Friends in Christ,
Today begins the Ember Days of Pentecost, where the Church – in the Traditional Latin Mass calendar – sets aside three days of prayer and fasting (now voluntary) at the beginning of each natural season to give thanks to God for the gifts of creation and to consecrate the upcoming season.
This season however, the prayer and fasting of the Ember Days takes on a deeper significance for us in Charlotte. As Fr. Reid encouraged in a homily last week, the Latin Mass faithful and supporters should continue praying and fasting for preservation of the Traditional Latin Mass.
Today
(Wednesday), Friday, and Saturday – the Ember Days of Pentecost – are
the perfect days to take on this ancient practice of prayer and
penance.
Is there not a more urgent time to pray and fast for the preservation of the Traditional Latin Mass?
Embertide Traditional Latin Mass schedule & 1962 fasting disciplines
Ember Wednesday June 11: St. Ann, 6:00 p.m. (fasting and partial abstinence*)
Thursday June 12: Thomas Aquinas, 7:00 p.m. (Not an Ember day; no fasting or abstinence required Thursday)
Ember Friday June 13: St. Ann, 7:00 a.m.; St. John the Baptist, Tryon, NC 8:30 a.m.; Church of the Epiphany, Blowing Rock, NC 9:30 a.m. (fasting and complete abstinence)
Ember Saturday June 14: No Latin Masses scheduled. (fasting and partial abstinence*)
* The above penances are now voluntary. Partial abstinence is taking meat only once a day, only at the main meal.
Ember Days and Ordinations
Historically, Ember Days were also a time to pray for vocations as many priestly ordinations would occur on Ember Saturday (as they do in Charlotte this week – please pray for our six future priests who will be ordained Saturday).
History of Ember Days
The week following Pentecost is also one of four weeks during the liturgical year designated by the Church to include special days of prayer, abstinence and fasting known as Ember Days. These fall on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday during each Ember Week associated with a natural season. In addition to the week following Pentecost associated with the coming of summer, Ember weeks follow The Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14th (fall), the Feast of St. Lucy on December 13th (winter), and the first Sunday in Lent, a moveable feast near the beginning of spring.
The origin of Ember Days has been traced both to the Old Testament (Zacharias 8:19) and to the perceived need for intensified prayer at the beginning of each season in the annual cycle of agricultural activity. Intercessory prayers typically address the need for favorable weather and for protection against extreme climatic conditions and potentially catastrophic events.
Pentecost and the Ember Days observed during the Octave of Pentecost underscore the continuity between the old covenant and the new, as well as the deeply rooted connection of Christianity to the natural world and the agricultural pursuits that have been the subject of special celebrations since the soil of the earth first was broken to receive seed.
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May our fasts be acceptable to Thee, O Lord; may they atone for our sins and render us worthy of Thy grace, and lead us unto life everlasting.
(Collect of Tuesday in Passion Week)