Wednesday, November 26, 2014
ADVENT2014
Liturgically-oriented Christian denominations like Roman Catholicism and Lutheran and Episcopalian churches celebrate the four weeks prior to Christmas as the season of Advent. The season is determined by four Sundays prior to December 25th, so sometimes the fourth "week" of Advent can be very short. In 2014 this season begins on the evening of Saturday, November 29th, with the lighting of the first candle of the Advent wreath. Sabbath worship in many Christian churches begins on Saturday evening. Technically known as a "vigil," this follows the Jewish reckoning of the day as starting at sundown the evening prior.
The liturgical color of Advent is either deep indigo, blue, or purple. A straight forward blue would be in honor of Mary (the Blessed Virgin), whose story and pregnancy dominates the Advent season; whereas a blue-purple would be to distinguish Advent from the red-purple of Lent. Advent is meant to provide religious and spiritual preparation for the celebration of the Christmas season, which BEGINS on Christmas Eve. Much of society has turned the days prior to the 24th into a secular Christmas season, so much so that what is meant to be the start of Christmas is mistaken by many to be the end of the celebrating. Advent preparation focuses a Christian believer onto the true meaning of Christmas.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Int'l Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
November 25th
is established by the United Nations General Assembly as an International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, in memory of the Maribal sisters who were murdered on November 25, 1961 in the Dominican Republic. A 1994 novel by Julia Alvarez: In the Time of Butterflies, tells the story of Patria, Minerva and Maria Teresa. In 2001 the book was made into a movie of the same name, starring Salma Hayek, Edward James Olmos and Marc Anthony.
On the Roman Catholic calendar, the 25th is the feastday of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a virgin woman who was tortured on a wheel and martyred for her faith around the year 305.
is established by the United Nations General Assembly as an International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, in memory of the Maribal sisters who were murdered on November 25, 1961 in the Dominican Republic. A 1994 novel by Julia Alvarez: In the Time of Butterflies, tells the story of Patria, Minerva and Maria Teresa. In 2001 the book was made into a movie of the same name, starring Salma Hayek, Edward James Olmos and Marc Anthony.
On the Roman Catholic calendar, the 25th is the feastday of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a virgin woman who was tortured on a wheel and martyred for her faith around the year 305.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
November Thanksgiving
When not overshadowed by a consumeristic and downright "pagan" approach to Christmas, November in the USA is the month of Thanksgiving, a federal holiday celebrated on the fourth (4th) Thursday of the month. It is followed by a Friday that has been designated in remembrance of Native American Indian heritage and culture, but is more commonly known as Black Friday, a day for shopping and consumeristic glee. The "Black" refers to making a profit in retail and keeping the balance sheet out of the red/losses column. Christmas holiday shopping accounts for a huge percentage of revenue for many businesses. In recent years this bargain shopping madness has even crept onto Thanksgiving Day. Cyber Monday, following this four-day weekend, was set aside for internet shopping bargains. One might get the impression that the holiday was all about shopping!
There are several key characteristics to this holiday: mainly food and football and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. The arrival of Santa Claus at the very end of the parade is the old tradition that the Christmas preparations and shopping and decoration came once Thanksgiving was over. Thanksgiving is rooted in the traditions surrounding the first harvest by the Pilgrim settlers of Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts in autumn of 1621. The settlers were joined by and indeed saved from starvation by the native inhabitants. Many traditions regarding Thanksgiving romanticize and glamorize what were very stark and brutal conditions for the Pilgrims and the resulting effects upon the Native indigenous population. Much of the history of settlement and "conquest" of the Americas, with the effects of colonization on the Native American first inhabitants of the land, is quite horrific and shameful. So maybe the "Black Friday" designation actually complements the historical facts. (This take on the title, however, perpetuates the connotations of the word "black" or "dark" with things negative. The business meaning of Black Friday is a very good thing.)
Like those found in many other countries, Thanksgiving is a harvest festival for the United States. Although a little late in the season, Thanksgiving is a celebration of the season of AUTUMN, with multi-colored tree leaves, ears of corn, squash and dried gourds. It colors are those of Fall: oranges, reds, goldenyellow, and brown. It is also a quasi-religious holiday. It originates from the federal government and does not origin in the Christian Church, although the Pilgrims were Christians who left England under religious persecution. And the holiday fits into the ideal of the USA as predominantly a "Christian" nation. As such, it is a day of prayer.
Above all it is a day of food. The traditional Thanksgiving feast is a very lavish meal with turkey, potatoes, gravy, yams, cranberries, beans, bread and pumpkin pie. It is usually very heavy in starchy foods. There is a whole variety of regional side-dishes to accompany the turkey.
There are several key characteristics to this holiday: mainly food and football and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. The arrival of Santa Claus at the very end of the parade is the old tradition that the Christmas preparations and shopping and decoration came once Thanksgiving was over. Thanksgiving is rooted in the traditions surrounding the first harvest by the Pilgrim settlers of Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts in autumn of 1621. The settlers were joined by and indeed saved from starvation by the native inhabitants. Many traditions regarding Thanksgiving romanticize and glamorize what were very stark and brutal conditions for the Pilgrims and the resulting effects upon the Native indigenous population. Much of the history of settlement and "conquest" of the Americas, with the effects of colonization on the Native American first inhabitants of the land, is quite horrific and shameful. So maybe the "Black Friday" designation actually complements the historical facts. (This take on the title, however, perpetuates the connotations of the word "black" or "dark" with things negative. The business meaning of Black Friday is a very good thing.)
Like those found in many other countries, Thanksgiving is a harvest festival for the United States. Although a little late in the season, Thanksgiving is a celebration of the season of AUTUMN, with multi-colored tree leaves, ears of corn, squash and dried gourds. It colors are those of Fall: oranges, reds, goldenyellow, and brown. It is also a quasi-religious holiday. It originates from the federal government and does not origin in the Christian Church, although the Pilgrims were Christians who left England under religious persecution. And the holiday fits into the ideal of the USA as predominantly a "Christian" nation. As such, it is a day of prayer.
Above all it is a day of food. The traditional Thanksgiving feast is a very lavish meal with turkey, potatoes, gravy, yams, cranberries, beans, bread and pumpkin pie. It is usually very heavy in starchy foods. There is a whole variety of regional side-dishes to accompany the turkey.
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