“The Church's great liturgical tradition teaches us that fruitful participation in the liturgy requires that one be personally conformed to the mystery being celebrated… Otherwise, however carefully planned and executed our liturgies may be, they would risk falling into a certain ritualism. Hence the need to provide an education in eucharistic faith capable of enabling the faithful to live personally what they celebrate.” (Pope Benedict XVI, SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS, 64)

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

A Bad Start

Wake up. Get excited! Today is the start of a magnificent journey of prayer, penance, and renunciation, and I need to get worked up about it. Yawn.

I stagger to the coffee maker. Can't find the normal water-fill cup used for coffee. Have to use a smaller one. This means two trips to the refrigerator.

On the second trip, I spy a tasty morsel of chicken enchilada on the casserole pan from last night. Toss in mouth. Not much chewing needed. As I'm filling the cup at the fridge and the morsel is headed toward my throat for swallowing, it hits me.

FASTING! ABSTINENCE! AHHHHHH!

Ten seconds of intense spitting back into the casserole dish. Leave for wife to clean. Use water to wash-out mouth. Start coffee.

Read morning prayers with wife. Almost say the A-word after the opening Glory Be. Finish prayers. Ask out loud, "Is coffee okay for fasting?" I'm the cradle Catholic, so a definitive answer wasn't expected. Fill coffee cups for both. Make a conscious decision not to google for an answer on the coffee.

Prepare to open breviary. Look up at crucifix. AHHHHH! THE PALMS ARE STILL UP!

This was the first hour of the first day. Only 959 hours to go.

Is your soul prepared?

1 comment:

  1. Coffee has no nutritional value, thus it is traditionally okay for fasting, although adding cream to it would violate.

    I get migraines, I'm on the "two smaller meals" plan.

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