Why can't I eat meat on Friday?

As I mentioned in my last blog, a friend of mine found Lent to be depressing. He saw it as restrictive and gloomy. He said that he didn't understand why we give up meat on Friday and why the Church would want to punish persons by making them do this during Lent. My first thought is that if one looks at abstinence from meat as punishment, it's no wonder one sees Lent as gloomy.

Abstinence is actually the opposite of this. Far from being a punishment, astinence gives Catholics an opportunity to step back from our daily routine and focus on Christ. For most who eat meat regularly (those who are vegetarians are encouraged to abstain from another food they commonly eat) abstaining changes our routine. We are reminded of our small sacrifice on that day whenver we pass a McDonalds, see a non-Catholic eating a juicy steak or even a commercial on TV advertising Ponderosa. This small sacrifice should serve to remind us of the ultimate sacrifice Christ made for us on the Cross. Abstinence, especially in our remembering the sacrifice of the Cross, help us acknowledge the sin in our lives.

Instead of being a punishment, abstinence should be a source of realizing the blessings Christ has bestowed upon us by giving his very life for our sins. Abstinence should upset our daily routine so that Lent isn't just another thing we must do. It should be something we find drawing us closer to Christ. Until next time...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 08:34 | link | comments |
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