Learning by Feasting

God created the world in six days and took His rest or leisure on the seventh. Think about that: God rested on the seventh day. Does God really need to rest? Nope. He’s the ultimate energy source. God was insuring that we, His creation, had a day built in for rest and spiritual nourishment. He commanded that this day be kept with no unnecessary work. I know that I struggle with resting on Sundays; I love to accomplish and check off. Thanks to many great books, and many great priests, mentors, and friends, I have learned to trust that God wants me to rest even if the laundry sits unfolded. He is giving me Sunday as a day to revel in his Creation, and the gifts He has given me, like my amazing husband and chickadees. Because feasting alllows for spiritual nourishment and rest, creating trust and faith, feasts can be seen as sacramental. We receive Graces from participating in feasts.

In our Catholic faith, we have ten obligatory (meaning we have to attend Holy Mass) universal feast days (eight are required in the US and several are moved to the nearest Sunday) in addition to Sunday. It can be overwhelming, thinking about how many feasts the Church promulgates, as well as the Saint Memorials! However, the Church makes certain feasts like Christmas, Easter, All Saints, etc. holy days of obligation to safeguard people from overworking and not worshipping God. God built into our very calendar the ability to rest.

All of those obligatory and non-obligatory feasts draw the participant into the history of the Church back to Hebrew roots, back to the earliest days in that little room after Christ’s resurrection, back to the beginning when God rested. Simply reading about these feasts is not enough. Just like reading the Bible, or the words of Aquinas are not enough to change our fallen nature. We, as part of the mystical Body of Christ, must take part. We must do. We must be. We must celebrate these feasts! Actions speak louder than words, my dear readers! As Catholics, the joy is what draws people. Joy! Even amidst our suffering, we must be joyful!

Find ways to incorporate both activities, events, and foods that speak to all age groups, including the adults. Children need to see how faith and celebrations mature over time. What better way than for us, as mothers and fathers, to model that for our children? Joseph and Mary certainly had adult rituals in which Jesus observed, and may not have fully participated, but witnessed. Feasting is more than food, more than a craft; it is an experience. Perhaps for St. Vincent DePaul’s feast day, the family could work in a food pantry, or visit nursing homes delivering goody bags. There are many ways to experience feasting.Our family’s traditions are always in flux; we must realize that our own celebrations of the Church year will grow over time, just as the Church calendar has. Adding one small thing a year, or adding one new Saint a year is great! The very action of just making a special dessert or adding a fun Saint activity brings that spiritual nourishment into our lives. God truly wants that for each of our souls!