Lent: Ember Friday Christ was crucified (Fast and abstinence)

by VP

Posted on Friday February 23, 2024 at 12:00AM in Ember Days

St. Lawrence giving alms, 1449 - Fra Angelico - WikiArt.org

St. Lawrence giving alms, 1449 - Fra Angelico

"The fast of the Ember days has ,(...), been instituted principally to obtain of God good, holy and zealous priests for His Church. On this point especially depend the honor and welfare of the Church and the salvation of mankind. History proves, beyond all doubt, that a careless and tepid clergy do greater injury to the Church and to the souls of men than a bitter and bloody persecution. Persecution, in its outcome, proves beneficial to the Church and sends heroic martyrs to heaven, but a clergy devoid of holiness and virtue is the scourge of souls and the disgrace of the Church. That she may possess a truly worthy clergy, the Church endeavors to secure God's blessing on the ordinations by prescribing special prayers in her liturgy and the fasting of the Ember days to all the faithful. Wherefore, it behooves every Catholic to enter into the spirit of the Church by faithfully keeping the laws of fasting and abstinence on the prescribed days, by devout and earnest prayer, and moreover, by contributing, each one according to his means, to educate aspirants to the priesthood, and to support missionaries both at home and in foreign lands. This is not a mere counsel, but a duty for which God will hold each one accountable." Source: A Pulpit Commentary on Catholic Teaching: The liturgy of the ecclesiastical year. Rev. H.G. Hugues, 1910 p.119

Mass Propers for Ember Friday

Prayers for Ember Days:

Listen, Almighty God, we beseech Thee, to the prayers which Thy universal Church offers to Thee at this time, beseeching Thy blessing on those who are about to be admitted to Thy Holy Service of the Altar, in particular on (name). Give Thy grace to all who are called to any office and administration amongst Thy clergy, and so replenish them with the truth of Thy doctrine, and indue them with innocence of life, that they may faithfully serve Thee, to the glory of Thy great name and the benefit of Thy Holy Church. Amen

O God, of Whose mercies there is no number, and of Whose goodness the treasure is infinite, we humbly thank Thee for the gifts thou hast bestowed upon us. Continue Thy mercy to us, and give us also so much of Thy temporal blessings as Thou knowest to be for our good. Grant that the fruits of the earth may, by Thy holy favor, increase and multiply. Defend them from all drought, frosts or tempests, or whatever else may be hurtful to them. It is from Thy hand only that we look for succor, and to Thee we have recourse in all our necessities. Amen.

Source: St. John's Manual 1856, Archbishop of New York John J. Hugues

Friday in Ember-Week. Daily Meditations by Bishop Richard Challoner: On exercising Works of Mercy.

Consider 1st, that in order to find mercy, we must show mercy. Blessed are the merciful, saith our Lord, for they shall obtain mercy, (Matt. v). And on the other hand, judgment without mercy, saith St. James, to him that hath not done mercy, (ch. 2. 13). God expressly rejects the fasts of them that refuse to show mercy to their neighbor, (Isaias lviii). He declares he will neither give ear to their prayers, nor accept of their sacrifices, (Prov. xxi. 13. Isai. i. 11, 15, 16, 17, 18). If then, my soul, thou desirest at this time effectually to sue for the divine mercy, in the forgiveness of thy sins; see that thy fasting and prayer be accompanied with alms-deeds. If thou have much, give abundantly; if thou have little, take care even so to be willing to bestow a little, (Tob. iv. 9). This mercy and charity exercised by thee, will recommend thy fasting and thy prayer to that God who is all charity, and whose tender mercies are above all his works.

Consider 2dly, how many ways, and upon how many occasions, the word of God recommends almsdeeds to us. It promises an eternal kingdom in heaven, to all them that are diligent in this exercise, and threatens with eternal damnation all them that are negligent, (St. Matt. xxv). It shows that the definitive sentence, which is to decide our eternal doom, is to pass upon each one of us according to his behaviour in this respect, ibid. It encourages even the greatest sinners, to redeem their sins with alms, and their iniquities with works of mercy to the poor, (Daniel iv. 24). It assures them, that by the means of alms, all things shall be made clean to them, (St. Luke xi. 41). That alms deliver from all sin, and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness, (Tob. iv. 11). That Christ considers what is done for the poor, as done for himself, and will reward it accordingly, (St. Matt. xxv). That he that hath mercy on the poor, lendeth to the Lord, and He will repay him, (Prov. xix. 17). To pass over many other texts, promising all kind of good, both for this world and the next, to works of mercy; and threatening the hard-hearted and unmerciful with the worst of God's judgments. O! my soul, attend to these heavenly oracles: embrace with all the affection of thy heart this lovely virtue of mercy, the favourite daughter of the great King. It was mercy brought Him down from heaven to thee; and mercy must carry thee up to Him thither.

Consider 3dly, the conditions that must accompany our alms, that they may be capable of producing these great effects.

1. They must be liberal, and proportionable to our ability: he that soweth sparingly shall reap but sparingly. What then can the worldling expect, who for every penny he gives to God, in the person of the poor, gives a pound to the devil, and to his own passions and lusts?

2. Our alms must be given with a pure intention: that is, not out of ostentation, or vain-glory, or for any other human motive, but for God's sake: otherwise they will have no reward from God.

3. Our alms can never effectually procure for us the remission of our sins; except we join with them a sincere repentance for our sins, together with an effectual resolution of loving and serving God for the future. Christians, take good notice of these three articles: and particularly remember, that neither alms, nor any thing else, can give any manner of security to any man that wilfully persists in mortal sin.

Conclude to esteem, love, and practice, upon every occasion, this blessed virtue of mercy. But see that thy intention be pure: and beware of losing the benefit of it by an impenitent heart.

Devotions for Ember days: