Today is Good Friday. Growing up I recall three o'clock being a sacred time. This was common knowledge you might say, that it is the hour that Christ died on the cross. At least that is what I was taught. Now I attended church more as a matter of course than any strongly held religious belief and that is the simple truth of it. I went for the social aspects as much as the spiritual. I believe that was true for the majority of the congregation and probably still is. But I have also watched as America moves to a more secular society. I watch that " progress " with a sad heart and a sense of foreboding. The old ways and old traditions are being cast aside. I wonder how many children today know the significance of this day. I would venture to say it is fewer than in years past.
As I said I went to church more because Mom said so than any desire to worship. That was true, at least in the very beginning but I did grow to find comfort within the body of the church. The seed was planted and I believe that is the purpose of sending your children to church and attending church school. The seed was planted in me and I admit it has been a slow growth. Especially during my early twenties and into my thirties a little " miracle " grow may have worked wonders ! LOl, but seriously the seed had been planted. And now when these religious holidays and observances come along I am aware. I do miss some of the old traditions. I tried one year buying the Easter outfits for the grandchildren but it wasn't a tradition to them and so meant little. Very few, if any of their friends, followed that old tradition. I wonder why that is ? Have we just become so relaxed in our worship, so casual, that it doesn't matter at all ? I guess that is the attitude and I admit I don't believe God cares one bit how you are dressed. Still, it was a reminder and a rebirth in its' own way. We got our new " Sunday go to meeting " clothes for Easter every year. And that was the only time we did, they had to last till next year. Fifty two wears at the most !
Good Friday and you don't eat meat on Good Friday. Everyone knows that. When I was in elementary school no Catholic was supposed to eat meat on Friday. The school cafeteria didn't serve any meat products on that day, seems like we usually had welsh rarebit. Of course we called it Rabbit and I didn't know that wasn't the name until I looked up the recipe. I expect in schools today they don't worry about such things as religious fare. In 1966 it was generally thought that Catholics could now eat meat on Friday if they so desired. The part about having to do a penance in its' place seems to have been overlooked for the most part. I'm not a Catholic and so know little about this other than what I read. The point being that this religious observance was honored by our society in general and no one complained about not getting a burger on Friday. Different times indeed. It also seems to me that some places of business would be closed from noon to three on good Friday. That memory is a vague one but I believe true. Of course I remember when you couldn't buy alcohol until after one on Sundays. Like I said, we have moved more toward a secular society.
The church and its' traditions are a part of my raising. Those things were ingrained into my conscience. I was made aware of circumstance and consequence. More importantly I was made aware that consequences were far more than what happens here on this earth. Consequences extend beyond the mere mortals lifespan. Consequences are eternal, simply explained, you can't change the past so you had better do the right thing the first time around. Forgiveness could be had, but forgiveness doesn't change the action or the result. Jesus was nailed to that cross as a result of circumstance. He died as a result. But, he rose again just as he said he would and forgave the world. What a powerful message that is. Good Friday is a very sad occasion to me, even knowing the way of it doesn't offer much consolation.
Well in todays world, in our country it is just business as usual these days. That I find rather sad as well. Now I'm not saying we should all be in our churches praying and lamenting our loss. No, I feel a sadness for what I perceive as a lack of awareness. There was a general acknowledgement of the gravity of this day in years past that is lost on many today. No meat, three hours of silence and prayers offered. Things of the past ? I pray for a return, it has happened before and can happen again. Eternity, that is what it is all about.
As I said I went to church more because Mom said so than any desire to worship. That was true, at least in the very beginning but I did grow to find comfort within the body of the church. The seed was planted and I believe that is the purpose of sending your children to church and attending church school. The seed was planted in me and I admit it has been a slow growth. Especially during my early twenties and into my thirties a little " miracle " grow may have worked wonders ! LOl, but seriously the seed had been planted. And now when these religious holidays and observances come along I am aware. I do miss some of the old traditions. I tried one year buying the Easter outfits for the grandchildren but it wasn't a tradition to them and so meant little. Very few, if any of their friends, followed that old tradition. I wonder why that is ? Have we just become so relaxed in our worship, so casual, that it doesn't matter at all ? I guess that is the attitude and I admit I don't believe God cares one bit how you are dressed. Still, it was a reminder and a rebirth in its' own way. We got our new " Sunday go to meeting " clothes for Easter every year. And that was the only time we did, they had to last till next year. Fifty two wears at the most !
Good Friday and you don't eat meat on Good Friday. Everyone knows that. When I was in elementary school no Catholic was supposed to eat meat on Friday. The school cafeteria didn't serve any meat products on that day, seems like we usually had welsh rarebit. Of course we called it Rabbit and I didn't know that wasn't the name until I looked up the recipe. I expect in schools today they don't worry about such things as religious fare. In 1966 it was generally thought that Catholics could now eat meat on Friday if they so desired. The part about having to do a penance in its' place seems to have been overlooked for the most part. I'm not a Catholic and so know little about this other than what I read. The point being that this religious observance was honored by our society in general and no one complained about not getting a burger on Friday. Different times indeed. It also seems to me that some places of business would be closed from noon to three on good Friday. That memory is a vague one but I believe true. Of course I remember when you couldn't buy alcohol until after one on Sundays. Like I said, we have moved more toward a secular society.
The church and its' traditions are a part of my raising. Those things were ingrained into my conscience. I was made aware of circumstance and consequence. More importantly I was made aware that consequences were far more than what happens here on this earth. Consequences extend beyond the mere mortals lifespan. Consequences are eternal, simply explained, you can't change the past so you had better do the right thing the first time around. Forgiveness could be had, but forgiveness doesn't change the action or the result. Jesus was nailed to that cross as a result of circumstance. He died as a result. But, he rose again just as he said he would and forgave the world. What a powerful message that is. Good Friday is a very sad occasion to me, even knowing the way of it doesn't offer much consolation.
Well in todays world, in our country it is just business as usual these days. That I find rather sad as well. Now I'm not saying we should all be in our churches praying and lamenting our loss. No, I feel a sadness for what I perceive as a lack of awareness. There was a general acknowledgement of the gravity of this day in years past that is lost on many today. No meat, three hours of silence and prayers offered. Things of the past ? I pray for a return, it has happened before and can happen again. Eternity, that is what it is all about.
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