Is it blasphemous to celebrate Easter on Good Friday?

  • Thread starter Thread starter missjonesxx
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

missjonesxx

Guest
My (catholic but non-religious) family wants to celebrate Easter on Good Friday. I am against this, but they will make a big deal about it if I don’t go. I guess my question is, is it blasphemous ie I should boycott, or is it frowned upon but not too bad ie I should go, not eat the meat and just deal with it?

Thanks for your help
 
That’s like celebrating Halloween on December 25 instead of October 31. The two days are fundamentally different and non-interchangeable occasions. If your family cannot celebrate Easter on the correct day for some reason, then at the least they can have the brains not to choose a day that clashes so horribly 🤷

And if your family are ‘non-religious’ then what in Sam Hill are they bothering to celebrate Easter for anyway?
 
Clarification: When I say my extended family is non-religious, I mean they have all been baptised Catholic, the couples were married in Catholic churches and some send their children to Catholic schools, but they don’t attend church or do anything else associated with being a Catholic.

They are always making us celebrate on different days e.g. Easter on Easter Saturday, Christmas on December 26; I always protest, but no one cares. But I thought this was taking it a step too far!

My dad is Protestant and my mum and sister are atheists, so I don’t really have much support there. They basically don’t want me to make waves with the extended family, and my dad said it will ‘ruin his Easter’ if I don’t go.
 
Okay, so I asked a well-known Australian priest on twitter, and he said ‘just do it’. But he is a bit of a rogue.

So I guess I will go, but what sort of measures should I take to ensure I am giving the day its proper respect. I will go to church and not eat meat. Is there anything else I should do?
 
‘Ruin his Easter’. Not much of an Easter if you do it on Good Friday. Why do they care to celebrate it at all, if the feasts on the wrong days?

You might have to put your foot down here. It’s Satanic to celebrate on Good Friday, whether they realise that or not. It’s the complete opposite of the norm. Jesus died on that day.

My guess is it’s day off work so they want to ‘make use’ of it by getting ‘Easter’ out of the way so they can have a nice relaxing day on Easter Sunday itself.
 
Yeah, pretty sure the extended family wants it out of the way so they can go on vacation for the long weekend. They also have no respect for my grandmother who does follow the Catholic traditions quite closely.

With my dad, I think the main thing for him is that the family is together (we do generally celebrate it in a secular way), so I get that he would be upset if I wasn’t there.

Is it definitely a no go? As above, I just got a response from a priest saying I should go.
 
I’d turn up, but no way would I party-hearty on that day. You can refuse food and drink, there, and calmly explain why. The priest doesn’t want you to ruin relations with your family.
 
Yeah, I think that is the way to go. It’s disappointing that it has to be this way, but I can still do my part to observe the day by fasting etc.

Thank you for your advice, both of you. I was quite distressed about this earlier, as I love my family, and obvious want to honour my mother and father, but want to pay proper respect to Jesus Christ.
 
They are not celebrating the resurrection. They are celebrating their family. You are a part of that family. Celebrate. And point out, if you like, the other celebration you are having, and your other commitments on Good Friday.
 
missjonesxx said:
My (catholic but non-religious) family wants to celebrate Easter on Good Friday. I am against this, but they will make a big deal about it if I don’t go. I guess my question is, is it blasphemous ie I should boycott, or is it frowned upon but not too bad ie I should go, not eat the meat and just deal with it?
Click to expand...
I think if they’re Catholic (even lax Catholics) they should be able to understand your desire to practice your Faith properly. I’m not trying to cause trouble, but I think this might be a place to put your foot down. I’m trying to think of what’s happening on Easter Sunday that so much more important than Easter.

At any rate, you’ve probably made the more “reasonable” and peaceful decision but I don’t think that I could – personally – go along with this one.
 
Since it appears that you are a minor you are kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. It’s bound to be a difficult balancing act especially since, depending on exact timings, much of the family celebration will be during the times traditionally associated with Christ on the cross (noon till three p.m.).

But - all is not completely bleak. Like the person who pastes on a smile and a “brave face” for others while all the while they are crying inside, the very fact that you cannot be where you would choose to be is, in itself, a great sacrifice. A sacrifice that is only between you and your beloved King, Christ Jesus.

So - my suggestion is a little different than that already given. It is to go, to smile, to accept graciously any food or drink or small gifts offered to you (but maybe eat only a little). Do not draw undo attention to yourself by being sullen or withdrawn or obviously unhappy.

Of course if someone were to directly ask you, “Having a good time?” or “Now aren’t you glad you came?” You can answer them honestly…“I love seeing my family, but I still really feel this is inappropriate”. Something to that effect.

May God give you strength and courage.

Peace
James
 
Even my non-practicing family members observe Good Friday as a day of fasting and abstinence, which is it. That would make celebrating Easter on Good Friday even more difficult.
 
I agree with other posters who have said you should look at it as a strictly secular family celebration, not a celebration of Easter. Do your best to get to a Good Friday liturgy - or at least the stations of the cross. If you can’t do either of these, pray parts of the divine office for Good Friday (divineoffice.org is a great start!), the sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary, or privately pray the stations. Fast throughout the day so that you can have your one meal (one meal is allowed, as well as two small snacks that do not together amount to the one meal) during the celebration, to avoid causing a scene, but avoid meat at all costs - surely there will be other options. Last Good Friday I was obliged to attend a dinner party due to family reasons as well - so I fasted throughout the day, attended the 3 PM Good Friday liturgy, prayed the sorrowful mysteries, and then went to the party and had a modest meatless meal while privately reflecting on Our Lord’s passion.
 
Wow, that’s really awful - and for you, too, to have to deal with that. How poorly catechized so many people are. I would be personally appalled… at least if my family did that and I didn’t go, they would understand, and at least privately feel bad about what they had done (but my family would not do that, I’m sure, even those that are weaker Catholics).

I don’t know if I’d tell you to boycott your family’s gathering, if it is primarily a family gathering and not an Easter party (I know how secular “hol(i)yday” celebrations can be now among lapsed Catholics), but maybe you can send a strong message about how Easter is the most important thing in our lives.
 
Hokomai said:
They are not celebrating the resurrection. They are celebrating their family. You are a part of that family. Celebrate. And point out, if you like, the other celebration you are having, and your other commitments on Good Friday.
Click to expand...
👍

Agreed! The world thinks that Advent is the Christmas Shopping Season. Just because the world thinks that it can celebrate Easter on Good Friday doesn’t make it so. Good Friday is Good Friday. Think about this as attending a family function on Good Friday.
JRKH said:
Of course if someone were to directly ask you, “Having a good time?” or “Now aren’t you glad you came?” You can answer them honestly…“I love seeing my family, **but I still really feel this is inappropriate”. Something to that effect. **
Click to expand...
Rather than answering in a passive-aggressive manner, follow Christ’s advice that we heard on Ash Wednesday.

Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

"When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
 
Splagchnizomai said:
Rather than answering in a passive-aggressive manner, follow Christ’s advice that we heard on Ash Wednesday.

Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

"When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
Click to expand...
I was thinking of this passage when I made my response and also there is one in Paul’s letters - relating to eating and not causing hurt feelings or scandal I think - that speaks to some of this as well.
As to my suggested answer, it would only be offered as a direct and honest response to a direct question.

Peace
James
 
This could be an opportunity for you to teach by example, if you can’t get out of it.

But beware: I find that smokers and drinkers will try to get non-smokers and non-drinkers to take up the habit. Just an example of how the human heart works. Observe, learn and stand firm.
 
Remember during the party

Good Friday is a day of Fast and Abstinence: therefore, no meat, no snacks, one meal during the day.

This is going to be a real day of penance that you can offer to God for so many good intentions (family, pro-life causes, leaders, enemies, elections, sinners, souls in purgatory, etc).

You can say a rosary around 3 PM (the time of the Crucifixion) or a private Stations of the Cross ( I have a small card).
 
missjonesxx said:
My (catholic but non-religious) family wants to celebrate Easter on Good Friday. I am against this, but they will make a big deal about it if I don’t go. I guess my question is, is it blasphemous ie I should boycott, or is it frowned upon but not too bad ie I should go, not eat the meat and just deal with it?

Thanks for your help
Click to expand...
It is blasphemous and you should boycot it. Remember what Matthew 5,11-12 says.
My advice: say no and spend the day in prayers.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top