Thoughts From the Bed Bunk II...
I'll soon be hitting 41. The Chinese say that if you manage to survive the great 40, a number usually equated to 'death', then the subsequent years ahead will be manageable, or something to that effect. Or, so they say...
I don't really give too much attention to those numerological gymnastics and I don't intend to start now. But, I can't help but be amuse how our own Catholics, especially in this region of South East Asia, can be affected by these kind of mentality and the culture that continues to subtly 'manipulate' our daily decision-making, with or without our own awareness in all this. Take, for instance, our Chinese Catholics and to some extend Catholics of other races. They rarely have their weddings during the 7 Month Festival, a.k.a. The Hungry Ghost Festival. Only an exceedingly brave and foolhardy couple would go against all this cultural backdrop and the wrath of their family members to even consider having a wedding celebration during this period (July - August).
Then again, it may seem a good idea as most hotels are not fully booked for reception during this 'season' and one may even get a good bargain on the costs involved. I say this because, I was totally free from any weddings during that Ghost Festival season. *grin*
I begin my first wedding rite, after the Festival, this Saturday at 9.30 a.m. I was tempted to remind the couple that theirs is the 'opening-ceremony' of all weddings to come after the Hungry Ghost month but I don't think the groom's family will think too kindly of that. The groom is a Vietnamese-American and his family is of Buddhist descent. But it is really, really tempting...
(so, where's Thoughts From the Bed Bunk I?)
I don't really give too much attention to those numerological gymnastics and I don't intend to start now. But, I can't help but be amuse how our own Catholics, especially in this region of South East Asia, can be affected by these kind of mentality and the culture that continues to subtly 'manipulate' our daily decision-making, with or without our own awareness in all this. Take, for instance, our Chinese Catholics and to some extend Catholics of other races. They rarely have their weddings during the 7 Month Festival, a.k.a. The Hungry Ghost Festival. Only an exceedingly brave and foolhardy couple would go against all this cultural backdrop and the wrath of their family members to even consider having a wedding celebration during this period (July - August).
Then again, it may seem a good idea as most hotels are not fully booked for reception during this 'season' and one may even get a good bargain on the costs involved. I say this because, I was totally free from any weddings during that Ghost Festival season. *grin*
I begin my first wedding rite, after the Festival, this Saturday at 9.30 a.m. I was tempted to remind the couple that theirs is the 'opening-ceremony' of all weddings to come after the Hungry Ghost month but I don't think the groom's family will think too kindly of that. The groom is a Vietnamese-American and his family is of Buddhist descent. But it is really, really tempting...
(so, where's Thoughts From the Bed Bunk I?)
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