Is abstinence for meat always a sacrifice?

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PeteZaHut

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I usually abstain from meat as my Friday penance outside of Lent. I usually end up eating cheese pizza on Fridays. Pizza is my favorite, so I tend to really look forward to Friday. Should I choose a different penance, since I am not really making any sacrifice, or is it enough that I am just making a change?
 
PeteZaHut said:
I usually abstain from meat as my Friday penance outside of Lent. I usually end up eating cheese pizza on Fridays. Pizza is my favorite, so I tend to really look forward to Friday. Should I choose a different penance, since I am not really making any sacrifice, or is it enough that I am just making a change?
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My suggestion: give up two things on Fridays, meat and pizza.
 
PeteZaHut said:
I usually abstain from meat as my Friday penance outside of Lent. I usually end up eating cheese pizza on Fridays. Pizza is my favorite, so I tend to really look forward to Friday. Should I choose a different penance, since I am not really making any sacrifice, or is it enough that I am just making a change?
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Seek the advice of a priest or monk 👍
 
I give up meat on all Fridays and typically it’s not much of a penance for me. However, there are days when I’m just hungry and I search through the refrigerator and find those two last pieces of pepperoni pizza. Then as I’m getting ready to eat them, it dawns on me that it’s Friday. THAT is when it’s a penance.
 
my apologies,i shouldn’t have been so hasty in my first post.myself,i fast on bread and water wednesday and friday (when i am not doing heavy physical labor).and i love a crusty italian or french bread.so i had to start eating a .99 cent loaf of white bread.
 
Are you abstainers bragging or complaining? How about showing a little mature humility?
To paraphrase the Good: “Let not your right hand know what your left hand is doing”.
 
George_Stegmeir said:
Are you abstainers bragging or complaining? How about showing a little mature humility?
To paraphrase the Good: “Let not your right hand know what your left hand is doing”.
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I find that a little hard to put that into practice since I’m an organist. It kind of helps that I know what both hands are doing and they do as well.

Also, you may want to avoid any threads about penance during Lent. People might be discussing things they do and we wouldn’t want you to be scandalized by our immaturity.

Cheers!
 
I give up meat on all Fridays and typically it’s not much of a penance for me. However, there are days when I’m just hungry and I search through the refrigerator and find those two last pieces of pepperoni pizza. Then as I’m getting ready to eat them, it dawns on me that it’s Friday. THAT is when it’s a penance.

👍 EXACTLY! I like fish–that part is not the sacrifice! But one Friday I started to make a turkey sandwich for myself and then said, “Oops! Guess I’ll have to have peanut butter instead!”
 
PeteZaHut said:
I usually abstain from meat as my Friday penance outside of Lent. I usually end up eating cheese pizza on Fridays. Pizza is my favorite, so I tend to really look forward to Friday. Should I choose a different penance, since I am not really making any sacrifice, or is it enough that I am just making a change?
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Years ago abstinance from meat was obligatory. This was a self imposed penance, not required as such today. Rather we are encouraged to make another form of penance if we do not abstain from meat.
In your case I would choose another penance.
 
The point of penance is not just to punish ourselves, but to make us think and change our behaviors in other ways. Not eating meat doesn’t by itself make anyone a better person. Remembering each week in a concrete way that Christ died (gave up his flesh) for us, can indeed make us a better person.

Eat your cheese pizza, but as you do, thank God for his sacrifice. If you can’t both enjoy your pizza and be grateful to God on the same day, than eat something else. 😉
 
april32010 said:
my apologies,i shouldn’t have been so hasty in my first post.myself,i fast on bread and water wednesday and friday (when i am not doing heavy physical labor).and i love a crusty italian or french bread.so i had to start eating a .99 cent loaf of white bread.
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While you are certainly free to follow whatever diet plan you wish, remember that the Church does not ask us to do this type of fasting. Before taking on a penance or mortification beyond what the Church calls us to do, you should speak to your priest/spiritual advisor. Any unusual penance should be done ONLY under the direction of your priest.
 
I confess I messed up yesterday.

I was speaking to a traditional Catholic about what I had for lunch. I went out for lunch and had a teriyaki chicken lunch box.

I totally forgot about my usual Friday abstinence until he teased me about it! I felt horrible.

Please no posts about abstinence from meat not being required.

It has been my usual penance. Oh well. Next time!
 
Mrs_Sally said:
While you are certainly free to follow whatever diet plan you wish, remember that the Church does not ask us to do this type of fasting. Before taking on a penance or mortification beyond what the Church calls us to do, you should speak to your priest/spiritual advisor. Any unusual penance should be done ONLY under the direction of your priest.
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not a diet plan.fasting.not a unusual penance,and it is not a mortification.fasting more than one day in a row would call for consultation.
 
TrueLight said:
I confess I messed up yesterday.

I was speaking to a traditional Catholic about what I had for lunch. I went out for lunch and had a teriyaki chicken lunch box.

I totally forgot about my usual Friday abstinence until he teased me about it! I felt horrible.

Please no posts about abstinence from meat not being required.

It has been my usual penance. Oh well. Next time!
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This is my problem also. And forgetting to pray before meals. 😦 I think when you haven’t grown up doing these things it takes a while before you get into a routine with it all.
 
asd72 said:
This is my problem also. And forgetting to pray before meals. 😦 I think when you haven’t grown up doing these things it takes a while before you get into a routine with it all.
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If fasting is just a routine, then it is worthless. Better to not fast.
 
april32010 said:
not a diet plan.fasting.not a unusual penance,and it is not a mortification.fasting more than one day in a row would call for consultation.
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Depends on how you fast. If you are fasting completely - only water and juice, no food at all - then you probably should check with someone. But until V2, the church mandated that everyone fast the entire 40 days of Lent. How? Because the church says that when we fast, we can have 1 meal per day plus 2 small snacks. It’s not that hard to do, assuming you don’t have any medical problems like diabetes. You don’t get sick, you just get really hungry. The hard part is when it’s only fruit and vegs. I have never been able to do that one.
 
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