Tag Archives: rules

What is the Triduum and Why Should I Care?

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Mary| 4 Comments

Three days in a row at church?  Maybe it sounded miserable when you were six, but this year you’re much older and wiser.  More importantly, you have gotten to know the person of Jesus Christ.  And there is no better or more fitting way to commemorate Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection than participating in the Easter Triduum.

 

What is the Easter Triduum?

The word “Triduum” can mean any three-day period of prayer that typically precedes a feast day.  The Easter Triduum (or Paschal Triduum) is the three days of prayer that precede the celebration of Easter.  These three days see the celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, a Good Friday service that recalls the passion and death of Jesus Christ, and finally, the three days culminate in the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection at the Easter Vigil, after nightfall on Holy Saturday but before dawn on Easter Sunday.

 

Holy Thursday (that’s today!)

Tonight we celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper (your parish probably has this mass tonight around 7pm).  At this mass, we commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus (as, of course, we do at every mass—but in a special way tonight).  We recall Jesus’ words to the twelve in Luke’s Gospel on the night he was handed over, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” We recall Christ’s washing of the apostles’ feet in the institution of the priesthood, and the institution of the Eucharist.  The mass will end with the procession of the Blessed Sacrament out of the church to a place of repose, where the faithful are typically able and encouraged to stay and pray for a period of time.  The altar in the church is then stripped and crosses are covered with a red or purple veil.  This is a perfect way to prepare for Good Friday.  Celebrate with Christ the Passover meal, and enter with him into the Garden to pray.

 

Good Friday

Good Friday is the day that we commemorate the passion and death of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  This is the one day out of the entire year that the Catholic Church does not celebrate the mass.  Instead, there is a Good Friday service (usually takes place in the afternoon) that typically consists of the Liturgy of the Word, veneration of the Cross, and communion (the communion hosts received at this service were consecrated at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday).  This is a solemn day on which Catholics are obliged to fast.  Especially between the hours of 12 and 3pm, the faithful are called to meditate on the passion and death of Jesus Christ.

 

The Easter Vigil

The “mother of all holy vigils”, on this night, the Church keeps vigil for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It is also at this mass that the Church welcomes its newest members through the sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist).  You will not find a more joy-filled or a more glorious celebration on this earth than the Easter Vigil.  A lot more could be said, but words just won’t do it justice.  :)

The goal of our worship, of our liturgy, as Catholics is communion with God.  Over these next three days during which we commemorate the good news of our faith as Christians, what better way to be united with God than to walk the steps of Jesus along with the Church?  To participate in the Mass of the Lord’s Supper this evening, to enter with Christ into the Garden tonight, to walk with him on the road to Calvary tomorrow, to wait in haste on Saturday and keeping vigil into the night, ultimately celebrating his resurrection from the dead and victory over sin.

O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a Redeemer!

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The Teachings Our Generation Missed

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Mary| 12 Comments

Receiving the Eucharist is a big deal to us Catholics, yes?  Ok, good.  Glad we are on the same page.  However, I have this sneaking suspicion that our generation missed, or just wasn’t told often enough, some basic rules about receiving the Eucharist.  Maybe the older folks are afraid we can’t handle them, or are just worried that we’ll think they’re uncool or something.  Regardless, I’m letting the cat out of the bag.

You ready?

(1) We have an obligation to attend mass every Sunday and on every Holy Day of Obligation.  If we miss mass without a serious reason, we’re guilty of mortal sin and need to go to confession before we can receive the Eucharist again.

(2) We have an obligation to go to confession at least once a year.  If it has been over one year since the last time you went to reconciliation, you should not be receiving the Eucharist.

***Update Re the Comment Box (in other words, stealing from the comment box):

“The once a year thing is interesting… the most recent code of canon law requires that we confess our grave sins at least once a year (989). Which, legally speaking, makes the most sense, since the sacrament of confession is actually only strictly necessary for the forgiveness of mortal sins. Venial sins do not need to be brought to confession in order to be forgiven.
However, practically and spiritually speaking, it makes sense that we would need to go to confession at least once a year, no matter what. Because even if we don’t need, strictly speaking, to confess venial sins in the sacrament of confession, we should, because it makes us aware of our sins, we receive grace and strength to overcome temptation and grow in holiness, and we actually hear the words of Jesus  saying, ‘I forgive you’”

(3) We also have an obligation to receive the Eucharist at least once during the season of Easter each year.  Translation: if you’re a baptized Catholic just going to mass every Sunday but not receiving because you’re aware of a mortal sin on your conscience, you need to go to confession sometime before Easter season is over this year so that you can receive communion.

The point of all of this: We cannot receive communion in a state of mortal sin.  Just because we made our first communion when we were seven does not automatically make us forever eligible to receive.  We have to live it out, too.

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

-1 Cor 11:27-30

Yes, you read that right: Sickness and even death as a result of receiving communion in the state of mortal sin.  Of course, we should be wayyy more concerned about our spiritual health than our physical health, but don’t fall into the trap of thinking the two are mutually exclusive.  There have been many miracles in which people were healed from physical ailments after going to confession.

I’m not usually about fire and brimstone, but pretending it doesn’t exist is just not at all helpful.  The fact of the matter is that sometimes the truth is scary.  That is, of course, until we decide to live in accordance with it.  :)

Posted in Stuff Catholics Do, You & God, Youthful Antics

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Diving Into Lent

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Mary| 2 Comments

Lent is less than a week away!  Have you made your Lenten resolutions yet?

A while ago I bought into what I am now deeming not-so-good advice about Lent.  I can’t remember where it came from, all I know is that I somehow got into my head the idea that it was best to make one or two resolutions that you know you can really stick to as opposed to a bunch of life-altering changes that might result in miserable failure on day three.

Well, forget that.

This is a blog for young adults, and we’re not particularly well known for being overly cautious.  Why should that change when it comes to one of the few cases in which caution is actually NOT desirable—in growing in relationship with Jesus?

We’ve got six days, people.  Let’s ask Jesus what things in our lives are keeping us from loving Him as we ought to and—whether it’s a list of three or three hundred things—cut. them. out. 

Is sleeping-in keeping you from prayer?  Set seven alarms and sleep on the floor for Lent (it’s much harder to sleep in when what you’re sleeping on is uncomfortable).  Wasting time on Facebook?  Block it.  Deactivate.  Whatever it takes.  Also, fast.  Fast a lot.

A lot of people ask how giving up something like chocolate or soda can help your relationship with Jesus.  It’s simple, really.  We are supposed to love Jesus above all else; and as Christians, we want to love Jesus above all else.  So we practice.  We practice by refusing ourselves some lesser good—not because enjoying that lesser good is wrong, but because by refusing that lesser good, we are showing and increasing our love for He that is the greatest good.  If we don’t practice saying no to ourselves and to lesser goods, then our prayer becomes empty.  I can’t truly say that I love God more than anything if I’m unable to do something as simple as giving up dessert as an act of love for Him.

There’s a catch, though.  The thing about the advice I took a few years back was that it was safe.  If you’re just giving up chocolate for Lent, it’s not so difficult to just get into the habit of not having chocolate.  It’s a simple recipe for a “successful” Lent.

The non-cautious route to Lent isn’t safe.  And you may not be “successful” in the same way as you used to be on the safe route.  But Lent is all about renewing your total reliance on God, and sometimes we learn that best after falling a few times trying to do it on our own.  The sooner you learn that you will fail when you try to do it alone, the better.  The battle was never yours to begin with.

“Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good works”

Heb 10:24

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In Progress

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Mary| 5 Comments

So, remember a few weeks ago when I posted the 7 Steps to Being Young & Catholic?

Yeah, well just so you know, I’ve been doing terribly at them.  I could list my excuses here for you as to why I have not “been able” to make it to daily mass at least once a week apart from Sunday, or why I haven’t spent the time in silent prayer or the time in the chapel that I know I should, but they would just look pathetic.  As far as spiritual reading: if I wasn’t a student of Biblical Theology, then that would probably look pretty meager, too.

It’s not that I’m getting down on myself for just slacking off on some checklist, but at the same time, I’m totally getting down on myself for slacking off on some checklist.

Let me explain: No one is eager to wake up on January 1st to kick-off a six-month diet and workout regimen.  They may like the idea of it in their head; they may be eager for the results and know deep down that they’re craving discipline in their life, but by the middle of day two, all that person really wants is a brownie.

We’re human.  As good as our intentions may be, a plan helps keep us on track.

Similarly, I may like the idea of getting up every morning at 6:30 to go mass, and of spending my free time reading my Bible.  I may know deep down that is what will bring me truer joy than watching my Facebook newsfeed update, but a lot of times that doesn’t make it much easier to get into the spiritual shape I feel God is calling me to.

I know that faith isn’t supposed to just be some divine checklist—that it all comes down to falling in love with God, and that I just need to rely on Him and He will give me the grace of faith.  But sometimes I’m not super awesome at doing even that.

So it turns out I’m not the perfect poster-child for the Young & Catholic lifestyle.  Oh well.  Good thing I believe in a God who meets me where I am, and never tires of reminding me where I need to be.

Lent is coming up soon!  Let’s all get spiritually buff.

Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air; 27 but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:25-27

 

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What’s Your Problem With Harry Potter?

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Mary| 39 Comments

I was seven years old when the first Harry Potter book came out. My parents didn’t want me to read it.

Being the good girl that I was, I left it pretty much at that. Mom and Dad didn’t want me reading it, so I didn’t read it. …Plus, I’m sure it sounded scary to me at the time (I was kind of a wuss).

What my seven-year-old self could not perceive at that time was that a lot of people saw the “no Harry Potter” rule as absolutely ridiculous—and viewed my parents (and the many parents out there with similar rules) as ridiculous for enforcing it. The Harry Potter books awakened in so many people worldwide a love for fantasy, story, and the written word. And I know many people who claim, to this day, that their lives are better for having read the Harry Potter books (seriously). How could that possibly be a bad thing?

This is the argument most hear (or think they hear): Harry Potter is a wizard, and wizards and witches are evil, so the Church says it’s a sin to read Harry Potter.

To be clear, it’s not a sin to read Harry Potter. The reason my parents didn’t want me reading Harry Potter when I was young was not because they thought it was sinful; it was because they were protecting me. The fact is that magic is real. Spells are real. The occult is real (and creepy). And when you mess with that stuff, bad things can happen (demonic possession, unfortunately, is not just something that happens in the movies).

Now here’s what most say when they hear that: But Harry Potter uses magic for good! He fights evil with it! This is clearly a good vs. evil story.

Suddenly there’s a distinction between good magic and bad magic. And really what matters is how you use it. You can see how this could be confusing for a little kid. If you’re a good person, you use magic for good, and if you’re a bad person you use it for evil. But in reality there is no such distinction. Our faith is clear on this:

CCC 2117 All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one’s service and have a supernatural power over others – even if this were for the sake of restoring their health – are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocation of evil powers or the exploitation of another’s credulity.

Again, the Church doesn’t make up this rule for fun. Demonic possession is real, and you want no part in it. Ergo, stay away from magic.

But ok. Seriously, Mary. It’s just a story. There’s no such thing as Hogwarts, and Harry and his friends do not exist. Most people who read it don’t try to become wizards afterward, and if they do, there’s probably something else a little off about them in the first place.

Fair enough. But when I was a little kid, I had my share of daydreams in which I married one of the cartoon Disney Princes (and don’t even pretend like you didn’t do the same, ladies!), or got to travel to The Land Before Time and hang out with friendly, talking dinosaurs. Of course, I knew it was all make-believe…but man…how excited would I have been if had found out there was actually a way to be part of those stories! With Harry Potter, there sort of is (Tarot Cards, spell books, etc).

I know I’m going to get tons of comments about how incredible the character growth is and what a powerful story it is, magic aside. And that’s great. I’m all for good story. But I support those parents who choose to not allow their children to read Harry Potter. There are plenty of other great books out there that don’t blur the lines between good and evil. And for all of the virtue that Harry Potter practices, there is just no getting around the fact that he uses magic to accomplish it, and in doing so, cooperates with evil.

Not exactly a role model I want my seven-year-old to have.

And just for fun…

Also. Before you comment: calm down.

:)

 

Posted in Pop Culture, Stuff Catholics Do

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