This has been stewing in my brain for a week. I went to mass on Sunday and the sermon was about how we need to be repentent during Advent.
What?! Had Father lost his mind? Isn't Christmas about peace, love, joy, cocktails, celebrations, yummy food, cocktails? Being repentent is for Lent. It is hard enough for 40 days to give up Starbucks and Pasta. This is the holiday season....Starbucks has cranberry bliss bars and drinks called Espresso Truffle! If you tell me to be repentent, I tend to think I can't enjoy love, cocktails, celebrations, yummy food and cocktails. This concept of repentence nearly stopped me in my tracks! It was hard to pay attention.
Then, he said it was our choice to be virtuous or vicious. Listening to him, I realized I err on the side of being vicious. Don't you love how 'vice' vs. 'virtue' = vicious vs. virtuous?!?! Nothing like a good dose of guilt on Sunday.
Apparently, instead of being full of lust, I have to be chaste. Instead of being a glutton, I need to show moderation or fast completely. Instead of being proud, I need to be humble. Of course, I sat there thinking I am lustful, a glutton and a mean bitch. Great. Merry Christmas to me.
How did I get to this point in my life, and I have never heard this kind of thing around the holidays. Yea yea, usually the priests gripe about our obsession with Santa Claus, gift giving, pagan ritual and boycotting places that say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas...But this?!?! To call me vicious?
Ironically, I am reading a book right now that is a collection of Christmas stories, essays, etc...and last night read part of a sermon made by Cotton Mather in 1712 ~ he was having a fit about drunk people and gambling.....complaining about how it was denegrading the birth of Christ. Of course, I think he had a little something to do with the Salem witch trials too...(no doubt fun loving lustful, gluttoness bitches like myself) Get over it Cotton. Let the people have a little fun.
I'm over it, call me vicious all you want. I am going to whoop it up....isn't that what confession is all about?
1 comment:
I believe so.
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