Reply to Objection 1. That a given day is called a feast day can be understood in two ways. First, the people of some place may of extemporaneously choose to celebrate for some reason, such as after a battle has been won or a tribulation has passed, and in such a case the day is one of feast insofar as many have chosen to feast on that day. Secondly, some days are set aside for the celebration of some person or event according to a predetermined intention to celebrate on that day.
Now it sometimes happens that on a day that has been set aside for some celebration people fail to celebrate it, because of some more pressing matter that has arisen or out of apathy or because no man remembers that the day had been set aside. However even in such a case, the original intention to celebrate on that day is sufficient that the day ought still to be regarded as that very celebration.
Reply to Objection 2. The feast of St. Thomas fell on the 7th of March according to the calendar in use prior to 1969. Since that time, the Church has moved his feast to the 28th of January.
Reply to Objection 3. Because She is a good mother to Her children, the Church wishes to nourish the souls of the faithful with many examples of holiness according to which to live, just as a natural mother wishes to provide her children with as much food as is necessary to establish them in sound health. Now, a natural mother does not feed her children only once per day, but several times. In the same way, the Church offers many holy thoughts and spiritual nourishments each day, according to Her eastblished liturgy.
Now, it sometimes happens that two remembrances may fall on the same day which at first seem contrary to one another's spirits, such as when the celebration of a saint coincides with the rememberance of the Passion of the Lord. However, if one considers matters aright, it becomes apparent that no contradiction exists. For the Passion of the Lord itself was directed toward the salvation and glorification of souls, as is celebrated on a saint's feast day. Now the efficient cause is subordinate to the final cause, viz., the salvation of a soul is more important than the means according to which God brought it about. Therefore, it is fitting that the celebration of a soul in Heaven be reckoned on the same day as a remembrance of the Lord's Passion.
However, because those on earth still require the discipline of the soul and the application of Christ's Passion to their particular lives so as to avoid sin and merit eternal life, the Church still calls Her children to a certain penance on these days.
(You don't need to be so passive-aggressive about pointing these things out, you know. Sometimes people honestly make a mistake. Charitable assumptions etc.)
Oh, I didn't read yours, so I don't know. I thought you were sarcastically accusing me of plagiarism. (Ambiguity in "the post".) I shouldn't have assumed it myself, though! I just spent a very tiring dinner where another person made sarcastic passive-aggressive comments toward me the whole time, which may be coloring my view of everything.
m_francis, meet dustthouart. dustthouart, may I introduce you to m_francis. As two of the most intelligent, intellectual, and Catholic among my friends, you ougth to get along.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-01-29 09:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-29 10:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-30 12:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-30 01:02 am (UTC)This is the link.
(You don't need to be so passive-aggressive about pointing these things out, you know. Sometimes people honestly make a mistake. Charitable assumptions etc.)
no subject
Date: 2011-01-30 01:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-30 01:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-30 01:48 pm (UTC)