Let's revive what's good - September Ember Days

(This is a revised repost from last September.)Ember Days are today a little-understood and even less celebrated part of the Catholic Church's rich tradition. While they are not usually celebrated publicly in the Church today, they are still part of the Church's observance, and we may do well to consider celebrating this part of our Catholic life anew. Particularly now, when the Church is in need of much prayer and sacrifice, practices like this can give us another way to pray with others and adhere with joy to ancient pious practices.Ember Days have nothing to do with embers or ashes; it is probably a corruption of the Latin for "four times", Quatuor Tempora or the Anglo-Saxon for cycle or circle, ymbren. You can probably guess that "ember days" are celebrated four times a year, at the change of the seasons.Originally instituted as a way to "baptize" pagan practices in ancient Rome, where seeding and harvesting were accompanied by rituals to their deities for a bountiful harvest, a rich vintage, etc., ember days are first recorded all the way back in the 3rd century, and may have begun even earlier. Pope Leo the Great claims they were instituted by the Apostles themselves! We pray for the same things, but in a new way, with God as our focus. The Universal Norms on the Liturgical year and the Calendar says that we "entreat the Lord for the various needs of humanity, especially for the fruits of the earth and for human labor, and to give thanks to him publicly."The idea is to fast and abstain on the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of certain weeks, to be distinguished from the pagan and Israelite practice of fasting on Tuesdays and Thursdays. These were once seen as "mini-Lents" to refocus our hearts in gratitude; in each of these weeks, the Church honors our agrarian roots, giving thanks for God's gift of nature to us. Interestingly, they are the only time the Church really celebrates nature's rhythms specifically (and their observance fell out of use just when the culture began to turn to nature in an unwholesome way, in some instances promoting environmentalism with a kind of religious fervor; Ember days keep that balance clear!). The four "ember weeks" are the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after:

• First Sunday of Lent/Lenten Embertide
  • we give thanks for the rebirth of nature and for light; usually flowers are offered
  • this can be seen to correspond to BAPTISM and the gift of supernatural life
• Pentecost/ Whit Embertide (the traditional octave of Pentecost)
  • we give thanks for the wheat crop
  • this can be seen to correspond to the EUCHARIST by which we are nourished
• September 14 - Exaltation of the Holy Cross/Michaelmas Embertide
  • we give thanks for the grape harvest
  • this can be seen to correspond to the BLOOD OF CHRIST and our share of the cross
• December 13 - St. Lucy/Advent Embertide
  • we give thanks for the olive crop
  • this can be seen to correspond to the HOLY OILS with which we are anointed

This month, we would therefore be fasting on September 19, 21, and 22. Though the Code of Canon Law of 1983 no longer requires the observance of these fasting and abstinence days, and the 1969 Calendar reform left the observance of these days to the discretion of the local conferences of bishops, observance of these days at home or in small communities is not discouraged.There are many customs and even superstitions surrounding these days (like the idea that souls in Purgatory would show themselves to those who prayed for them on these days!), as is often true of things that have been around for hundreds of years.Why should we make an effort to renew this observance? A few thoughts for your consideration:

• They are a Church-approved way to "redeem the time"

  

Our "domestic church" is not separate from the "universal Church"! Our celebrations and prayers participate in the celebrations and prayers of the whole Church, and should happen in the same rhythm. Ember days are a way to enter more fully into the rhythm of the Church's year in our own homes or faith communities.In addition, it is still true that pagans and neo-pagans mark the change of seasons with their own (false and often dangerous) rituals. We live in a world in which Christ does not yet reign fully. Our part in the cosmic battle is PRAYER and FASTING! The prince of this world is no match for the hosts of the King, and yet we who are still in the crossfire must do our part against the forces of darkness. We can enter into the prayer of the whole Church during these ember days, in a spirit of gratitude and hope.

• They give us a means to re-focus quarterly

Three of these weeks occur during times that are outside of major liturgical seasons, and can be a good time to reboot spiritually, remembering that every day is God's and is holy. It can also be a good time to make a kind of "90 day spiritual plan" for your home and your personal prayer life. If we enter into these weeks with an openness to God's will and ask Him to guide our planning, we can use them as another "tool" in our spiritual toolbox and a way to plan and plot progress in our spiritual practices.

• They provide our families and small communities a way to celebrate and give thanks for God's creation

Once Ember Days are part of the rhythm of your spiritual calendar, they can become a natural - and liturgical - way to remain in contact with the beauty and abundance of nature as a gift from God.

Contemporary man is often cut off from nature; he lives in a world that is reduced to a universe of tarmac, concrete, and all kinds of screens. He is the prisoner of a fabricated world, a virtual world, the projection of his own fantasies, instead of being in contact with creation. As a result, he is sometimes cut off from God—and from himself (Jacques Philippe, Thirsting for Prayer, pp. 74-75).

How can these days be observed? What do you usually do in your home to mark important occasions? Can these be adjusted to focus on the particular intention of these weeks? Again, a few things for you to consider, according to your circumstances:

• Prayer

It is best, in my experience, to do something that is small and doable so that you can be consistent, rather than bite off more than is needed and abandon the project altogether. There were, in the past, specific readings for each Ember week, which can be found online. But these days seem like a good time to do something that fits in well with the rhythm of your own family, but takes it a step farther. Particularly when we begin adding prayers to our routine, the people around us may lose enthusiasm.Instead of something cumbersome or burdensome, add one simple thing on these days. Maybe it is an appropriate reading before dinner; maybe a short prayer before bed. If you don't usually pray the Liturgy of the Hours, maybe you could add Evening Prayer on special occasions. Or use the prayers in a prayer aid like Magnificat or Word Among Us.

• Nature

Take a walk to explore the natural world during this season, or make it a "Rosary Walk" if you can. With children, you can create a scavenger hunt of sorts, and then look with wonder at the beauty and order of creation even in the little things. September Ember Days are often a good time for a bonfire with friends; this can start a rich conversation about Catholic traditions and prayer. Open your heart and mind to the magnificence of this great, green world and be sure to give thanks to the Creator of all, knowing that He made it so that it would draw us to Himself.

• Priests

Ember Days were traditionally seen as the time for ordinations. During these days, offer your prayer and fasting for priests and seminarians, who are giving their lives for God's Kingdom. And always, pray for the Church.

• Food

Gathering around the table is just as important today as it has been throughout time. These are days of moderated fasting, and only Fridays are days of abstinence. Many people mark important days with special foods; a traditional food, like this Ember Day Tart might be served. did you know that Japanese "tempura" gets its name from the Spanish/Portuguese missionaries who deep fried shrimp for their meatless Embertide meals? It is also easy to add a short reading or different prayer just before your meal prayer at dinner.If Ember Days are new to you, find someone to share ideas with, and maybe even celebrate in some way with them.If you have a tradition for Ember Days, share it with others, or share it here!Together, let us give thanks for God's great abundance, in nature and in the Church!