Monday, December 7, 2020 –
This is your gentle, albeit exceedingly early, reminder that the winter ember days are upon us in just over a week. I know, I know…I have promised to do a Super Basic Primer on ember days, but they always sneak up on me, and this set happens to coincide with a couple of the O Antiphon days. So, alas! We will have to do our super basic primer on ember days another time. However, you can still observe them!
When, specifically, are the winter ember days? The Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the Feast of Saint Lucy (December 13th). So, for this year, they are:
- Wednesday, December 16, 2020
- Friday, December 18, 2020
- Saturday, December 19, 2020
What should you do? Ember days are days of penance; they are days of fasting and partial abstinence. These are three days set aside four times of year to give thanks to God for His marvelous creation.
However, they are not “canon law” mandated fasts, so there is no penalty for screwing up. YAY! Go team try!
The fasting for ember days is just like any other fasting day: two small meals and one regular meal. Friday is a regular day of abstinence, so no meat at all that day (ya know…usual Friday rules). On Wednesday and Saturday there is a partial abstinence, meaning that you should not eat meat for your two smaller meals. However, meat is permitted for the larger meal.
It is only three days, and I know that you can do it! BUTTT…if you are really struggling, try fasting from one thing or a food.
Sancte Stephane, ora pro nobis!
