A Mexican Christmas Celebration in Ontario's Countryside: Year 2

Last year, I wrote about the Posada - a Mexican pre-Christmas celebration - which was celebrated in the village of Linwood, hosted by St. Mary's Catholic Church. This year, my wife and I (especially my wife) organized the a Posada at St. Mary's for the second time.

A special thanks to my parents who prepared the delicious Mexican food!

We celebrated the Posada on Dec. 15, so it's almost old news by now!  In the next few days I'll share pictures of features of the Mexican Christmas celebration which we're importing to our new home, Ontario.


Here are some pictures.

Making pinatas:

The dialogue with the Innkeeper.

This is the central part of the Posada, which means "Inn." The story of Joseph and Mary looking for an inn in Bethlehem is reenacted.

As you can see, the turnout was lower than last year due to inclement weather conditions.  Yet, including those who went inside and skipped the carols and dialogue, I think we had about 60 - 70 people:

 Mary and Joseph.

Like last year, we one-upped Mexico by having a real girl on a real horse with a real Joseph leading her through town. (In Mexico, they usually just carry figurines:)

 Enjoying dinner:

 The band.

This is a new addition, thanks to my godfather. (Here, we would usually say "sponsor" but I think the Mexican term "padrino" which translates as "godfather" has more meaning:)

Breaking the pinatas:

 

Kids collecting the candies:

And last but not least, grandpa with a baby:

Up next, Christmas Eve dinner and/or Epiphany.

Happy Mother's Day - in Mexico!

Today, May 10, is Mother's Day in Mexico!  (It is always celebrated May 10, regardless of what day of the week that is.)

So, to celebrate and wish all mothers a Happy Mother's Day in true Mexican fashion, here's a beautiful song especially for mothers (especially for my wife and my mother-in-law, and, of course, my mother):

The Ascension of Christ

Today, 40 days after Easter, is Ascension Day, the day on which Christ ascended into heaven.

Dosso Dossi "Ascensione di Cristo" (from Wikipedia)

O God, whose Son today ascended to the heavens as the Apostles looked on, grant, we pray, that, in accordance with his promise, we may be worthy for him to live with us always on earth, and we with him in heaven. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

The Celebration

The day is the celebration of one of the most glorious events of Christianity, with important theological significance; Christ, as a human, is now at the right hand of God the Father.  We will be having an extend family/neighbors/friends dinner this afternoon to celebrate.

Unfortunately, the Catholic Church in Canada (Latin Rite) has transferred the liturgical celebration of Ascension to day to the following Sunday (with the result that it becomes "just another Sunday" and most Catholics have joined the rest of Anglophone Canadians in not knowing that it exists.)

Mennonites

Traditional Mennonites celebrate this day and take the days between now and the weekend off.  They also have a church service in the morning.  I joined my mother at her Old Colony Mennonite service.  Ascension Day, for them, marks the beginning of the services for the preparation of baptismal candidates.  They begin preparation earlier, but this is the beginning of the official "handing down" of the faith in the context of the church service.  It is in the form of questions and answers, all taken from their short catechism booklet, similar to the Roman Catholic baptismal symbol (i.e. the Apostle's Creed in Q & A format) but much longer.  There were 11 candidates - 9 young men, 2 young women.

The sermon is also directed to these candidates.  The minister said some good things about baptism as our spiritual rebirth, our entry into the Church, the beginning of the Christian life and our obligation to be the light of faith to those around us.

Prophet Isaiah


Today also happens to be the feast day of the Prophet Isaiah.

I Don't Celebrate Earth Day - and This is Why

Earth Day - With Earth above humans

There is a whole bunch of new holidays that governments and international organizations have put into place that I simply couldn't care less about, one way or another.

Earth Day  is not one of these.  While I care a good deal about nature and the environment, I specifically choose NOT to celebrate Earth Day.  Why?

What is Earth Day?

Earth Day is a celebration of environmentalism.  The idea is to highlight and inspire people to start good ecological habits, do something to care for the environment or promote environmentalism, etc.  And as far as these actions themselves are concerned, I agree with them and believe they are good.

The Problem with Environmentalism

However, the problem I have with Earth Day is that its purpose is to promote environmentalism.  Environmentalism has problematic current within it - and I would say it's a strong one, although it runs below the surface in many cases - to place the environment and earth above and beyond humans themselves.

In extreme cases, the point is obvious. For example, I once read somewhere that fanatical environmentalists would rather procure an abortion than cut down a tree. Once I told a truly fanatical environmentalist (vegan and obsessed with animal rights to the extreme) about the death of a person; his answer was, "Good, another meat-eater dead."

Those are extreme cases and not worth dwelling on. But even in fairly non-fanatical environmentalism, I believe this same basic problem defines some basic assumptions and it is seen as normal that the care of nature should take precedence over the quality of life of humans.  The earth and protecting basically becomes an end.

This basic error is the reason I don't celebrate Earth Day.

Healthy Care for Nature

In a healthier view of caring for nature, it is a means rather than an end in itself.  We care for nature primarily because it is good for us.  Destroying nature will have (and has had) horrible consequences on the quality of human life.

His Holiness Benedict XVI, an open advocate of
protecting nature as a means, not an end.

However, since the purpose of caring for nature is to improve human life, we must also be prepared to use and adapt nature responsibly for that purpose when it is available.

Now, some people who celebrate Earth Day will probably object at this point and say that they agree with me. "You can believe that and still celebrate your view of caring for the Earth."

No, in fact, I can't. And this leads me to my last point.

No Room for God

Earth Day does not include God. It does not recognize Him, name Him or acknowledge Him.

"But can't I say that caring for God's creation is praising Him?"

You sure can, but that's not what Earth Day is about.  If it were, then somewhere, on all the pages of the official organizers of Earth Day, we would see the words "God's Creation."

Thus, it not only promotes a movement that puts nature above humans, but one that puts God's Creation above God.  This is, in fact, the root of the previous problem.  God created the universe to glorify Him.  He specifically created the Earth to be subservient to human beings, His children.  He created it to glorify Him, and part of this is to serve us.  We are given care of the Earth, together with use of it and command of it.

Now, if you take God out of the picture (as all Earth Day write-ups do)  then the reason for making care for nature a subordinate means to improve human life is greatly weakened and lines are blurred.  It is no longer necessary to make this distinction clear.

"I'll celebrate Earth Day to praise God, but you can do it to worship the earth and wish death upon meat-eating humans if you like; as long as we plant some trees together ..." Not a healthy message to put out there.

There are many, many Christians who care for the environment. Some of the most enthusiastic people I have known have been devout Christians.  So why is God excluded from Earth Day, then? As far as I can guess, the organizers wouldn't want to distract people of the matter of highest importance (environment) from one that to them is of secondary importance (God.)  They mention the improvement of quality of human life in passing, but not as a main point; they know they can safely mention it without risking removing the Environment as the end, the #1 item.

Replacing the Importance of Pascha (Easter)

On another point, I'm also distrustful of this holiday displacing Easter.  Easter, (or, by its correct name, Pascha) is the greatest celebration of the Christian year.  It is the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ, the most important event in history, the defeat of death and the victory of Christ bring us eternal life.

But isn't Easter is only 2 days - or 3 if you want to count Good Friday?

In the Western tradition, which includes most Christians I know, Paschatide (or "Easter Season") includes the 50 days after Easter - which makes sense since it is the most important festivity of the year. Earth Day almost always falls after Easter, so right in the middle of these 50 days of joyous celebration.  Easter is, in fact, a feast of renewal, of springtime; from what I've read, early Christian writings connected the renewal of nature in spring to the Passover, to the Resurrection, and even to the Creation.

I wouldn't begrudge Earth Day one simple day the 50 of Paschatide, but as the website for Earth Day Canada points out, "In Canada, Earth Day has grown into Earth Week and even Earth Month to accommodate the profusion of events and projects" (http://www.earthday.ca/pub/about/history.php.) So, now people are taking a full 30 days of Easter's 50 to devote an environmentalist cause that specifically excludes the mention of God?

I prefer to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ.

If Earth Day were to give due place to God and even mankind over nature, I would also not hesitate to mix the two holidays.  But I cannot justify mixing the holiday which has been the most important celebration of God's mercy since Israel left Egypt with a month-long celebration that excludes Him altogether.

Caring for nature - our gift from God to care for and use

I'm not anti-fanatical

So, now, just for the record, I'm not a fanatic against Earth Day.  I wouldn't look down on a family or individual for participating.  I`m sure many many people participate with best of intentions - even best of Christian intentions, participating with the purpose of glorifying God and serving the betterment of human life.  I did not discourage my son from participating in the school events or being excited about it.  I only took time to sit down and talk to him and make sure he know why we celebrate and protect the Earth.  I was sure that first God and then humans held their proper place.

My family recycles, saves water, reduces garbage, reuses containers, shops local (as often as our budget allows us) and uses cloth bags, among other such items. But we don't do it to serve the Environment as a end in itself.  We do it primarily because the Earth is God's creation, and secondarily because humans will be able to live better as a result.

If I knew Christians who celebrated Earth Day, I would express my doubts about this day, but I won't go on any crusade against it.  It's not important enough - at least not yet. (If I live to see an "Earth Day Easter Celebration," that might change.  In 2057, the Western Easter is on April 22.)

A Beautiful Easter Hymn I Recently Discovered

O Filii et Filiae, (O Sons and Daughters, in English).  Listen:

On Sunday, I was looking for a traditional Easter hymn to sing for my children and I found this one.  We are learning it in English and Latin.  The tune is absolutely beautiful!

St. Joseph - Protection, Love & Tenderness

Today is the feast day of St. Joseph.  St. Joseph is the chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary, the adoptive father of Christ, the protector of the Church, and the patron saint we chose for our family.  To celebrate, we went to a special Mass in honour of St. Joseph at a Carmelite monastery  nearby.

The feast of St. Joseph is especially important this year since today was the inaugural Mass of Pope Francis, and, as Pope Francis so touchingly points out, the name day of his predecessor, His Holiness Benedect XVI (Joseph Ratzinger.)

The image of St. Joseph (as seen in this post) reflects the combination of protection, strength and decisiveness with obedience, love and tenderness which is so rarely found to that degree in a human being.

Finally, here's an excerpt from Pope Francis' homily given during his inaugural Mass:

 

Today, together with the feast of Saint Joseph, we are celebrating the beginning of the ministry of the new Bishop of Rome, the Successor of Peter, which also involves a certain power. Certainly, Jesus Christ conferred power upon Peter, but what sort of power was it? Jesus’ three questions to Peter about love are followed by three commands: feed my lambs, feed my sheep. Let us never forget that authentic power is service, and that the Pope too, when exercising power, must enter ever more fully into that service which has its radiant culmination on the Cross. He must be inspired by the lowly, concrete and faithful service which marked Saint Joseph and, like him, he must open his arms to protect all of God’s people and embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important, those whom Matthew lists in the final judgment on love: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and those in prison (cf. Mt 25:31-46). Only those who serve with love are able to protect!

Read the full homily here.

The Joy of Living and Walter Ostanek

Back in October, someone made a comment about polka, and brought back memories of seeing Walter Ostanek on T.V. back in the 80s.  Something always struck me about Mr. Ostanek; I don't think it was his music per se, but more the fact that he always looked incredibly happy.  Take a look:

How many pop/rock/other famous musicians do you see with a smile like that on their faces these days?  Either they look depressed or angry, or they take themselves far too seriously to smile.
In any case, there seems to be some joy in the polka party.

This kind of joy in the simple things in life is something I saw and experienced much more in Mexico than here.  In Mexico, there is a greater tendency to find joy in whatever you have in life, even if it's little, and whatever situation you're in.  Could it be that more limited economic opportunities and a lesser degree of stability have made everything seem a more fleeting, thus making everyone happier for what they have?  Or is it that their mentality on life has been shaped by a different set of values, different religious background, etc.?

In any case, although Walter Ostanek is still alive and well (and living in St. Catherine's) the days of the polka fest seem to be past their prime.  In the past, the unfinished sanctuary of the church I currently attend was used as a community dance hall for about 3 decades (until they had the money to finish it and use it as a sanctuary.)  There are no community dances any more.  I think there's only one at New Years, and it's only for those of age; this strips the sense of community out of such events.  The interest-focused "communities" we like to talk about are really not communities at all.  A true community includes people of all ages and tastes.  A true community, like a family, simply finds joy in being with each other.

Perhaps Canada's past was a little more festive and joyous as well?  Who knows.  In Canada, there is a lot of focus on pleasure, but little joy.  It most certainly exists (see A Mexican Chistmas Celebration (Posada) in Ontario's Countryside) but it seems the exception rather than the rule.

Thanksgiving in Canada

Unfortunately, I wasn't in Canada to celebrate Thanksgiving this year; fortunately, my wife "shared" the dinner with me by means of pictures.  Looks delicious:

Table set

Some of the Family

(By the look of these first two pictures - looks like bacon and eggs - I'm not sure if it was breakfast, or the first part of the dinner.  In any case, I wish I were there ...)

Main course

If this is what I think it is, it's a "cooked salad" - some of the veggies are cooked, others are raw, with peanuts and grapes; I'm not sure if this a Mexican thing or my wife's creation, but it ends being pretty good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving to all!