Being my age how do i fast for lent?

[MaeganFlinchum1]

I am 14. SO as far as I know:
-no meat on ash wednesday
-no meat on fridays
-give up/ do something for Lent

i plan to only drink milk and water all of lent (alls i usually drink is soda/tea/sugary drinks) and not eat chocolate, pray atleast one decade of the Rosary a day, and read the readings from my church bulletin. is that all ok? anything else?

 

[dixieagle]

It sounds to me as if you have an excellent plan for a good Lent.

God bless!

 

[CalCatholic]

I am 14. SO as far as I know:
-no meat on ash wednesday
-no meat on fridays
-give up/ do something for Lent

i plan to only drink milk and water all of lent (alls i usually drink is soda/tea/sugary drinks) and not eat chocolate, pray atleast one decade of the Rosary a day, and read the readings from my church bulletin. is that all ok? anything else?

Sounds good to me. Have a blessed Lent!

 

[1ke]

Megan,

You are not required to fast until you are 18. You should abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent.

Regarding personal penances-- these are good but are not required of us. You are preparing for baptism, and I know you are very into learning about the faith right now-- just make sure you do not over do it and try to do too many things. In your zeal for the faith, don’t go overboard and try to do every kind of penance all at once.

 

[jediliz]

since you are 14, only abstaining from meat is required right now. Make sure to read any guidelines so you can eat accordingly.

Good for drinking water…water is good for you and better than sugary drinks.

 

[Reuben_J]

I am 14. SO as far as I know:
-no meat on ash wednesday
-no meat on fridays
-give up/ do something for Lent

i plan to only drink milk and water all of lent (alls i usually drink is soda/tea/sugary drinks) and not eat chocolate, pray atleast one decade of the Rosary a day, and read the readings from my church bulletin. is that all ok? anything else?

Hi Maegan. If you can give all that up and do what you intend to do, I would think it is just great. Taking note of some advice before this, you don’t have to though.

Have a blessed Lent.

 

[KendraDZ1902]

since you are 14, only abstaining from meat is required right now. Make sure to read any guidelines so you can eat accordingly.

Good for drinking water…water is good for you and better than sugary drinks.

Children don’t have to give something up for Lent? I had twin little girls in my pre-k class and they gave up sugary snacks. They seemed happy about it and didn’t complain when other kids were eating animal crackers and they had fruit.

 

[stephe1987]

IMO, children should be encouraged to participate in lent as much as possible. Get them into good habits while they’re still young so they can grow strong in their faith and resist the temptations that come with high school and college.

 

[Marysann]

Congratulations on you preparations to enter the Church. I think that at age 14 you should not be considered a child any more, you are an adolescent. Adolescents, in their enthusiasm, some times may go overboard in matters such as these. The things you have planned do not seem too much to me. Since you are not yet a Catholic, you are not required to do anything, but I am sure that our Lord is pleased with your wanting to unite yourself with His Church in her preparation for Easter.

Catholics from the age of 14 abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent, but fasting is only required of those between the ages of 18 to 59. Fasting from food is not recommended for those under 18 since our Mother the Church recognizes that young people are still growing and need nourishment.

Your plans for giving up sugary drinks, and adding some prayer and spiritual reading to your routine are great. They will not be so heavy a burden to you that you get discouraged and give up, and they won’t get in the way of your school work and usual helping around the house. The Lord does not want us to do anything that interferes with the duties of our state in life, in your case, school work, and helping your parents at home.

Your plans for Lent seem appropriate for someone your age and in your situation. After such a good Lent, I know that you will experience the joys of Easter in a way that you never have before. Our prayers are with you on your journey.

 

[ajecphotos]

May I ask where the giving up of meat on a Friday originated from. Thanks

 

[1ke]

May I ask where the giving up of meat on a Friday originated from. Thanks

Christ gave up his flesh for the life of the world on a Friday.

 

[MaeganFlinchum1]

Thanks you guys i didnt think it was overboard. Just less junk food ( stuff i dont need anyway) and more devotion to the Rosary and reading the Bible. I thought this would be a good preparation for my 1st Holy Communion

 

[Evan]

May I ask where the giving up of meat on a Friday originated from. Thanks

Mean was the original party food. If you had something to celebrate, you would kill the fatted calf and have kabobs. Kind of like champagne today. If you are commemorating some tragedy (like 9/11) you would find it offensive to drink champagne. Similar to what Church feels about the day of the Crucifixion.

On the other hand, in ancient Rome, fish was a sign of immortality and life (you never see fish having sex; like mammals, birds, or reptiles; so they just appear at the will of God) therefore as a sign of Christ crucified, yet returning alive again, fish was appropriate food.

 

[Reuben_J]

Thanks you guys i didnt think it was overboard. Just less junk food ( stuff i dont need anyway) and more devotion to the Rosary and reading the Bible. I thought this would be a good preparation for my 1st Holy Communion

God bless you, MaeganFlinchum1. You have given me much encouragement more than you know by your zeal and your faith and seeing another person comes to the faith. Yes, that would be great preparation for your first Holy Communion. And btw, an advance congratulation to you on the blessed occasion.:clapping:

 

[MaeganFlinchum1]

God bless you, MaeganFlinchum1. You have given me much encouragement more than you know by your zeal and your faith and seeing another person comes to the faith. Yes, that would be great preparation for your first Holy Communion. And btw, an advance congratulation to you on the blessed occasion.:clapping:

That means a lot for me to hear that God Bless you and thank you

 

[maryjk]

Children don’t have to give something up for Lent? I had twin little girls in my pre-k class and they gave up sugary snacks. They seemed happy about it and didn’t complain when other kids were eating animal crackers and they had fruit.

No, children do not HAVE to give something up for Lent.

In fact, you don’t have to give something up for Lent.

It is a personal choice. Chances are it is a good choice, but it is a choice.

We only are equired to follow the rules for fasting and abstaining. Children under 14 (I think) have no requirement.

 

[Zekariya]

May I ask where the giving up of meat on a Friday originated from. Thanks

“But let not your fasts be with the hypocrites; for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week; but fast on the fourth day and the Preparation (Friday).” - The Didache (c. AD 40-60)

Traditionally Christians would fast on Wednesday (the day Judas betrayed Christ) and Friday (the day Christ died).

 

[englishredrose]

I’ve just remembered that last year Lent although am not Catholic but Anglican I did try the no meat rule on fridays just to see and yeh I think one friday I did have the meat because no one knew I was doing so and tea had been cooked so couldn’t bypass it. Otherwise I found it quite easy and felt no suffering at all really. 6 weeks fly by and at that 6 fridays. Though I didn’t continue it. May be I should try again but I don’t do this giving up rule that many Anglicans like to do because as adults we understand that bit more about how and why Jesus Suffered. For children, giving up sweets or something is a good way of teaching a bit about that suffering. But for Adults, really, we need that bit more on commitment of our faith. That would be suffering for, even for many committed Christians,Catholics and Anglicans alike. I know for one although I like the idea of simple rules, I get that trapped in feeling too and need to be able to take them lightly or it gets too much. I know that. At 14, you’re not an adult to take on too much committment. but depending on how you are, you will understand some of what Jesus suffered perhaps. Fasting is a way of experiencing suffering. (or was in the past). You can fast too by giving up your favourite television programme for Lent and read something instead. That be fasting and I bet harder than actually giving up sweet things. Especially when all your friends are talking about that programme and you not seen it? You could either choose to read the Bible, one of the books you not read yet, in the Bible. Or any Catholic book aimed at 14’s or use the time to perhaps just be with God and explore prayer. Fasting isn’t just about giving up food of any kind. It can be able giving up a routine like watching a favourite television programme. If it is a programme you need to watch for your school work then that is different and you have to continue watching it because wouldn’t want your work to suffer. But a favourite tv programme and replace it by reading something that will deepen your faith may be or spend time being with God instead may be as equally challenging than giving up sweet treats

 

[MaeganFlinchum1]

I’ve just remembered that last year Lent although am not Catholic but Anglican I did try the no meat rule on fridays just to see and yeh I think one friday I did have the meat because no one knew I was doing so and tea had been cooked so couldn’t bypass it. Otherwise I found it quite easy and felt no suffering at all really. 6 weeks fly by and at that 6 fridays. Though I didn’t continue it. May be I should try again but I don’t do this giving up rule that many Anglicans like to do because as adults we understand that bit more about how and why Jesus Suffered. For children, giving up sweets or something is a good way of teaching a bit about that suffering. But for Adults, really, we need that bit more on commitment of our faith. That would be suffering for, even for many committed Christians,Catholics and Anglicans alike. I know for one although I like the idea of simple rules, I get that trapped in feeling too and need to be able to take them lightly or it gets too much. I know that. At 14, you’re not an adult to take on too much committment. but depending on how you are, you will understand some of what Jesus suffered perhaps. Fasting is a way of experiencing suffering. (or was in the past). You can fast too by giving up your favourite television programme for Lent and read something instead. That be fasting and I bet harder than actually giving up sweet things. Especially when all your friends are talking about that programme and you not seen it? You could either choose to read the Bible, one of the books you not read yet, in the Bible. Or any Catholic book aimed at 14’s or use the time to perhaps just be with God and explore prayer. Fasting isn’t just about giving up food of any kind. It can be able giving up a routine like watching a favourite television programme. If it is a programme you need to watch for your school work then that is different and you have to continue watching it because wouldn’t want your work to suffer. But a favourite tv programme and replace it by reading something that will deepen your faith may be or spend time being with God instead may be as equally challenging than giving up sweet treats

While i am only 14 i do know how to commit to something. Ive been studying consistently for a year now about God and Catholicism. I did all by myself for around 7months. And i will be the only Catholic in my family soon. I don’t want to sound rude or disrespectful in any way, but I’d say that i understand why Jesus suffered for us. Not due to my studying, but because God has really helped me and taught me. And i dont watch Tv or anything really secular like that. I watch EWTN and have read a lot of Catholic books. Thats like the only thing i read. I don’t think anything i do is to big of a commitment for me. I want to live my entire life for God and prepare for my First Holy Eucharist welll. And im not just giving up food, but i want to try to read my Bible everyday (I am also reading so.e of Scott Hanns books and Reliving the Passion) and im going to start praying the Rosary more. I dont think your age really matters so terribly much. Unless ofcourse you just cant fast from certain things or do certain things for whatever reason. God Bless you and thanks for your reply!

 

[Boy_Wonder]

I am 14. SO as far as I know:
-no meat on ash wednesday
-no meat on fridays
-give up/ do something for Lent

i plan to only drink milk and water all of lent (alls i usually drink is soda/tea/sugary drinks) and not eat chocolate, pray atleast one decade of the Rosary a day, and read the readings from my church bulletin. is that all ok? anything else?

It’s encouraging to see a young person who’s so serious about this. Good work. You may wish to ask a priest to suggest some mortification. It’s always best if we don’t choose them ourselves.