New possible convert here: fasting during lent?

[anendlesswaltz]

Can someone explain fasting on Fridays during lent to me? I’ve never participated in Lent before. I grew up in a southern baptist church so everything is so new to me still. I work full time, so is eating even small snack size meals permitted? Can someone explain the motivations and reasoning behind it all please. Thanks in advance!

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

The Church has two days when we fast: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On those days we’re to eat no more than one full meal and up to two additional meals that don’t add up to a full meal. We also abstain from meat on those days.

The other Fridays of Lent (in the United States) are days of abstinence when we don’t eat meat.

Giving up meat is in recognition that Christ died on a Friday. Giving up food is penitential, reminding us that we are sinners and need to be forgiven.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Can someone explain fasting on Fridays during lent to me? I’ve never participated in Lent before. I grew up in a southern baptist church so everything is so new to me still. I work full time, so is eating even small snack size meals permitted? Can someone explain the motivations and reasoning behind it all please. Thanks in advance!

This is the somewhat “express” version of an explanation:

• Under the present regulations, only two days per year are required days of fasting, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Two half-meals and one full meal are permitted. None of these meals should contain any meat (fish is OK). On these two fast days, no solid food between meals is allowed. Liquid beverages are OK.
• On the remaining Fridays of Lent, you do not have to fast, but you do have to abstain from any meat (again, fish is OK). You may eat between meals.
• On the other Fridays of the year, the law for the universal Church is the same as for the Fridays of Lent. In the United States (and other places as well), the faithful may substitute some other act of penance or charity, in place of abstaining from meat. But they have to do something — contrary to popular misunderstanding, you do not get a “free pass” — it just doesn’t have to be abstinence from meat.

This is just the bare minimum. You may fast or abstain beyond this, as much as you wish. Extreme acts of fasting should be cleared with one’s confessor or spiritual director. Fasting and abstinence are inappropriate for Sundays, in that this is the Lord’s day.

 

[JoeShlabotnik]

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are the main two days for fasting during the Lenten season.
But you can fast on any given day throughout the year.