Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 2.djvu/92

6 The different days of Passion week: of the week, that is, between the Sunday before Easter and Easter-day—are considered by the Church fasts of such importance as to have Epistles and Gospels appointed to each. The same reasons which should incline us to a reverential observance of Lent in general, apply, of course, still more strongly to the week which represents the season of our Saviour's sufferings; and, most strongly of all, the that solemn day which commemorates His death; and which, in memory of the benefits which we derive from that mysterious event, we call Good Friday.

That we may, indeed, keep in continual remembrance the exceeding love of our Master and only Saviour, thus dying for us, the Church reckons among her other fasts,—

All in the year, excepting, of course, Christmas-day, should that festival fall on a Friday.

The following days in the year are called.

These days are ordained to be kept as fasts, because the four Sundays which respectively follow them are the appointed seasons for the ordination by our Bishops of priests and deacons to their sacred offices. St. Paul clearly declares the duty of all Christians to pray for those set in ministerial authority over them. And that fasting was practised by the early Church at the season when such ministers were ordained, we learn from Acts xiii. 3.

The above, with the three days immediately before Ascension day,—days which, under the name of Rogation days, the Church has from the very earliest times employed in especial supplication and prayer,—complete the number of the fasts of our English Calendar.