I am attempting to explain and defend our Lenten practices to my Baptist wife. Her questions are as follows:
Why do Catholics do this. The old once saved always saved by grace argument. Why is it necessary for any sacrifice?
I believe I answered the 40 days, but please something brief to bolster (Scripture) my points of instruction/arguments.
Where do we get the no meat on Fridays etc… as part of our Lenten practice, how is this Biblical?
How do I counter that these are all traditions of men and are not in the Bible?
Thank you, I am praying everyday to our Blessed Mother for conversion of my wife and I have belief that all these issues and others that have been simmering under the surface are about to come to a head.
The idea of forty days comes from Mt. 4:2 where Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights in the wilderness before he began His public life. It was there that the Spirit led Him to be tempted.
The idea of fasting and denying oneself comes from Judaism and from Jesus Himself who quite specifically stated: “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Mt 16:24).” Then in verse 27 He says: “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of the Father with his angels, and, when he does, he will reward each one according to his behavior.” So our salvation is the result of His grace AND our willingness to co-operate with it. Something IS expected of us. In Mt. 7:5 He says: “It is not those who say ‘Lord, Lord, who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven.”
He obviously expected us to fast or He would not have admonished us to not do it for prideful reasons. He says in Mt. 6:16: “When you fast do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do; they pull long faces to let men know that they are fasting….But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting except your heavenly Father who sees all that is done in secret;”
The abstaining from certain foods is quite scriptural:
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