DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Mardi Gras: A Christian Holiday?
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Mardi Gras, New Orleans, © LA Times, Gerald Herbert/Associated Press, source

Today is Mardi Gras.
Did you know that’s French for Fat Tuesday? Sounds better in French, doesn’t it?

And the History Channel actually records it as a “Christian” holiday.
I don’t know about you, but when I think of Mardi Gras, a whole lot of things come to mind, and Christian ain’t one of them.

But I read on:
“A Christian holiday and popular cultural phenomenon, Mardi Gras dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites. Also known as Carnival, it is celebrated in many countries around the world… on the day before the religious season of Lent begins. Brazil, Venice and New Orleans play host to some of the holiday’s most famous public festivities, drawing thousands of tourists and revelers every year.”

Smörgåsbord

Christian, pagan, Carnival, revelers! That’s a whole smörgåsbord of stuff, right?!
Smörgåsbord is Swedish for ‘buffet’, which is French for the fancy sideboard all the different food dishes were served upon back in the day. Anybody else getting hungry?

Long story short…

Similar to other prominent Christian holidays, Mardi Gras appears to have been grafted into the Christian calendar from previously established festivals. If it makes you feel better, you can say it was ‘redeemed’ into the calendar; but none of our revelers seem to have noticed. LOL!

For the full 3:29 minute video, feel free to visit the History Channel Video.

Big Party Before Lent

Basically, Mardi Gras became the party to end all parties before the Lenten season of repentance, fasting, sacrificing luxuries, and giving alms began.

Fat Tuesday preceded Ash Wednesday and was the day that families ate the remainder of all meat and dairy products that would be fasted during Lent.

Well… who fasts during Lent?
Christians.

So, who is Mardi Gras for?
Christians?

We’d have to come to that conclusion, wouldn’t we? Since we assume that it’s Christians who are fasting for the 40 days of Lent (46 days minus Sundays) in preparation for the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection and Easter Sunday.

And while the 40 days of Lent are said to commemorate Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness after His baptism and before His public ministry began (Matthew 4), I can find no biblical incident where Jesus partied all night before heading into the wilderness.

I’m being facetious. We know that Jesus knew how to have a good time. He was accused sometimes of having too much of a good time dining with sinners and tax collectors.

Would Jesus have gone to Mardi Gras?

Which makes me wonder, would Jesus have gone to Mardi Gras? And if so, what would He have thought of His followers’ party? Would He have turned water into wine? Or asked young ladies to put their shirts back on? What do you think?

Party of All Parties

You know what I want to see?

A Mardi Gras-type shindig on Easter Sunday! I’m talking folks going all out because they are so ecstatic that Jesus conquered death forever when He rose from the dead! Crank up the music! Pull out the gear! Throw some beads or rice or flowers or something! Break out the bubbly! That’s the BEST reason I can think of to celebrate! That’s the kind of party I believe is happening all the time in heaven.

Do we have to wait for Easter?

Why do we have to wait until Easter? Everyday, even on Mardi Gras, even during Lent, and for the rest of the year, why can’t we have our own mini-celebration that we have been granted life after death in an eternal paradise because our Lord loved us so much that He gave His life for us?!

Watch out! I’m bout to go find some beads and throw them!
But we can keep our clothes on. Just saying…

Onward and Upward, Fam,
Naima

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