Ember Days
Fr. Tony’s Midweek Message
September 17, 2013
Today is what is called an Ember Day in the Church Calendar. These happen four times a year, one in each
season, and were originally agriculture-based fasts where prayers for planting,
growth, harvest, and winter fallowing and early plantings were offered. On the Church Calendar, they are on the
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday immediately after the first Sunday of Lent, the
Day of Pentecost, Holy Cross Day (Sept. 14), and December 13. In modern times, they serve primarily as
occasions for reflection, reporting, and prayer for those who work in “the
Lord’s vineyard” and “harvest field.”
The word “Ember” probably comes from the days’ name in Latin, Quatuor Tempora (“Four Times.”) Candidates preparing for Holy Orders write
their Bishops on Ember Days reports of their progress.
We all in baptism are called
as ministers of the Gospel, regardless of our status as clergy or lay. Ember Days give us an occasion to reflect on
our ministries.
How are you doing in
fulfilling the charge you received in baptism?
The baptismal covenant in the Prayer Book
tells us what the calling of all Christians is: be faithful to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking
of the bread, and in the prayers; whenever you fall into sin repent and return
to the Lord; proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Jesus Christ;
seek and serve Christ in all persons; work for justice and peace and treat every
person with dignity.
Discernment is
the process by which we come to understand what our own particular vocation is,
what it is that God is calling us specifically to. Presbyterian
theologian Frederick Beuchner defined vocation
as where our deepest joy meets the world’s deepest need. Finding out
where we are energized, “in the flow,” and in sober deep pleasure, and matching
this to the needs and hunger of those about us is the principal task of
discernment. Attentiveness is key, paying close attention to where our
joy lies.
Your efforts in the ministry you are
called to individually—are they sufficient?
Do they have enough focus? Could
they be broader, wider, or deeper? How might you better equip yourself for more
effective ministry?
I encourage all of us this week of
Ember Days to reflect on our ministry and find ways to better fulfill our
vocation.
Grace and Peace, Fr. Tony+
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