This past Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, the day that marks the beginning of Lent and forty days of fasting, reflection, and giving up sweets, or watching T.V., or cussing, or fighting with your brothers. Yes, Lent is the time Catholics decide to refrain from partaking in certain vices to get closer to God, and to show some kinship with Jesus who wandered in a desert for the same amount of time.
And though I am no longer Catholic, for many reasons from the pedophilia and perverse views of sex and love to the hypocrisy of the medieval and sexist infrastructure, for some reason this time of year makes me miss it a little.
Lent, unlike other Catholic holidays, illustrates the religions strongest sense of ritual and reflection. Most of the time Catholics can do whatever they want, when ever they want and get away with as long as they confess. But during Lent, those crazy Catholics show a severity that uncommon the rest of the year.
Examples:
Ash Wednesday: an outward symbols of faith that leaves them vulnerable to questions and even ridicule, as seen this year with the media and Biden.
No meat Fridays: This version of fasting results in specific Lenten menus, at least within my Mexican family, like Lentil soup, chile rellenos, shrimp cakes, and fruit water. This is the only time of year that a specific menu is called for.
Stations of the Cross: reenactments of Jesus' final journey, lots of kneeling and reciting, and just general serious praying.
Palm Sunday: includes religious paraphernalia and more reenactments.
Easter Vigil: 2 hour long mass, maybe longer, starting with people standing outside a church in the dark with candles, and includes baptisms, confirmations, and First Holy Communions. If you go to this mass, you are a serious Catholic.
I gave up Catholicism many many years ago. I'm probably close to 10 years sober, but this time of year with all its ritual and restraint really does something to my old Catholic guilt and suddenly I want to put down my big juicy burger and make a tuna sandwich. Just this once. Just for old times sake.
Wow! Found your blog after reading a story in the latimes about bus riding. Your link was on the site of a commenter.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post today, because I am suffering through Lent now. I am one who would like to chuck it all in when it comes to religion, but I can't. I was baptised at birth and forced through all the other. I understand your disgust with the Church. We have a gay daughter and a homophobic priest. I really don't know how we endured listening to otherwise friendly people campaign in favor of prop 8, while my wife and I campaigned against it.
Yet, the most accurate critiques of the Church apply to all human institutions. Even the facts of math depend on accepted assumptions.
There are some beautiful parts of your old faith. I work with the dying in nursing homes. It is very nice for me to say the Hail Mary while bed bathing one who is about to leave this world. Some times I am the only one with a dying person. I often chant the Amen song. There is no way to describe how nice, how real, the faith seems then.
P.S. Grilled tuna is great anytime. Thanks.