Wednesday, June 9
Thought for the Day
When we were discussing ember days last week, someone or another made a comment that bothered me, and I just figured out why. They said, "Why celebrate the passing of the seasons with fasting? Doesn't sound like celebrating, to me."
It occurs to me that we celebrate birthdays and Father's Day and Christmas, etc., by losing money. Yes, we do. We lose money. Or in other words, we give gifts. Do you see the shift in perspective? That we lose money when we give gifts sounds ridiculous, it loses sight of the purpose: to give a gift out of love and gratitude to one we love.
Ember days is like that. Our attention is called to the earth with the change of the seasons and their beauty, and -- rather than losing the experience of food or depriving ourselves of meat -- we give a gift in love and gratitude.
When this perspective becomes more widespread, Ember days and fasting in general will naturally take hold of the hearts of Christ's faithful in a healthy, sanctifying way, I rather think.
When we were discussing ember days last week, someone or another made a comment that bothered me, and I just figured out why. They said, "Why celebrate the passing of the seasons with fasting? Doesn't sound like celebrating, to me."
It occurs to me that we celebrate birthdays and Father's Day and Christmas, etc., by losing money. Yes, we do. We lose money. Or in other words, we give gifts. Do you see the shift in perspective? That we lose money when we give gifts sounds ridiculous, it loses sight of the purpose: to give a gift out of love and gratitude to one we love.
Ember days is like that. Our attention is called to the earth with the change of the seasons and their beauty, and -- rather than losing the experience of food or depriving ourselves of meat -- we give a gift in love and gratitude.
When this perspective becomes more widespread, Ember days and fasting in general will naturally take hold of the hearts of Christ's faithful in a healthy, sanctifying way, I rather think.
![[SMMMHDH]](http://www.mgilleland.com/music/smmmhdh.png){kind=small}
