Translate

RANDOM MUSINGS FROM THE TOP OF THE HILL

3/04/2025

MARDI GRAS

"Mardi Gras" is French - it translates to "Fat Tuesday."  Fat Tuesday is American for "Most people are fat, why not Tuesday?"  Actually, many people cannot make this translation, so they just party and get drunk. If you want to check this out, travel to Rio or New Orleans.

And why Fat Tuesday?  Of course, because the following day is the beginning of the Lenten Season - a time for fasting and almsgiving.   

Fasting?  Like a diet?  Americans?  Oh, they'll take a pill or a shot to lose weight but usually not fasting.  Maybe a clinic to suck the fat out but not fasting.  That's hard; too hard.

"Almsgiving?"  What the heck?  Does that mean giving alms?  Who has alms to give.  What is an "alm" or does it only come as "alms"?  Almsgiving translates to "Charity!"  OMG!  Like love?  Giving love!

They used to call this "Shrove Tuesday".  It marked the end of the Shrove Season.  Shrovetide was a time to prepare for the Lenten Season.  It ended on this day with the burning of the Holy Week palms from the previous year; the ashes of which were used the following day, Ash Wednesday.  Pancakes were the dish of the day - some even called it Pancake Day.  I'm going to have some.

So now we come to Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.  Lent is a season of preparation.  Advent was the season preparing for the coming of Christ and Lent prepares us for the Passion and Death of Christ.  

40 days!  Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week plus six more weeks of six days.  Sundays are not part of Lent.  40 days to fast and give alms - be charitable.  In between, you can pray.  Pray for me if you would.   


No comments: