Do you miss meat on Fridays?

[laszlo]

I usually don’t abstain from meat on Fridays–it is not a real penance to me. I am happy most anytime with mac 'n cheese, pasta with garlic and romano cheese and maybe broccoli or spinach in it, or seafood, toasted cheese sandwiches or eggs.

I concur with that, adding the mushroom, cauliflower, peas, beans, lentil and a long list.

I grown up on that way, that meat was available only for Sunday, the abstinence from meat is no real penance.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

There’s nothing wrong with that. What kind of penances do you do in place of meat? I’m trying to think of other things I could do…As the above poster said, the rosary is a good idea.

I already pray the Rosary every day; many Fridays if I eated a cheezburger (like today only wuz not rly cheezburger), I would pray the Divine Mercy in addition.

Or sometimes donate a moneys to a charity. Once, even ran errands for a neighbor and refused compensation. There’s a lot to choose from.

I’m also in pain just about every day so I offer it up but since I didn’t ‘pick’ it, I don’t know if that counts.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

I thought the whole point of changing the abstinence rules was that the Church, in Her wisdom, felt that “obligating” someone to do something, such as a penitent act, really was not good idea because there is more* “meaning”* behind doing something because you*** want ***to, rather than because you have to.

That said, I have found that the practice of abstaining from meat on Friday (whether one is obligated, as in Fridays during Lent, or as one’s private penitent act, or purely out of habit) has become the opportunity to go out for the famous ***“Friday Night Fish Fry”, ***that just about every pub & restaurant in a 100-mile radius of my community has. And because I used to work in one of these establishments, I know from first-hand experience that these meals usually consist of a 12-16oz piece of fish (usually beer-battered & deep fried), a ½ # of French fries, coleslaw, salad, and sometimes dessert. Then add the obligatory beer or cocktail, of course!!
By the standards set forth by the FDA, this meal for one is actually enough food to feed 3-4 adults!

Can someone actually tell me that this is better than eating a hamburger or a hot dog on a Friday? Or what about eating that leftover meatloaf from a few days before?

Is not the point of a penitent act that of self-denial?

 

[ProVobis]

Can someone actually tell me that this is better than eating a hamburger or a hot dog on a Friday? Or what about eating that leftover meatloaf from a few days before?

Is not the point of a penitent act that of self-denial?

Then maybe we should talk about all the pre-Vatican II fast days, such as those in Ember Week and all throughout Lent except Sundays.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

Then maybe we should talk about all the pre-Vatican II fast days, such as those in Ember Week and all throughout Lent except Sundays.

Forgive my ignorance, but I have no idea what you are talking about,
probably because you took my questions out of context by not quoting the statements that qualify my questions?

From my POV, as an American Catholic, 40-something woman, who also happens to work in the food service industry, I cannot understand how anyone can believe that they are following the "spirit" of the law, let alone the "letter" of the law by dining on the meal I described. Where as, if I come home on a Friday in Lent, after having worked a 12-hour shift, having had a yogurt or bagel for breakfast, a boul of soup for lunch, would be committing a mortal sin if I had a sandwich that I made with the leftover meatloaf from earlier in the week?

Brings to mind this great little gem from the Father of the Church-

He then addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.
"Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity–greedy, dishonest, adulterous–or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’
But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted

 

[Nowhere_Man]

There’s nothing wrong with that. What kind of penances do you do in place of meat? I’m trying to think of other things I could do…As the above poster said, the rosary is a good idea.

Another really good devotion for Friday would be to pray the Stations of the Cross, since the point of Friday penance is to remember Our Lord’s Crucifixion,.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

Another really good devotion for Friday would be to pray the Stations of the Cross, since the point of Friday penance is to remember Our Lord’s Crucifixion,.

 

[LilyM]

One penance that I particularly like is to read (aloud if you so desire) the seven so-called ‘Penitential Psalms’ - Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143 (some translations of scripture number them as 6, 31, 37, 50, 101, 129, and 142).

I read five of them this week, didn’t have time to do more as I’ve been travelling.

 

[thistle]

I know. But I just do it because I think it’s respectful.

I guess its just the way you worded it so I assume you don’t mean that anyone who does not abstain from meat is being disrespectful.

 

[Silyosha]

I guess its just the way you worded it so I assume you don’t mean that anyone who does not abstain from meat is being disrespectful.

Of course not! You can be respectful without abstaining from meat.

 

[Dakota_Roberts]

In Lent I usually go with gasp lentil and rice based dishes, I eat it bland and I only eat like 8 ounces of it a day, but it’s enough to fill me up and provide with sufficient vitamins and minerals.

 

[thistle]

Of course not! You can be respectful without abstaining from meat.

 

[baltobetsy]

From my POV, as an American Catholic, 40-something woman, who also happens to work in the food service industry, I cannot understand how anyone can believe that they are following the "spirit" of the law, let alone the "letter" of the law by dining on the meal I described. Where as, if I come home on a Friday in Lent, after having worked a 12-hour shift, having had a yogurt or bagel for breakfast, a boul of soup for lunch, would be committing a mortal sin if I had a sandwich that I made with the leftover meatloaf from earlier in the week?

Well, submission of the will to the authority of the Church is also part of it. Despite one’s personal conclusion that the fish fry meal is not penitential compared to the meat loaf sandwich, obedience is always the best way.

On a lighter note, you obviously did not participate in the thread a couple of months ago that detailed the joys of meat loaf. To me, there are few things that can compare to a delicous meat loaf sandwich on multigrain bread with mayo and ketchup, with a cold glass of milk on the side!

 

[Silyosha]

Lentils are awesome. Whoever doesn’t like lentils is missing out big time!
I’ve honestly never had a meatloaf sandwich.
Beans are a great replacement for meat if you don’t like fish or have none avaliable. They’re very cheap and nutritious. Chickpeas are my favorites.

 

[LovedMyAlydar]

Our family never ate meat on Fridays when I was a child, even after that requirement was lifted. Dad would not allow it. So eating meat on Fridays is odd for me personally.

We still do not eat meat on Fridays. Occasionally we do, but then we do some other form of penance. We have also started to try to remember the Ember days as well, but am not so good at that yet.

 

[Silyosha]

Our family never ate meat on Fridays when I was a child, even after that requirement was lifted. Dad would not allow it. So eating meat on Fridays is odd for me personally.

We still do not eat meat on Fridays. Occasionally we do, but then we do some other form of penance. We have also started to try to remember the Ember days as well, but am not so good at that yet.

How many Ember days are there throughout the year? I found a calendar that listed four different sets of three days, one per season…is that right? Are there just 12?

 

[ProVobis]

How many Ember days are there throughout the year? I found a calendar that listed four different sets of three days, one per season…is that right? Are there just 12?

Yes but the Ember days are/were semi-abstinence, meaning meat only once per day. As were all non-Sunday days in Lent in the old calendar, where you see half a fish on those days. All Fridays, except on Solemn Feast Days, on the old calendar are complete abstinence.