too political for a religion chat room, and also it revolves around atomic spelling. People think you’re talking down to them when you explain jokes, and also you just shouldn’t, because once you’ve done it they know what you know.

Explaining Lent/lint is a good way to find out which side of the American Civil War people fought on, though. Thin about it. Booths. Voting Booths, Polling Booths, John Wilkes Booth…..

[teddyv]

My wife is serving as principal for the local Catholic elementary school, so she is getting introduced to all the Catholic things including Ash Wednesday, coming home with some ash on her forehead. Yesterday, they did a pilgrimage around town with the priest, stopping at several locations to pray such as fallen soldiers and vets at the cenotaph, or for the homeless by the local homeless camp. Mass is every Friday, although she (and most others) cannot partake.

[Fenris]

For the Christian, Christmas is a religious observance. However, it is celebrated (generally) by the entire household in exchanging gifts, cards, etc. So that is the context of my question there.

I thought the religious observance of Christmas is the mass that Christians attend.

[Fenris]

Let occurs at the same time as the historic Festival of Booths.

The "festival of Booths" (known as "Sukkot" in Hebrew) occurs in the fall, not the spring.

Explaining Lent/lint is a good way to find out which side of the American Civil War people fought on, though. Thin about it. Booths. Voting Booths, Polling Booths, John Wilkes Booth…..

Someone's hitting the sacramental wine early today.

[49ersALLS.F.]

Major League Baseball is played with a baton made of specifically, Ash Wood. You have to use a tree cut in a certain area. Also, I was explaining a language art that pollsters use in specifically, American. You’d have to have a certain specific secular job to “get the ball”, but since you’re a rabbi, I’ll let you think what you think.

[watchinginawe]

For the Christian, Christmas is a religious observance. However, it is celebrated (generally) by the entire household in exchanging gifts, cards, etc. So that is the context of my question there.

I thought the religious observance of Christmas is the mass that Christians attend.

That would be more Catholic. There are major differences in the Sacraments between Protestants and Catholics, probably too much for discussion. But our religious observances aren't confined to church premises. For example, on Christmas Eve, it is very traditional for Protestants to have a Bible reading in the home, maybe light a candle, etc. This is a household religious observance. Everyone down to the dog participates.

[watchinginawe]

My wife is serving as principal for the local Catholic elementary school, so she is getting introduced to all the Catholic things including Ash Wednesday, coming home with some ash on her forehead. Yesterday, they did a pilgrimage around town with the priest, stopping at several locations to pray such as fallen soldiers and vets at the cenotaph, or for the homeless by the local homeless camp. Mass is every Friday, although she (and most others) cannot partake.

Interesting, thanks for sharing. Yes, I was explaining to someone the other day the major differences between Catholicism and Protestantism and was explaining how Mass is participated in only by those in good standing with the church. Catholics very much manage their faith through the church and not directly with God as we Protestants do, Jesus being our intercessor as opposed to the church.

[teddyv]

My wife is serving as principal for the local Catholic elementary school, so she is getting introduced to all the Catholic things including Ash Wednesday, coming home with some ash on her forehead. Yesterday, they did a pilgrimage around town with the priest, stopping at several locations to pray such as fallen soldiers and vets at the cenotaph, or for the homeless by the local homeless camp. Mass is every Friday, although she (and most others) cannot partake.

Interesting, thanks for sharing. Yes, I was explaining to someone the other day the major differences between Catholicism and Protestantism and was explaining how Mass is participated in only by those in good standing with the church. Catholics very much manage their faith through the church and not directly with God as we Protestants do, Jesus being our intercessor as opposed to the church.

Catholics, particularly those who are actively involved and faithful, would disagree with the last sentence. Protestants, mostly evangelicals, rarely interact with Catholicism in good-faith.

I have much respect for RCC (and EO). While some beliefs seem odd or wrong, its not like the belief or doctrine just sprung from one person's head and became the doctrine - these were debated and discussed and then adopted. The Protestant church is the one that forms new denominations over almost anything. Also, the RCC dedication to education, science and robust scholarship is very good. It certainly beats the anti-intellectualism especially present in the present Evangelical world.

[Fenris]

That would be more Catholic. There are major differences in the Sacraments between Protestants and Catholics, probably too much for discussion. But our religious observances aren't confined to church premises. For example, on Christmas Eve, it is very traditional for Protestants to have a Bible reading in the home, maybe light a candle, etc. This is a household religious observance. Everyone down to the dog participates.

Ah. Thanks for the clarification. I learn new nuances of Christianity all the time. 

[49ersALLS.F.]

I hate to drag science into this, but actually if you’re alive and have a body you “participate in mass”. Density is mass divided by volume. I’m not sure which Jewish sabbath corresponds to which Catholic holy day, but I do know there are seven sacraments that also correspond to either the Exodus observances or the seven royal disciplines of Ancient Greece (arithmetic, logic, geometry, etc.) Maybe it’s just something to do with the seven branched candelabra.

As Judaism became Christianity due to the advent, birth, life, death, and ascension of Christ, it’s not really true that anything changed religiously. Messianic Hebrews believed in the messiah, and occupying Italians also had religious beliefs change with the times, both because of the local war in the Judean province and because of conversions. It’s not that technical, the Messiah arrived as prophesied, and faithful observant people’s beliefs advanced accordingly. Everyone else died in the wars of the Flavians, or Nero’s and Caligula’s campaigns against Persia, which kinda smashed Jerusalem in its path, taking the Hebrew Maccabees down with the Temple and, you know, laying waste. That’s why local people needed faith in the resurrection and the afterlife.

[watchinginawe]

My wife is serving as principal for the local Catholic elementary school, so she is getting introduced to all the Catholic things including Ash Wednesday, coming home with some ash on her forehead. Yesterday, they did a pilgrimage around town with the priest, stopping at several locations to pray such as fallen soldiers and vets at the cenotaph, or for the homeless by the local homeless camp. Mass is every Friday, although she (and most others) cannot partake.

Interesting, thanks for sharing. Yes, I was explaining to someone the other day the major differences between Catholicism and Protestantism and was explaining how Mass is participated in only by those in good standing with the church. Catholics very much manage their faith through the church and not directly with God as we Protestants do, Jesus being our intercessor as opposed to the church.

Catholics, particularly those who are actively involved and faithful, would disagree with the last sentence. Protestants, mostly evangelicals, rarely interact with Catholicism in good-faith.

Well, like the thread said, I'm not picking any bones with Catholics. Regarding the last sentence, regardless of how practitioners may disagree, it is the view of the Catholic Church. Thus, your wife is excluded from Mass.

Thanks for the thoughts.

[IMINXTC]

The RCC requirement is that one be 'baptized' in the Catholic faith before partaking in their sacred ordinances. Mass attendance is actually allowed but not communion, which is the core sacrament (Eucharist) of that faith, and the true essence of "Mass."

[49ersALLS.F.]

You keep saying mass like you meant the sacrament. I know splitting hairs, but every thing has mass. Characteristic of mass, it is solid and can be weighed. In reality, if you are thinking about the spirit world, or in prayer or (sign of the cross, salt and holy water over left shoulder), actually having a dream, that’s really the only kind of activity that isn’t to do with mass. Prayer isn’t mass, but if a large number of people get together in one place, it’s referred to as a mass of people. Mass demonstrations, mass riots, even armies massing on the banks of rivers or at the gates of walled cities. Gee, now that I think about it, I’m not sure I want to go to mass either…but if you don’t have any solid mass to you at all, you’re a ghost. Scientifically speaking, I mean.