Saint Patrick's Day is a Catholic "Holy Obligation Day"-- a Solemnity of the Roman Catholic Church is a principal holy day in the liturgical calendar. The Catholic Code of Canon Law states:On holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass.I may be of Irish ancestry, but I am not Catholic, so this day really has no particular significance to me, right?
Then how did this come to be such a goofy "Kiss Me I'm Irish" parade/party, shamrock-wearing, drinking-green-beer day? I guess the same way Easter has been co-opted by bunnies and egg hunts, or Christmas (which really is a mid-winter Pagan celebration) is more about decorating trees and gift-giving, than a religious observance.
I'm glad that most people don't know about our major Tibetan Buddhist holidays, like Losar, Saga Dawa Düchen (aka Wesak), Chokhor, or Lha Bab Düchen. Would they don some colorful Tibetan costumes and mock all the rituals? Acting foolish on Buddhist "holy" days could cause some karma, since in the Tibetan tradition all actions are amplified by TEN MILLION times on those days! GADZ ;)
So today I'll pass on the McD's shamrock shake, reflect a bit on poor Patrick, who was actually from Wales then captured and tortured by Irish raiders (suffering like our monks.) Perhaps the Catholic faithful might consider their canonical rites rather than jiggin' off to another green-faced Paddy parade.
3 comments:
I was actually having second thoughts. I was probably too harsh, I thought. After all, we have to lighten up... and then I saw THIS -- the ultimate Leprechaun Lovin' Paddy Day Tribute:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqZ6lUrjTSY
I'll resume my patience training tomorrow ;)
for those too lazy (or inept) to cut and paste the link, let me help so you can be sure and see every idiotic Paddy Day stereotype in full color.
Stereotype = conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception and yes, it applies to the Irish as well as all the minority groups.
So there's some debate about whether or not Easter was "co-opted" by bunnies and eggs as you assert-- or whether the bunnies and eggs were co-opted by the Christians as Christmas was. =)
Easter= Eostar/Eostre, pagan goddess of spring, symbolized by guess what? Bunnies and eggs.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/easter1.htm
I don't know how accurate the site above is, but it rehearses the usual arguments about the Venerable Bede on the matter. . .
-Adam
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