I did not remember the Ember

Lucy, Crucy, Lenty, Penty..

Dorito Taco: I didn't want to like you, but I do.

It's not a really big tradition in the Church these days nor is it at all required, but in my quest to "Do Catholic Right", I've tried to pay attention to the Ember Days by fasting and prayer.

I totally missed it yesterday.

I went to Taco Bell and got 2 big ol' Dorito tacos then ate a brownie and I think I ate something else fatty and then went to the movies and ate popcorn. Then I remembered it being an Ember Day. I felt sad and I think I ate something else.

From the Catholic Encyclopedia:
Ember days (corruption from Lat. Quatuor Tempora, four times) are the days at the beginning of the seasons ordered by the Church as days of fast and abstinence. They were definitely arranged and prescribed for the entire Church by Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085) for the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after 13 December (S. Lucia),(Lucy) after Ash Wednesday, (Lenty) after Whitsunday (Penty), and after 14 September (Exaltation of the Cross)(Crucy). The purpose of their introduction, besides the general one intended by all prayer and fasting, was to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach men to make use of them in moderation, and to assist the needy.
 ....
At the beginning of the time for seeding and harvesting [pagan Roman]religious ceremonies were performed to implore the help of their deities: in June for a bountiful harvest, in September for a rich vintage, and in December for the seeding; hence their feriae sementivae, feriae messis, and feri vindimiales.  When the fourth season was added cannot be ascertained, but Gelasius (492-496) speaks of all four. [The] pope also permitted the conferring of priesthood and deaconship on the Saturdays of ember week--these were formerly given only at Easter.

Lex Luthor: Bald and Badass

Our bishop currently has a line where he says that when it comes to vocations, "God ain't picky" and then jokes about the priests he is surrounded with. Sort of playing up on some of the less attractive features of the presbyterate: old age, height, weight, hair loss. He usually aims the "baldy" joke at me. Kinda like, "Priesthood is so simple, a bald person can do it". And everyone with hair laughs, 'cause that's funny. Being bald and all. No hair..haha..funny hairless boy.

Bald people also can be evil geniuses that threaten Superman. Just saying.

The Ember Days by associating the harvest with ordination perhaps counters that remark by signifying priests and deacons must be carefully and prudently picked just as much as they are sown with diligence and patience. I don't know if God is picky or not, but the Church should be.

Deacon Juan Chavajay to be ordained a priest June 9

The tradition of ordinations during this time of year is still retained but most likely not conscientiously. The ordination of a priest is more associated with the end of his seminary education and, in our diocese, the placement of priests in parishes that happen in June and in January.
This year in the Diocese of Jackson, we have one ordination to the priesthood. Deacon Juan Chavajay will be ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Latino on June 9th.

So I missed yesterday. But I'll catch it tomorrow and Saturday and will offer prayers for soon-to-be Fr. Chavajay. If you think to, please join in!

Remember the Ember.
And pray for vocations to the priesthood. The harvest of seminarians is not plenty and our priests are few.