Ash Wednesday and such like 'Holy Days'

[Genevanpreacher]

1 Timothy 4 -

1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

11 These things command and teach.

 

Just needing to remind those here who might be of another 'persuasion' and wonder why we don't.

[John81]

Curious as to why this is in the Fun and Games section...

[Genevanpreacher]

Maybe they think I am joking?

[No Nicolaitans]

 

Just needing to remind those here who might be of another 'persuasion' and wonder why we don't.

I'm also confused...what is it that you don't do?

[Genevanpreacher]

Ash Wednesday?

Hello? That's what this was about.

[No Nicolaitans]

Oh...

Sorry, I was trying to figure out which verse (you posted) you didn't do.  

In my area, there were all kinds of Baptists (and other denoms/non-denoms) jumping on the Lent bandwagon. I mean it was huge. 

 

[John81]

I didn't really know any Catholics until I was in my teens. The only thing I knew about Catholics and Ash Wednesday was that the Friday school lunch was going to be fish sticks for about a month. When I heard and thought about Lent all I could wonder was what that stuff in your belly button had to do with anything

It's sad how many churches, even Baptist churches, who have come to partake of things like Lent, Advent rituals, and assorted other traditions of the Catholic Church. I notice most give up something they won't really miss much for Lent. Then there are the pious few who give up something "BIG" (in their own minds) and make sure everyone knows (over and over again) of the BIG sacrifice they are making for Lent; like giving up their favorite TV show or some other "seriously BIG thing".

[Invicta]

Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras.

[Ukulelemike]

40-day fast for Tammuz.

 

[John81]

There are a lot of churches this year I've noticed that are joining in this "Lent season" stuff. It's odd hearing folks talking about giving up watching a TV show, which they are recording to binge watch after their "fast". Or someone saying they are giving up their afternoon coffee...which they usually don't have anyway. Or the variety of single food items they will abstain from, like no pepperoni on their pizza (but they will eat any other pizza).

Ask them what they plan to replace their "sacrifice" with and either you get a blank stare or they plan to replace one worldly thing with another.

There doesn't seem to be much of a concept about giving up something in order to spend more time with God.

[Ukulelemike]

A friend recently told me how they met someone with the ash 'cross' on their forehead and were confused for a moment. I said it would have been funny if she had grabbed a hanky and wiped it off, "Oops! You have something on your face! Let me get that for ya!"

For lent this year, I gave up Catholicism. It's been tough not going to Mass and taking the eucharist, not going to confession, or saying the Our Father, not to mention NOT participating in Lent, but I'm struggling by!

[John81]

Choosing to give up Lent each year is a tough decision but I manage!

So far I've not known a Catholic which chose to give up booze or smoking for Lent.

I had a friend that said attending Mass was more important than any of those things. He used to sleep his hangovers off in Mass. Nothing like some Saturday night drunkenness a person can sleep off while at Mass the next morning and feeling they have covered their religious duty and are good for another week.