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Tuesday, July 7, 2009

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Holiday or holy day? By Chakara Bennett ~ Guardian Summer Intern: It's time to party! This may be what many Bahamians are thinking since last Monday was a holiday and Friday is also a holiday. But according to Father Chester Burton, priest in charge at St. Savior's Anglican Church in Cat Island, these two holidays should not just be spent having fun in the sun. Last Monday, Whit Monday, was the day of celebration and rest following Pentecost or Whitsunday, and this upcoming holiday weekend he said should be spent communing and celebrating the birth of the Christian church. Whitsunday, named for the white garments of those baptized during the feast, dates back to the first century and occurs 50 days after Easter when it is said that the Holy Spirit came down as a gushing wind and tongue of fire that lit upon the heads of all the disciples gathered together in the upper room. On this occasion, all of the disciples began to speak in tongues and the those who passed by thought that they were drunk. A large gathering of people listened to them and many people believed and were baptized on that day. The disciples were then given the mandate to spread the word out across the world. Burton says that although this event may seem far removed from the modern Christian, it should not be forgotten because it is evidence of God's promise to us fulfilled. When Jesus died, rose again and ascended to Heaven, he promised the disciples a comforter and 50 days after his resurrection the Holy Spirit came as that consoler. "Like a crying baby whose mother consoles him with a pacifier, God sent the Holy Spirit as a comforter to His mourning believers. The Spirit pacifies us and lets us know that all is well," said Burton. He said because of this, we should remember that the Holy Spirit came to us and that the church was born thereafter. He also said this does not solely mean to go to church and worship or fast. Kari Marcelle, youth pastor at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Stapledon Gardens, feels that there is nothing wrong with celebrating or going to the beach on Whit Monday or any other holy day of celebration. "The disciples came together on Pentecost to celebrate that occasion and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and expressed their joy in many tongues. I do not see any reason why people today cannot go out and celebrate together with family and friends as long as they are commemorating the day and the meaning behind it is not lost." Even so, it cannot be helped that Whit Monday is still not observed as a religious holiday by the people themselves. "In this country Whit Monday has never been seen as a religious holiday" says Deacon Jeffrey Lloyd. "It is supposed to be a carry over of Whitsunday, one of the major Christian feasts but it has never been observed in such a way. There is no rhyme or reason for our celebrating this holiday at all except that it is tradition and it is a vestige of our colonial past." Similarly, Cecilia Turnquest, 40, views the day as family oriented one. "To me Whit Monday is a celebration of family and heritage. Whitsunday we go to church but the Monday is a day of relaxation. The religious importance behind the day has been lost. It is just another holiday." Katherine Robinson, a 21-year-old Catholic didn't even realize that Whit Monday has religious significance attached to it. "I am used to just spending this day with my family grilling or playing games. I seriously did not know that it was a religious holiday. I guess you learn something new everyday." Although it is clear that the significance of this and some other religious holidays has decreased, Burton still admonishes that Christians should all be in fellowship together especially on Whit Sunday and the holiday because that is the essential meaning behind the day. "The Holy Spirit came and blessed all persons heard and believed on that day so much so that the barrier of communication was removed and persons understood one another and fellowshipped on that day. The disciples then went out and spoke to different nations and those who believed celebrated and praised God in their own way." Burton feels that on this day whether one is Baptist, Anglican, Catholic or Methodist, everyone should come together and praise God, because we are all showered with the same Holy Spirit and His blessings, and that we should all be empowered to worship as the Holy Spirit leads us to. Thursday, June 4, 2009