Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Happy Ash Wednesday?


Happy Ash Wednesday? One of my clients wished me a Happy Ash Wednesday. I mean it is not a holiday that is really happy. It is a fast day and a holy day of obligation so you have to fit in a quick mass. Along with everything else you have to do. Now I ain't complaining. At least we don't have to drink that Kabala water.

21 comments:

Ruth Anne Adams said...

Trooper: Correction. It's not a Holy Day of Obligation. But priests will only confirm that if you ask them directly. Anyway, I hope it's a holy day for you, that your fasting goes fast and that you don't make an ash of yourself!

Trooper York said...

Hey you mean Father Cashman screwed up on Sunday. That bum. He's a Met fan you know. That explains it.

TMink said...

I think the Evangelical protestants identify with the ashes on the forehead as much as any other part of the (struggling with correct term for 2 minutes) observance.

We identify with and appreciate Christ's work of suffering, but there is also the fact that you get a visible mark on your face. With that mark you also take a stand and proclaim a public identity as a follower of Christ. And that is feeling more and more important these days.

Trey

Trooper York said...

When I was in grammer school we would smoke a cigarette and smear some ashes on our foreheads and then play stoop ball when we were supposed to be in church.

I'm going to hell.

blake said...

See ya there!

Freeman Hunt said...

I've probably told this story before, but I'll tell it again anyway. When I was still an atheist, I went to an Ash Wednesday service with a Catholic friend not knowing what Ash Wednesday was. Mass was in Latin at this church, so I had no idea what was going on. Then everyone stood up and got in line. It was very crowded, so I couldn't see what was going on ahead.

Imagine my surprise when I found myself in front of the priest, and he smeared dirt on my head!

Trooper York said...

I can top that. I wandered into Madison Square Garden a couple of hours before the Knick game and go on line and allmost ended up getting married to a Korean girl.

I mean she said she was a moonie and I just thought she was going to show me her ass.

Dodged a bullet on that one.

I am glad I don't drink like that anymore.

ricpic said...

Looks like NY's got a decent new archbishop in this Dolan guy.

Trooper York said...

Anybody with a name like that has to be an idiot.

ricpic said...

Why? The Dolans - of financial advice radio - did you dirt?

Or is there another famous Dolan I'm missing?

He just strikes me as being one of those gregarious but firm in his doctrine types who will be good for the church. No coddling of "gay" priests either, at least not judging from his track record so far.

Ruth Anne Adams said...

ricpic: Or is there another famous Dolan I'm missing?

Trooper.

TitusFreezeFrame said...

I didn't actually go to mass but did put ashes on my forehead to show that I am one with my catholic bros and sis.

I was born and raised catholic. Went to catholic elementary school. Like the catholic faith.

My only downside is I was never sexually molested by a priest. I think it was because I was too faggy.

Michael Haz said...

Freeman - so you fell for the "ashes on the atheist" trick? Ha! We've used that one for centuries. Welcome to the family; glad you're here.

Re: Archbishop Timothy Dolan. I live in the Milwaukee Archdiocese where Dolan presently serves. He is the most remarkable priest I've ever encountered. He is engaging, funny, smart as can be, loves baseball, likes to show up in bars for a beer, especially as an outreach to college kids. New Yorkers will quickly come to love him as we did.

Typical story: He was invited to take part in Friday evening services at a Jewish congregation in Milwaukee. Then young man who was going to be Bar Mitzvah'd the next day was also participating in the service. Part way through the service, Dolan leans over and whispers something to the kid that causes the kid to smile and laugh.

The kid takes off his yarmulka, and Dolan takes off his red silk yarmulka. They trade,and each puts on the other guy's beanie. The kid wore it the next day at his Bar Mitzvah.

The guy has Pope written all over him.

TitusJustPinchedALoafButWontTalkaboutit said...

Hows Milwaukee doing as a city? I haven't been there in a long time.

TitusJustPinchedALoafButWontTalkaboutit said...

I am watching Bette Davis in Dark Victory.

She is so fab in this movie.

Michael Haz said...

Milwaukee is slowly diminishing, although changing demographics are revitalizing parts of the city in and near downtown.

The sales, state and property tax structure is horrible, and when combined with the crappy school system, have driven Milwaukee residents to other municipalities.

The upshot of that, however, is that Milwaukee is ringed with some fantastic places to live.

TitusJustPinchedALoafButWontTalkaboutit said...

OMG-our hero Ronald Reagan is in this movie.

TitusJustPinchedALoafButWontTalkaboutit said...

Milwaukee was pretty much a dump when I was young. We used to drive there in our teens to go to Park Avenue on Sunday nights. That was one of the most fantastic bars I had ever been to.

Michael Haz said...

Hey Titus! I remember Park Avenue. It was across the street form a lot called Park&Lock, which also became known as Park&Fuck shortly after Park Avenue opened.

The building is now an Italian restaurant.

TitusJustPinchedALoafButWontTalkaboutit said...

Michael I fucked in the park and fuck lot.

Wow, so next time you go by there you can say I know someone who fucked there.

Hugs!

TitusJustPinchedALoafButWontTalkaboutit said...

I also went to some of the same clubs that Jeffrey Dahlmer went to at the same time he was going to them.

How depressing.

I should be thankful I wasn't black I guess. Otherwise I wouldn't be typing now and my hog would of been in a barrel of acid and my head in his freezer.

He was a really sick fuck.

I knew one of the guys he killed. His name was Oliver and he was a deaf mute. He was a nice guy. Very sad.