September Ember Days: The Call to Holiness & Ember Days: Saint Paul’s Doctrine & the Sacred Liturgy

About this sermon

What are the Ember Days, and why did Catholics traditionally observe them with fasting, abstinence, prayer, and penance? This homily explains that no Christian is excluded from the universal call to holiness. Whether single, married, raising children, or living a religious vocation, every member of the faithful is called to cooperate with grace and pursue perfection in Christ. The Church’s liturgical year is not merely a collection of beautiful ceremonies. From Advent and Christmas through Lent, Easter, and Pentecost, Holy Mother Church continually offers the graces needed for our sanctification. Even when we have failed to use those graces well, we must never become discouraged. The September Ember Days—traditionally observed on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday following the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross—provide a special opportunity for renewed prayer, fasting, abstinence, gratitude, and charity. These ancient observances teach us to thank God for the gifts of creation, use them with moderation, assist those in need, and unite ourselves more closely to the suffering and death of Christ. Rather than waiting until Advent or Lent to begin again, let us start preparing now. Through sincere penance and cooperation with grace, we can enter the coming liturgical year with greater faithfulness and determination. May these Ember Days lead us toward purification, holiness, and complete union with Christ. 00:00 The Universal Call to Holiness 00:22 Become Perfect as Your Heavenly Father Is Perfect 00:30 Saint John Chrysostom on Christians in the World 00:47 Saint Paul and the Saints of Ephesus 01:03 Stop Resisting the Grace of the Holy Ghost 01:20 The Sacred Liturgy Leads Us Toward Sanctity 01:36 Why Holiness Can Seem Beyond Our Reach 01:44 Have We Neglected the Graces of the Liturgical Year? 01:59 Holy Mother Church Adapts Her Aid to Every Soul 02:30 Never Lose Courage 02:40 A New Liturgical Year and a New Beginning 02:57 Move Beyond Admiring the Beauty of the Liturgy 03:05 Grow With Christ, the Light 03:37 The September Ember Days 03:55 The Return of Penitential Violet 04:08 A Motherly Call to Restraint and Penance 04:24 The Ancient History of the Ember Days 04:32 Pope Gregory VII and the Four Ember Seasons 04:54 Why the Ember Days Were Established 05:04 Gratitude, Moderation, and Charity 05:13 The Agricultural Customs of Ancient Rome 05:38 How the Church Sanctified Existing Customs 06:02 Do the Ember Days Date to Apostolic Times? 06:10 Pope Gelasius and the Four Seasons 06:17 Ember Saturday and Holy Orders 06:25 Fasting Unites Us to Christ’s Passion 06:42 Preparing for the New Liturgical Year 06:50 The Holy Cross and September Penance 07:08 Begin Preparing for Advent Now 07:27 Final Blessing For more from this parish please visithttps://institute-christ-king.org/oakland-sermons & please remember to say 3 Hail Marys for the priest #SaintPaul #EmberDays #CatholicFaith #LiturgicalYear #CatholicTradition #CallToHoliness #CatholicSermon #SacredLiturgy #CatholicHomily #CatholicChurch #TraditionalCatholic #AdventPreparation #LentPreparation 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 ✝️ SUPPORT THE MISSION 🙏 Donate https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 📬 Free Catholic Newsletter https://sensusfidelium.com/newsletter/ 📰 Read on Substack https://sensusfidelium.substack.com/ ──────────────────── 📺 WATCH & READ 📺 Sensus Fidelium App https://sensusfidelium.tv/ 📚 Sensus Fidelium Press https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ 👕 Official Merchandise https://sensusfidelium.com/merchandise/ ──────────────────── 🤝 PARTNER WITH US 📣 Advertise on Sensus Fidelium https://sensusfidelium.com/advertise-with-sensus-fidelium/ 🎤 Invite Steve Cunningham to Speak https://sensusfidelium.com/speaking/ ⛪ Parish Formation & Consultation https://sensusfidelium.com/for-parishes/ ──────────────────── 🌎 CATHOLIC COMMUNITY ✝️ Trusted Catholic Businesses https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Topics

• Holiness
• Bible Study