{"id":108358,"date":"2024-02-14T09:17:14","date_gmt":"2024-02-14T17:17:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/?p=108358"},"modified":"2024-02-14T09:17:20","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T17:17:20","slug":"putting-the-lent-in-valentine-memento-mori","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/putting-the-lent-in-valentine-memento-mori\/","title":{"rendered":"Putting the “Lent” in Valentine: Memento Mori"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

T<\/span>oday is Ash Wednesday. “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” And with those words, our Lent has begun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holy Mother Church calls us to make these next forty days until Easter a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Lent is a pilgrimage, in a sense, through time if not space, through death to resurrection. A pilgrimage of penitence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us walk together in the Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n

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In previous years, my home Archdiocese of Seattle has published “Lenten Regulations<\/a>” to remind us what is expected of every Christian during Lent. For the past few years, however, they have taken several different approaches. This year, we have a web page called “Lent: Encounter<\/a>“, which I heartily recommend to you. It includes daily Lenten reflections, as well as a short video from the Archbishop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also produced a Lenten guide for small group reflection. The PDF may be downloaded from the Archdiocese website.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Fasting and Abstinence Guidelines<\/em> have been compiled into an easy infographic, which is super handy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year, Ash Wednesday coincides with both the modern Memorial of Saints Cyril and Methodius<\/a>, as well as the ancient celebration of Saint Valentine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although his relics are scattered now throughout the world, Saint Valentine’s skull, crowned with flowers, rests in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome.<\/p>\n\n\n

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On this Ash Wednesday, it is perhaps appropriate to contemplate the relics of this saint, who the popular culture of centuries has made into a symbol of romantic love. For me, it is a sobering memento mori<\/em> that reminds me of an ancient Roman phrase that one sometimes sees on tombstones or funerary monuments: Eram quod es; eris quod sum<\/em>. \u201cI was what you are; you will be what I am.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Little Chant for the Day<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Today’s Introit, in both Latin and English. Enjoy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n