Inspiration

This will not be a description of how or when I became a Christian; it will be sufficient to say that I accept and understand that I was born with original sin, but that I came to convert a good while ago now. The several prayers and hymns in which, in my time, I have said and heard during my lifetime did not always please me but did inspire me, for one reason or another; our lives need purpose, direction, and hope; but when, on a summer evening about seven o’clock, I first tried to read Seven Storey Mountain, with its spiritual call and response, this autobiography has been compared to St. Augustine’s conversion, encouraging an education in the Christ’s mercy, the story of the restless and vagabond travels, observing or living; the great power of the ruined life rising high into the melancholy sky, with a whole platoon of memories--blurry figures, soft voices--skimming about with questions and revelations and facts and figures and fissures;--when I first tried reading this book, I felt instinctively that my burdens might be removed from my shoulders, that my tired fingers might write no more, that at last, within my imagination, I had found inspiration in a book to read. Initially I tried to read the book, this autobiography explains one person’s private journey; Christian spirituality needs to be nurtured and developed; this is the power of vocation, purpose of discernment, so far at least as spiritual growth is concerned, to encourage movement closer toward God in all areas of our lives. After reading a couple of chapters, I put the book down, convinced myself that I would pick it up later on, and several days, then weeks, then months passed. The book remained untouched and unread. There, with the former inspiration of the book, I tried to read this book again and again; I thought about reading the book several times and I even told several friends that I was about to read the book.

And so now as Advent begins, I am about to read the book again.

Canon Law - Feast Days and Days of Penance

Here is a little information on Moveable Feast Days and Holy Days of Obligation. Also, I have created a list of the remaining Holy Days of Obligation and Moveable Feasts.


Feast Days
Can.  1246 §1. Sunday, on which by apostolic tradition the paschal mystery is celebrated, must be observed in the universal Church as the primordial holy day of obligation. The following days must also be observed: the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ,G, the Ascension, the Body and Blood of Christ, Holy Mary the Mother of God, her Immaculate Conception, her Assumption, Saint Joseph, Saint Peter and Saint Paul the Apostles, and All Saints.

§2. With the prior approval of the Apostolic See, however, the conference of bishops can suppress some of the holy days of obligation or transfer them to a Sunday.

Can.  1247 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass.

Calendar of the Remaining Holy Days of Obligation and Moveable Feasts 2009

All Saint’s Day, (Sunday, November 1, 2009) Holy Day of Obligation
First Sunday of Advent (Sunday, November 29, 2009)
Feast of Saint Nicholas (Sunday, December 6, 2009)
Second Sunday of Advent (Sunday, December 6, 2009)
Immaculate Conception (Tuesday, December 8, 2009 Holy Day of Obligation
Our Lady of Guadalupe (Saturday, December 12, 2009)
Feast of Saint Lucy (Sunday, December 13, 2009)
Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday) (Sunday, December 13, 2009)
Fourth Sunday of Advent (Sunday, December 20, 2009)
Christmas (Friday, December 25, 2009) Holy Day of Obligation

In the Catholic Church, Advent is the both beginning of the liturgical year and a time to spiritually prepare for the arrival of Christ at Christmas. Advent, like Lent is a time of increased prayer, fasting, Confession, and good works. Some Catholics refer to Advent as “Little Lent.” The length of Advent varies from twenty-one to twenty-eight days.


Days of Penance

Can.  1249 The divine law binds all the Christian faithful to do penance each in his or her own way. In order for all to be united among themselves by some common observance of penance, however, penitential days are prescribed on which the Christian faithful devote themselves in a special way to prayer, perform works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by fulfilling their own obligations more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence, according to the norm of the following canons.

Can.  1250 The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.

Can.  1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.