The Lenten Embertide begins today. Ember Days fall four times a year. Traditionally there are three days in “Embertide” Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Tradition holds that Ember days were to be times of prayer and fasting. What I find interesting is for Lenten Ember Days – we just heard last week in church the following on Ash Wednesday:
I am trying not to be a smart-ass, and actually during Lent I do try to not be so much of a smart-ass – but if we’re already praying and fasting – what makes a Lenten Ember Day different or special?
To answer my own question – as part of following the rule of my own religious community – I am (happily) required to make a careful examination of conscience as to my observance to The Rule of The Brotherhood of Saint Gregory. Not only do I report to my minister-provincial an “Examination of the brother's observance of the Rule” but also an examination of my personal life. I would do this whether it were Lent or not. Ember days can be a time of fasting and praying, but I think more importantly, it is a necessary time of self-examination. Am I on track? Perhaps I am horribly lost. Even if you are horribly lost – a period of self-examination can sometimes get one to make that single first step back. What is that single first step I need to do now? Not worry about what I should have done yesterday, or fret about the 33 things that need to be done tomorrow. What is that single first step? Do it and move forward.
Often clergy-in-training in seminary are required to submit embertide reports. Some Episcopal dioceses have structure in place for ordained clergy to submit embertide reports. It is important to note that one does not need to be clergy or a religious to observe ember days or to make a self-examination.
I made a small foray into the internet search engines and came up with this, “Christian sources connect the Ember Days observations with Augustine, AD. 597, said to be acting under the direct authority of Pope Gregory the Great.” I often purport that just because something is on the internet, does not make it true – and currently I don’t have the time or stamina to get to source material for this. It is something I’d like to believe, and for today it will work.
As I noted in the beginning – Ember days are Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday – which in the series of days leaves Thursday out. This year, tomorrow, my birthday, conveniently falls in this bit of an ember hole. My birthday is usually during Lent, but not always. I am not sure if I am going to suspend my abstinence of meat tomorrow or not. I am not finding any great need to do so and to be mindful is to be quite aware of one’s fasting and feasting. Many people find their birthday an excuse to get drunk, though I’ve abstained from alcohol for years. One day at a time, I’ll concern myself with that tomorrow.
SOLI DEO GLORIA
I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the
observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance;
by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and
meditating on God's holy Word. And, to make a right beginning
of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now
kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer.
observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance;
by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and
meditating on God's holy Word. And, to make a right beginning
of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now
kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer.
I am trying not to be a smart-ass, and actually during Lent I do try to not be so much of a smart-ass – but if we’re already praying and fasting – what makes a Lenten Ember Day different or special?
To answer my own question – as part of following the rule of my own religious community – I am (happily) required to make a careful examination of conscience as to my observance to The Rule of The Brotherhood of Saint Gregory. Not only do I report to my minister-provincial an “Examination of the brother's observance of the Rule” but also an examination of my personal life. I would do this whether it were Lent or not. Ember days can be a time of fasting and praying, but I think more importantly, it is a necessary time of self-examination. Am I on track? Perhaps I am horribly lost. Even if you are horribly lost – a period of self-examination can sometimes get one to make that single first step back. What is that single first step I need to do now? Not worry about what I should have done yesterday, or fret about the 33 things that need to be done tomorrow. What is that single first step? Do it and move forward.
Often clergy-in-training in seminary are required to submit embertide reports. Some Episcopal dioceses have structure in place for ordained clergy to submit embertide reports. It is important to note that one does not need to be clergy or a religious to observe ember days or to make a self-examination.
I made a small foray into the internet search engines and came up with this, “Christian sources connect the Ember Days observations with Augustine, AD. 597, said to be acting under the direct authority of Pope Gregory the Great.” I often purport that just because something is on the internet, does not make it true – and currently I don’t have the time or stamina to get to source material for this. It is something I’d like to believe, and for today it will work.
As I noted in the beginning – Ember days are Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday – which in the series of days leaves Thursday out. This year, tomorrow, my birthday, conveniently falls in this bit of an ember hole. My birthday is usually during Lent, but not always. I am not sure if I am going to suspend my abstinence of meat tomorrow or not. I am not finding any great need to do so and to be mindful is to be quite aware of one’s fasting and feasting. Many people find their birthday an excuse to get drunk, though I’ve abstained from alcohol for years. One day at a time, I’ll concern myself with that tomorrow.
SOLI DEO GLORIA
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