Monday, May 18, 2009

Minor Rogation Days

We seem to have had many reminders of the power of natural disasters lately. Some people are still dealing with the after effects of Hurricane Ike, and a new hurricane season will soon be here. The Rogation Days are another way that the Church assists us in dealing with the realities of life. These little yield signs along the road of the liturgical year remind me of a friend's remark years ago, "Our faith is a beautiful faith." It truly is. These three Minor Rogation days lead us to Ascension Thursday, a holy day of obligation. Our parish will celebrate each Rogation day with mass and a procession to bless the fields.

From fisheaters.com:

"Rogation" comes from the Latin "rogare," which means "to ask," and "Rogation Days" are days during which we seek to ask God's mercy, appease His anger, avert His chastisements manifest through natural disasters, and ask for His blessings, particularly with regard to farming, gardening, and other agricultural pursuits. They are set aside to remind us how radically dependent we are on Mother Earth, and how prayer can help protect us from nature's often cruel ways. Read the entire article here.

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