40 was not ment to be bigger than 39 and smaller than 41, it means a period of complete discernment. Thus 40 years, and 40 days in the desert, Also 40 days in the flood, etc. It means a complete evaluation.
A vow is a very serious matter and should not be made without the advice of a priest. Our Lenten penances should be promises, not vows.
I remember in grade school, everyone used to give up soda or candy. And we would all wait for Sunday to eat all of our treats. Our teacher said it was ok to do that.
But the eucharistic fast was changed from midnight to three hours in 1953, so growing up in the fifties and sixties would not have involved a fast required from midnight.I think that there are various traditions concerning this, and it may have depended on the region you live in, or your ethnic background or something, because when I was growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, we always excluded Sundays in our Lenten fasts, and in my Catholic school we were taught that one did not have to fast on Sundays. That was the one day we could have a dessert, or candy, etc., although we were not to go overboard on it.
Of course, since we fasted from midnight on before taking Communion, that meant that you couldn’t wake up on Sunday morning and have a piece of cake for breakfast before Mass! And of course, there was no dessert or candy until you had eaten a decent dinner, around noon, so Sunday was half over before you got your sweeties. We were very deprived in those days.
Or perhaps the reverse: can anyone point out a source for a Church teaching that the one is required to fast on Sundays during Lent… Since “breaking a fast on Sunday in Lent” implies there is a requirement. The reverse of my question requires the proof of a negative.
If it weren’t for Sundays, I wouldn’t make it. That and St. Patty’s day. Because I am a weakling.
I need a break on the horizon.I’m just trying to understand your post. Are you saying that the 40 days is not meant to be taken literally, but rather refers to period during which can make a full evaluation? Am I understanding you correctly? Assuming I am can you please tell where you get this from. I don’t meant to be rude or argumentative, but I would rather not just take your word for it and I like the assertion so I would like to know the authority so that I can state it as such later.
Again, as I understand it the Church does not require that we fast or give up anything during the period of Lent. So, there is no document that would address whether or not we should suspend our “fast” on the Sundays of Lent. We are only required to abstain or fast on Holy Days of Obligation. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are Holy Days of Obligation which occur during Lent. The decision to fast or abstain at all or for any particular period of time is the purogative of the adherent. This practice of giving something up or whether to do it on Sundays or not is purely a matter of tradition and personal choice. Personally, I think it’s a good idea and really makes Lent more meaningful. We have taught it to our ten year old as a method for transmitting the Faith to her in a meaningful way. She’s standing right here and I just asked her why she’s giving up chips, of all kinds, for Lent. She said that it’s because Jesus gave his life for us. I’d say it’s working.