Happy Saturday Fellow Okie Trads and Beyond. If you follow this blog, you’re probably like me. I like anything to do with the Catholic Faith, the Great Outdoors, and the simplest of pleasures.
Pleasures like a cold Diet Coke while smoking a brisket at the end of the work week. Thank God for Spring, which is like a voice outside my door beckoning me more and more to step outside and partake of the glory of God’s Creation.
Creation like the birds coming to our front yard bird feeder. Even the pesky flock of crows lately swooping down to eat literally a half bag of bird food in one day. Still kinda pretty, with their dark blue sheen across their otherwise black feathers.
Note to self: research clever ideas for designing a Scare Crow. That’ll be another first, making one of those. Gotta deter these crows from the bird feeder, not to mention the front yard garden nearby. But, I digress.
Anti-Covid Vaxxers:
Momma Mia. Oh Lord, how long will this continue? And Okie Trad said to Pharaoh...let my People go. Let...my...People go...let my People...gooowowo. Sang with some Southern Gospel flare, and reverence for the Lord.
For how long will the Powers-that-Be hold over our heads daily All Things “Cooovid?” Covid covid covid. Covid. Whether it’s the Communists who usurped power trying to force everyone to get vaccinated, or certain Bully Pulpit Pundits trying to shame those traditionalist Catholics who might think a few might eventually need to take the shot, or you know be required to take the shot to save their livelihood and support their family.
Or so that Granny in her 70's with heart disease and COPD doesn't have to die prematurely of a bad flu-like virus. Which is why it is clinically recommended for old people, especially with chronic illness, to get an annual pneumonia vaccine.
In fact, according to the SSPX, FSSP, ICK, etc (not to mention the Vatican) it is not intrinsically a sin to get the vaccine, my fellow Traddies.
Reminds me of the wild kids dancing frenetically around the fire in Lord of the Flies, a threat to anyone who would disagree with the collective of the group. I remember Laramie Hirsch sometimes harping on this trend of forced collectivist opinion among Trad circles in the Trad forums, often referencing it as “group think.”
Astute observation about current trends, even in church circles, Bloggermeister. But, I digress.
The group-think coming not only from the radical Left.
This covid vaccine question is a tough one. Vaccines forced by government or industries that were derived from aborted fetus research, which have serious safety concerns. Without which in some circumstances Catholics, Christians, and pro-life social conservatives will be effectively persecuted if they don’t get a certain Shot in their arm.
This thing should be avoided Bishop Schneider is right to condemn the call for everyone to jump on the pro-vaccine bandwagon. That was his message. Read what he actually said. He did not explicitly say it was intrinsically a sin to take it for grave reasons. As for myself, in my profession, I will likely be required to get vaccinated at some point, but I will be first seeking a religious exemption and expressing my pro-life beliefs. I mean, I usually waive the Hep vaccine, they better let me do it for the precious Cooovid vaccine, darn it. If still forced, for me, prudence and duties of state of life dictate getting the jab. No lay pundit has convinced me otherwise. Is what it is.
God help us. Hopefully this thing starts fading away some by summers end, in time for the next news cycle super-problem all will just have to obsess about.
Climate change will be the next “thing,” according to a leaked revelation by a top CNN executive. Good times. Life goes on.
Friday Abstinence:
So, did you all know the Church law still requires abstinence from meat all Fridays of the year? That this is still the law and official norm? Not just a Trad thing.
Bishops Conferences allow another penance to be substituted, but it is still a moral requirement every Friday either way.
Trad priests have recommended following the tradition on this, as do we, the Mrs. having made this week her award-winning Thai-style soup with something like 6 kinds of seafood in it. Not very penitential, but I do appreciate the graces from not eating meat one day a week.
Being a meat-atarian.
I found it as striking when I discovered it is still a law as the personal observation this law is rarely explained, either by Novus Ordo or Trad priests. In my observation.
That it is under pain of sin. During Fridays in Lent, abstinence from meat is under pain of mortal sin. Prior to the Council, my understanding is it was as well--a mortal sin--for all Fridays of the year.
Is either abstinence or a substituted penance under pain or mortal sin every Friday?? It seems not. Any of the documents I’ve read in the past, nothing said it was, so I’m assuming it’s not grave matter until told otherwise, in other words something that must be strictly confessed when neglected.
Anyways, if you are a traditional Catholic, you are a “Fish Eater,” i.e. as a norm you give up meat on Friday (eating fish, etc.) to overcome sin and as a memorial to Christ dying for our sins on the Cross.
But...this law and norm is not just for Trads, but for all Catholics By law you must not eat meat on Fridays. Or you are permitted to substitute another penance. But abstinence is still generally expected by the Church, as the norm. Even if the Bishop or most parish priests never explain this.
I’ve not always diligently observed the norm, with perhaps a bit too much attachment to ribs and ribeye steaks.
Tradition is something we are obliged to align ourselves to and follow. It is not a mere preference, something to give a nod to now and then as the mainstream Church tends to do, or a personal preference for Latin and St. Thomas Aquinas. But, I digress.
The Catholic Tradition is such a well-spring of spiritual blessings, including things like weekly abstinence from meat to curb our attachment to the flesh, and better attach ourselves to the spiritual life, in God and His Son Jesus Christ.
Enjoy this Spring weather!