Age limits?

[mikekle]

Being yesterday was Good friday, when I went out to lunch, I saw a man that is from my parish, Ive talked to him the past a few times, went over and to say hello, I noticed he was eating meat, I jokingly mentioned this to him and he said, ‘Oh I thought after age 59, catholics were not obligated to this law anymore’

After he said that, I just kind of laughed and little and walked away, I probably insulted him a little, but after a response like that, I could not stand to be around him anymore.

Has anyone else heard of such a thing? Ive never heard of age limits on obeying christian laws.

 

[Gertabelle]

Being yesterday was Good friday, when I went out to lunch, I saw a man that is from my parish, Ive talked to him the past a few times, went over and to say hello, I noticed he was eating meat, I jokingly mentioned this to him and he said, ‘Oh I thought after age 59, catholics were not obligated to this law anymore’

After he said that, I just kind of laughed and little and walked away, I probably insulted him a little, but after a response like that, I could not stand to be around him anymore.

Has anyone else heard of such a thing? Ive never heard of age limits on obeying christian laws.

From the USCCB website:

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence. For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal…The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards.

Sounds like he’s just confusing the rules for fasting and abstinence. After age 59, he no longer has to fast.

More importantly, you must not pass judgement on this man or anyone else.

If you have a good relationship with him, maybe you could point out his error. If not, walk away. It’s probably not your place, especially if you’re going into the conversation with an attitude of disgust over his sin. Sometimes I have to back off like this myself, even with friends, until God grants ME an attitude adjustment and sorrow for MY sins.

God bless you!

Gertie

 

[Tigg]

Law or not, I’m afraid there are no age limits to general penance. " I say to you: but unless you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish. " Luke 13:3

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

After he said that, I just kind of laughed and little and walked away, I probably insulted him a little, but after a response like that, I could not stand to be around him anymore.

I hope God doesn’t use that standard to judge me!

“You made a mistake. Now I can’t stand to be around you anymore.”

 

[Brianmcg321]

After he said that, I just kind of laughed and little and walked away, I probably insulted him a little, but after a response like that, I could not stand to be around him anymore.

I’m sure the feeling was mutual. Don’t expect any Christmas cards.

 

[Tom_Baum]

I hope God doesn’t use that standard to judge me!

“You made a mistake. Now I can’t stand to be around you anymore.”

I think/believe that if God is even remotely like what some people think God to be, how would anyone even want to have anything to do with a “being” such as that.

One of the things that is prayed for at Mass, at least some Masses, and one may hear if the Mass is in the vernacular is for “God to have MERCY on us ALL”.

I happen to think/believe that God’s Mercy and God’s Justice are so intertwined as to be One whereas there are some, by reading what they write or listening to what they say, seem to think that some will receive God’s Mercy and some will receive God’s Justice.

God’s Justice according to some people, at least the way it sounds to me, is not even close to Justice but is pure and simple revenge.

I think/believe that ALL of us will receive God’s Justice and ALL of us will receive God’s Mercy.

Justice without Mercy seems to be something some of us crave, for the “other” person.

 

[St_Francis]

How many times I have fallen! So who am I to hold something against another poor sinner?

So what I do is to pray for that person. I feel i must do something, and as it turns out, God let me know the best thing to do

 

[Mary_Estelle]

If I remember my history correctly gen.fasting and abstinece rules came into effect during the Crusades when the Pope(s) needed to raise money for the militant crusades and pilgrimages. Kind of think of it as a "tax.’ I know someone will tell me I am wrong, but hey, I have broad shoulders.

 

[1ke]

If I remember my history correctly gen.fasting and abstinece rules came into effect during the Crusades when the Pope(s) needed to raise money for the militant crusades and pilgrimages. Kind of think of it as a "tax.’ I know someone will tell me I am wrong, but hey, I have broad shoulders.

Yes, you are mistaken.

Penitential practices including fasting and abstinence from meat on Fridays plus during various seasons of the Church year goes back to the first century, as recorded in the Didache and other early Church writings. It is not connected to the Middle Ages or the Crusades or the Pope raising money.

Perhaps this article would be helpful to you:

newadvent.org/cathen/01067a.htm

 

[1ke]

after a response like that, I could not stand to be around him anymore.

Might be a good idea to talk to your pastor about such thoughts and feelings.

Has anyone else heard of such a thing? Ive never heard of age limits on obeying christian laws.

Methinks one who is going to be accusatory ought to know more about the Law. You seem unaware that there are in fact many nuances and variances in the law, as well as dispensations, particular law, etc.

While it is obvious the gentleman was simply confusing the rules of fast and abstinence, you seem entirely unaware that there actually ARE age limits pertaining to both fasting and abstinence fro meat.

I think this is one of those times when one should stick to worrying about the plank in their own eye rather than the speck in someone else’s.

 

[pensmama87]

I don’t think it’s polite to inquire about what somebody is eating. Even if he shouldn’t have been eating meat, that is his business. He may have innocently forgotten, he may have been confused about the rules for fasting and abstinence, he could have even been following the advice of his doctor. Unless you are very close with this person, I don’t think you were in a position to call him out.

 

[thequeen]

I have eaten red meat during Fridays of Lent on Doctors orders and since I am a type 1 diabetic I am exempt from the fast. So please mind your own business you never know what health issues someone is dealing with.I had someone come up to me last year on Good Friday at a resturant and tell me that I was suppose to fasting I now mke it a point to ignore people when they say things like that.

 

[oldgraymare2]

I have eaten red meat during Fridays of Lent on Doctors orders and since I am a type 1 diabetic I am exempt from the fast. So please mind your own business you never know what health issues someone is dealing with.I had someone come up to me last year on Good Friday at a resturant and tell me that I was suppose to fasting I now mke it a point to ignore people when they say things like that.

I agree with your post. Some of us here have some very serious health issues that we are dealing with. I have to eat snacks during the day too, and I have to eat with medications that I take, throughout the day, and evening, too. I am not a Type 1 diabetic, but I have to eat more red meat protein, due to some other health issues that I have, too. It would never occur to me to tell someone what they should eat, when to eat, etc. We don’t know what they are dealing with, etc.

 

[Ignatius]

Being yesterday was Good friday, when I went out to lunch, I saw a man that is from my parish, Ive talked to him the past a few times, went over and to say hello, I noticed he was eating meat, I jokingly mentioned this to him and he said, ‘Oh I thought after age 59, catholics were not obligated to this law anymore’

After he said that, I just kind of laughed and little and walked away, I probably insulted him a little, but after a response like that, I could not stand to be around him anymore.

Has anyone else heard of such a thing? Ive never heard of age limits on obeying christian laws.

The Fast is not required after 59, the abstinence from meat is required as long as you live.