Category Archives: Days and Seasons

Lent is Coming!

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Incense smoke is said to be both a purification-exorcism and an act of veneration: it is a “silent absolution” that washes away sin and drives devils away–they cannot remain where incense burns because it reminds them of the fragrant air in Paradise, which they have lost access to–while honoring the image of God within each person.

Whether someone keeps Lent on the Western Christian or Eastern Christian calendar, Lent is like death: it is better for us to prepare for it but it is coming, whether we are ready for it or not. And like death, it is best to prepare for it by forgiving old grudges and re-establishing relationships neglected or forgotten. Lent is meant to be a re-establishment of the harmony of Paradise, in which people lived in harmony with each other as well as with all creation.

The traditional fasting practices of Lent are best summed up with the axiom: “Don’t kill.” We give up eating anything that has to be killed so that we do not preserve our lives through violence. We pray and give alms to repair our relationships with God and each other and with the poor and needy around us. We spend these weeks, a tithe of the year, living in harmony–or at least trying to live in harmony–with everything and everyone. Of course, we should try to live this way all year long. But we don’t. So we dedicate this tithe of the year to attempting to at least live this way for a brief few weeks. (The traditional fasting days each week during the rest of the year are weekly booster-shots for us to restore this harmony every week.)

Fasting is important but the point is not to embrace misery or difficulty. The prophets criticize and reproach those who fast with the wrong intentions or for the wrong reasons but they never say that we should not fast; they tell us to fast but with the right attitude.

I would like to borrow a few words about fasting from Nicholas Denysenko:

“… Ultimately, Lent is a chance to set aside distractions – whatever they are – and awaken to God, humankind, and the cosmos – and to love them….

“Three helpful guidelines for food during Lent.
1. Less is more. Stop eating when you’re full.
2. Keep it simple and inexpensive. An extravagant vegan dinner is not more “Lenten” than baked chicken.
3. Don’t boast, discuss, or inquire about others’ eating habits.

“Three final words about Lent – and they’re not “bright sadness” – they come from and are directed to God Almighty –
1. Gratitude
2. Joy
3. Liberty”

St. Hilary of Poitiers, patron of Spring Semesters

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The Ordination of Saint Hilary, from a 14th-century manuscript

Born in Poitiers at the beginning of the fourth century and dying there as well (13 January AD 368), Hilary was raised as a pagan but converted to Christianity when he met the God of nature in the Scriptures. He was chosen, against his will, to be the bishop of Poitiers in France but took his position seriously and was soon taken up with battling what became the scourge of the fourth century: Arianism, which denied the divinity of Christ. (It was the practice in many places during this period for many clergy–both bishops and priests–to chosen and ordained not because they “felt called” to the ministry but because the people chose them, based on qualifications and abilities that the candidates themselves did not see or appreciate in themselves. St. Ambrose of Milan is another famous example of a candidate chosen to be bishop and ordained against his own will.)

The heresy spread rapidly. Saint Jerome said “The world groaned and marveled to find that it was Arian.” When Emperor Constantius ordered all the bishops of the West to sign a condemnation of Athanasius, the great defender of the faith in the East, Hilary refused and was banished from France to far off Phrygia. Eventually he was called the “Athanasius of the West.”

While writing in exile, he was invited by some semi-Arians (hoping for reconciliation) to a council the emperor called to counteract the Council of Nicea. But Hilary predictably defended the Church, and when he sought public debate with the heretical bishop who had exiled him, the Arians, dreading the meeting and its outcome, pleaded with the emperor to send this troublemaker back home. Hilary was welcomed by his people. He wrote and preached constantly, leaving us a wealth of books and sermons.

In the Western Christian calendar of saints, Hilary’s feast day is on 13 January, 14 January in the pre-1970 form of the calendar. The spring terms of the English and Irish Law Courts and Oxford and Dublin Universities are called the Hilary term since they begin on approximately this date. Some consider Saint Hilary of Poitiers the patron saint of lawyers.

Top Blog Posts of 2019

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Who doesn’t enjoy looking back over the highlights of the past year? These were my most popular blog posts during 2019. Click and revisit any of them or leave a comment to share which one–or any other post that didn’t make the “Most Popular” list–was your personal favorite.

Corpus Christi: Wafer vs. Bread … read it here

St. Panteleimon and His Liquid Blood … read it here

Bake an All Soul’s Cake … read it here

St. Agnes in Prague … read it here

Passiontide … read it here

Melchizedek, King of Salem … read it here

Conception of the Mother of God … read it here

Holy Week: The Death of Death … read it here

Resurrecting Easter … read it here

Dog Days, Part 2—with St. Roch … read it here

Which post was your favorite? What subject would you enjoy reading about in the upcoming year? Leave a comment below!