Catholic Carnival LXVIII: Mardi Gras!

What could be better than to host the Catholic Carnival on Mardi Gras? Nothing!

The only difficulty is how to mesh the determined merrymaking of carnival with the sort of Lenten looking forward that is happening around St. Blog's right now.

We merely need to look into How to Give Mardi Gras Religious Meaning to find the answer ... we let our feasting anticipate our fasting.

It may be that we are going to a Mardi Gras party and there will be much feasting. Our country may celebrate Carnival with gusto. Perhaps we can have a special family dinner together, with meat.

What's important is that we let our feasting anticipate our fasting. One way to do that is to begin to focus on the meaning of the day, when we first get up. It can create a sense of anticipation all day, that something very new is about to begin tomorrow.

We can prepare for whatever we will do, no matter how purely "social" or simply ordinary our day will be. Knowing why we go to a party, or enjoying the planning or preparation for a special meal, will add much meaning to this day.

So feasting and fasting, need not always be viewed as opposites, as is very clear in this Mardi Gras Prayer.

With that in mind ... kick back, grab a beignet and some chicory coffee ... or maybe a plate of jambalaya and sip a Jax beer (it's good being Catholic, isn't it, y'all?) and get ready to ...

LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER!
While keeping our eyes firmly fixed on God.

WHAT AT YOU LOOKING AT?
That's the Penitent Blogger's question as he reflects on the importance of focusing our attention in the right place ... which would be ... that's right, firmly on God.

CONFESSIONS OF A FORTY DAY MONK.
With Lent about to drop upon us like an anvil on Wile E. Coyote, On the Other Foot resurrects a column written for a local Christian magazine a couple of years ago, intended to explain Lent to Evangelical Protestants. Catholics will find the description of transformation through Lent familiar and comforting ... yes, we all feel this way.

ASHES ON -- OR OFF?
Upper Canada Catholic wants to know if it's better to avoid pride or encourage questions. Go help him out on this one.



WHAT WE'RE MAKING FOR OUR LENTEN TABLE.
Elena and the rest of her domestic church are grooving on the Lenten crown of thorns they made following instructions from Catholicparenting.com. A photo is included so go check it out and get ready to get creative.

THORNS & THISTLES.
Mother-Lode invites us to reconsider Lent. They too are focused on the crown of thorns in their home. Get your garden gloves and read.

FIGHTING DISTRACTIONS AT MASS.
Ramblings of a GOP Soccer Mom discusses her ongoing battle to stay focused on the reason for celebrating Mass: Jesus Christ, present in the Eucharist.

PANCAKE TUESDAY.
Fructis Ventris dishes up one recipe for a traditional Shrove Tuesday dinner.

CLEAN HOUSE.
Perfect Work connects the dots between internal and external in a post on grace and the clutter in our lives.

DOING NOTHING OR NOTHING DOING?
Confessions of a Hot Carmel Sundae reflects that sometimes, from some people, God asks great and wonderful deeds. From others, He simply asks stillness. People who take their cue from Mary in the Martha and Mary story may feel guilty, or useless, when He just asks us to sit at His feet instead of doing His "work." In the long run, though, what He really wants of us is that we learn to do what He asks instead of what we think He ought to want of us.

VOCATIONS FAIR.
Crusader of Justice examines the wrap up of the vocations fair at Franciscan University. Guess which did better? The orders in habits or clericals ... or the ones in ordinary dress? Go see.




THE MEDIAEVALS ON THE NATURE OF THE REAL PRESENCE.
Deo Omnis Gloria writes concerning the Church's understanding of Christ in the Eucharist. Where did our current understanding come from? And how do we know the Eucharist is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus?

IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU KNOW WHO.
Ales Rarus scratches the surface of the complexities involved in Biblical translation. Specifically, the Hebrew verb "to know", it's sexual and marital connotations, and how they relate to the Church and bride and Christ as bridegroom are introduced.

THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SPOUSE.
Herb Ely looks at the verses that the lectionary omitted from Hosea 2 for last Sunday and finds a powerful story of God's love and forgiveness.

MARRIAGE PREPARATION/RENEWAL.
HMS Blog reflects on the Mass readings for Sunday, Feb. 26, focusing on the meaning of fasting as part of our preparation for our Bridegroom.

BACK TO BASICS: HOLY RULE OF ST. BENEDICT.
This is a piece that Mary Herboth wrote (remember her wonderful Ever New blog?) and graciously allowed me to reproduce. It is a really wonderful piece about humility and simplicity that is perfect for reflection when entering Lent.



EDMUND CAMPION.
Living Catholicism reviews Evelyn Waugh's short biography of Saint Edmund Campion.

LACK OF MEANING: A HIDDEN FORM OF SUFFERING.
Deep Furrows finds that a Flannery O'Connor short story prods reflection on the hidden sufferings of life.

THIS IS WHAT STATE-SUBSIDIZED HEALTHCARE HAS BROUGHT US.
Kicking Over My Traces examines Connecticut's shot across the bow of Catholic hospitals over abortifacients. Is this also a warning against school vouchers?

ST. BLOG'S PARISH -- PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER.
Kathryn Lively, Eric Williams, and John Bowden take us through the history of St. Blog's directories beginning with the late Gerard Serafin's "Catholic Blogs Page." They are planning to coordinate our efforts and to try and make the ring, the aggregator, and the directory more of a comprehensive parish representation. Read all about it here.