The Lenten Ember Days & Tempura! (Reposted)

Today (3/12/14) begins the Lenten Embertide. One of the four times a year that the Church calls the ʻEmber Daysʻ or the ʻQuatuor Temporaʻ in Latin

A concise explanation of the ʻEmber Daysʻ Can be found in Theinʻs Ecclesiastical Dictionary: 

They are "the first Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of each of the four seasons of the year, set apart as fast days by the Catholic Church. According to the testimony of Pope Leo, they originated in the time of the Apostles, who were inspired by the Holy Ghost to dedicate each season of the year to God by a few days of penance; or, as it were, to pay three days’ interest, every three months, on the graces received from God. The Church always commanded the Faithful to fast at the beginning of each of the four seasons of the year, because it is at this time that she ordains the priests and other servants of the Church, which even the Apostles did with much prayer and fasting." (Thein, J., 1900. Ecclesiastical Dictionary)

A much deeper look at the Ember Days, including a more detailed look at its historical roots, can be found in a great article by Michael P. Foley called ʻThe Glow of the Ember Daysʻ. You can read it here - http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2008/09/glow-of-ember-days.html 

One of the unique stories , and a favorite of many local Hawaiian Catholics, surrounding the ʻEmber Daysʻ is that of how the ʻEmber Daysʻ led to the creation of the very tasty and very popular food, Shrimp Tempura! Mr. Foley explains it in his article

"In the sixteenth century, when Spanish and Portuguese missionaries settled in Nagasaki, Japan, they sought ways of making tasty meatless meals for Embertide and started deep-frying shrimp. The idea caught on with the Japanese, who applied the process to a number of different sea foods and vegetables. They called this delicious food—have you guessed it yet?—“tempura,” again from Quatuor Tempora. " (M. Foley. Fall 2008 issue of The Latin Mass Magazine, vol. 17:4)

So either today, Friday, or this Saturday, in honor of the Apostolic tradition of the ʻEmber Daysʻ consider including Tempura as the main part of your one full meal! Its  a food with a very Catholic history :)

image via ʻCreative Commonsʻ. Photo by avlxyz

Archbishop Alexander Sample on the Latin Mass

Archbishop Alexander Sample of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon celebrated a Pontifical High Mass in the Extraordinary Form at the Brigittine Monastery in Oregon. 

Here is an HD quality recording of his excellent words on the Latin Mass. HT to Father Z for sharing this video 

The Lenten Journey - 40 days in Nineveh (Jonah 3: 3 - 10)

Lent has always been a great time to re-callibrate my life by ridding myself of bad habits and embracing brand new habits that bring me closer to Christ. The Church has traditionally explained that during Lent the "Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert." (CCC 540 ; Matthew 4) In addition to that I personally like to reflect on the story of Jonah and his proclamation to Nineveh. In 40 days they were able to turn from their misdeeds through fasting and penance!

^"3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord.  Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. ⁴ Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he cried, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” ⁵ And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

⁶ Then tidings reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, and covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. ⁷ And he made proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, or drink water, ⁸ but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them cry mightily to God; yea, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence which is in his hands. ⁹ Who knows, God may yet repent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we perish not?”

¹⁰ When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God repented of the evil which he had said he would do to them; and he did not do it."

I often look my life as a micro-cosmic Nineveh. I have 40 days to rid myself of those things not pleasing to God and to embrace those things that sanctify and purify!

May God bless all of us with a sanctifying and purifying Lent! 

image via Public Domain. Horne, C. & Bewer, J., 1909. The Bible and its Story

Q&A Panel at St. Anthony Church in Kalihi

This Friday, 3/7/2014, at 7:00pm I will be a part of a Q&A panel at St. Anthony Church in Kalihi. Please come and participate if you are able :) 

Respond to God's Graces urgently! Luke 18:31-43

This Gospel from this past Sunday, Quinquagesima Sunday, was from Luke 18:31-43 part of which is the story of Bartimeus the blind man of Jericho, the son of Timeus. 

"Now it came to pass, when he drew nigh to Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the way side, begging. And when he heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this meant. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.  And he cried out, saying: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. And they that went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried out much more: Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus standing, commanded him to be brought unto him. And when he was come near, he asked him, Saying; What wilt thou that I do to thee? But he said: Lord, that I may see. And Jesus said to him: Receive thy sight: thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he saw and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God." 

The Navarre Biblical commentary had an excellent insight, from St. Augustine, about this passage. Respond to God's special Graces urgently because we don't know when they will be offered again!

"The blind man of Jericho is quick to use the opportunity presented by Christ’s presence. We should not neglect the Lord’s graces, for we do not know whether he will offer them to us again. St Augustine described very succinctly the urgency with which we should respond to God’s gift, to his passing us on the road: “Timeo Jesum praetereuntem et non redeuntem: I fear Jesus may pass by and not come back.” For, at least on some occasion, in some way, Jesus passes close to everyone." (Anon, 2005. Saint Luke’s Gospel, Dublin; Scepter Publishers.)

image via Public Domain. Horne, C. & Bewer, J., 1909. The Bible and its Story

Vinification in Hawaii! Cabernet Sauvignon: Hereticʻs Bane

Here are pictures from my latest batch of wine made in honor of St. Pius X bottled last week (end of February 2014) I named it Hereticʻs Bane since that IS what he was! Thank you to Courtney W. for making the awesome design for the label. Next up on the winemaking list is the 2014 version of Hilaireous Gilbert! Check out the post on my 2013 version HERE 

The Biblical Basis of the parts of the Holy Mass (3 of 7)

OREMUS

I pray thee, O Lord to take away the iniquity of thy servant. 2 K 24:10


Every one that shall touch the Altar shall be holy, Ex 29:37


The Saints whose relics are under the Altar are invoked. Ap 6:9

INTROIT

Give glory to Him because He hath shown His mercy to you. To 12:6


O Lord, our Lord, how admirable is Thy Name in all the earth! Ps 8:10



THE KYRIE EKEISON

P. O Lord, have mercy on us. Mt 20:31


R. O Lord, have mercy on us (Nine times.) Mt 20:31



THE ANGELICAL SONG

Glory to God in the Highest: and on earth peace to men of good will. Lu 2:14



EPISTLE

Ro 11:33–36


R. Thanks be to God. 2 C 9:15.



GRADUAL

Da 3:55–56; Ap 19:1; Da 3:52.

The next post of this series will go through the Gospel

(Post 3 of 7)


See all 7 posts here: Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7

image via wikimedia commons Public Domain. Holy Mass
Source of Scripture references: ʻThe Divine Armory of Holy Scriptureʻ Vaughan, K. (1894).