Please tell me I'm being stupid

[Veronica97]

Last night I was just finishing my one full meal (salad and pasta) and was getting full, so I decided to take my pasta bowl out to the kitchen and cover it with saran wrap so I could eat the rest after midnight or the next day. Well, just as I was about to put the saran wrap on, I saw there was a small piece of lettuce in the bowl (about 1.5 in. x 1.5 in.), and I thought for a moment that I shouldn’t eat it b/c I had just finished my meal, but I also don’t like to waste food and figured by midnight or later it would be wilted. I also reasoned that I had JUST finished my meal a minute or two previously and that this piece of lettuce would count as part of my meal. But after I ate it, my scrupulous mind keeps telling me I broke fast. I don’t see how I could have mortally sinned b/c I didn’t have “full knowledge”, but did I break fast or am I just being totally ridiculous? I remember being scrupulous last Ash Wednesday as well, over taking pills between meals with milk. I think b/c I was lax for so many years and complained about things like fasting, that I’ve gone completely the other way and want to do everything “just so.”

 

[1ke]

yes, you are being scrupulous.

 

[Loving_disciple]

I am sure it isn’t a mortal sin you are just worrying to much. Like God is going to send you to hell for eating a leaf. Well then again look what happened to Adam and Eve.

 

[Peter_Plato]

Last night I was just finishing my one full meal (salad and pasta) and was getting full, so I decided to take my pasta bowl out to the kitchen and cover it with saran wrap so I could eat the rest after midnight or the next day. Well, just as I was about to put the saran wrap on, I saw there was a small piece of lettuce in the bowl (about 1.5 in. x 1.5 in.), and I thought for a moment that I shouldn’t eat it b/c I had just finished my meal, but I also don’t like to waste food and figured by midnight or later it would be wilted. I also reasoned that I had JUST finished my meal a minute or two previously and that this piece of lettuce would count as part of my meal. But after I ate it, my scrupulous mind keeps telling me I broke fast. I don’t see how I could have mortally sinned b/c I didn’t have “full knowledge”, but did I break fast or am I just being totally ridiculous? I remember being scrupulous last Ash Wednesday as well, over taking pills between meals with milk. I think b/c I was lax for so many years and complained about things like fasting, that I’ve gone completely the other way and want to do everything “just so.”

Ultimately, our motivation is to be from love, not duty, obligation or scrupulosity. The question to ask yourself is, “Am I doing this for love of God or my fellow creatures?” If the answer to that question is a clear, “No,” then there is little or no inherent value in carrying out the act.

Don’t get me wrong, small gestures can be loving ones and, therefore, meaningful and valuable, but they need to be done with a loving and giving spirit. If that is missing, whether the lettuce was eaten or not makes no difference, really, either way. It becomes a neutral act in terms of having meaningful worth.

Our goal is to become truly loving beings that are instruments of God’s love to those around us. Sacrifice or giving up our own will for the sake of other is an important aspect of love for God and others, but if an act does not further that goal it is not worth making a big deal about.

 

[CatholicGeek1]

Last night I was just finishing my one full meal (salad and pasta) and was getting full, so I decided to take my pasta bowl out to the kitchen and cover it with saran wrap so I could eat the rest after midnight or the next day. Well, just as I was about to put the saran wrap on, I saw there was a small piece of lettuce in the bowl (about 1.5 in. x 1.5 in.), and I thought for a moment that I shouldn’t eat it b/c I had just finished my meal, but I also don’t like to waste food and figured by midnight or later it would be wilted. I also reasoned that I had JUST finished my meal a minute or two previously and that this piece of lettuce would count as part of my meal. But after I ate it, my scrupulous mind keeps telling me I broke fast. I don’t see how I could have mortally sinned b/c I didn’t have “full knowledge”, but did I break fast or am I just being totally ridiculous? I remember being scrupulous last Ash Wednesday as well, over taking pills between meals with milk. I think b/c I was lax for so many years and complained about things like fasting, that I’ve gone completely the other way and want to do everything “just so.”

IMO, you have nothing to worry about. I would consider it to still be part of the meal. And even if it was a separate meal, if you hadn’t eaten two other small meals that day, you would still be good!

 

[Veronica97]

IMO, you have nothing to worry about. I would consider it to still be part of the meal. And even if it was a separate meal, if you hadn’t eaten two other small meals that day, you would still be good!

I had already had my other two small meals, so this was my one full meal. I was thinking to myself that it was still part of the meal since I had just finished and was putting the leftovers away. I know for it to be a mortal sin I would have had to have been thinking, “I KNOW this is eating between meals and I don’t care–I’m going to eat it anyway.” I was also motivated not to waste food, as I had scrupled a few weeks ago about throwing a bowl of rice away. I’ll try to forget about it…I’m going through a particularly bad scruples snag.

 

[marlap2]

Ultimately, our motivation is to be from love, not duty, obligation or scrupulosity. The question to ask yourself is, “Am I doing this for love of God or my fellow creatures?” If the answer to that question is a clear, “No,” then there is little or no inherent value in carrying out the act.

Don’t get me wrong, small gestures can be loving ones and, therefore, meaningful and valuable, but they need to be done with a loving and giving spirit. If that is missing, whether the lettuce was eaten or not makes no difference, really, either way. It becomes a neutral act in terms of having meaningful worth.

Our goal is to become truly loving beings that are instruments of God’s love to those around us. Sacrifice or giving up our own will for the sake of other is an important aspect of love for God and others, but if an act does not further that goal it is not worth making a big deal about.

That’s an excellent explanation, Peter, and I’m going to keep this in mind when I start to over-think things.

 

[majorem]

Last night I was just finishing my one full meal (salad and pasta) and was getting full, so I decided to take my pasta bowl out to the kitchen and cover it with saran wrap so I could eat the rest after midnight or the next day. Well, just as I was about to put the saran wrap on, I saw there was a small piece of lettuce in the bowl (about 1.5 in. x 1.5 in.), and I thought for a moment that I shouldn’t eat it b/c I had just finished my meal, but I also don’t like to waste food and figured by midnight or later it would be wilted. I also reasoned that I had JUST finished my meal a minute or two previously and that this piece of lettuce would count as part of my meal. But after I ate it, my scrupulous mind keeps telling me I broke fast. I don’t see how I could have mortally sinned b/c I didn’t have “full knowledge”, but did I break fast or am I just being totally ridiculous? I remember being scrupulous last Ash Wednesday as well, over taking pills between meals with milk. I think b/c I was lax for so many years and complained about things like fasting, that I’ve gone completely the other way and want to do everything “just so.”

 

[majorem]

Lighten up …remember,it’s not just fast/abstainance…it’s what we might do extra also…we don’t have to wait until Friday to Stations of the Cross…Holy Rosary…PAX…sounds like you are really trying…and that’s commendable…but…"lighten Up’ on yrslef…