Who out there breaks their Lenten fast on Sundays during Lent?

[Andreas_Hofer]

I break the fast on Sundays, but don’t go all out. Going all out is for Easter when I can’t fast period. Unfortunately, I’ve discovered recently that when Sunday comes along there’s nothing I’m really interested in eating anymore. Ice cream? Too lazy and cold. Pasta? Meh. It’s horrible, all those cravings that show up during the week disappeared on that one day and then I’m back to, why didn’t I eat that cake?!

I just bet that when Easter comes around I still won’t be interested in food. They’re probably laughing at me upstairs too.

My tastes aren’t all that fancy, but I love to eat the foods I like, so while I don’t necessarily get cravings for all sorts of desserts I find that by the end of the week the restraint on the fast has left me wanting to really chow down on something. So I need to be extra vigilant that I not go whole hog. It’s funny because I’m capable of going for very long stretches without eating, but when I know I’m doing it because I’ve committed to it instead of by mere happenstance it starts to take a (good) psychological toll.

 

[brotherhrolf]

Way back when Lent was Lent and that’s it. It lasted from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. No “cheating” on Sundays then and no “cheating” on Sundays now. At my age, it’s ingrained.

 

[The_Fool]

Way back when Lent was Lent and that’s it. It lasted from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. No “cheating” on Sundays then and no “cheating” on Sundays now. At my age, it’s ingrained.

Let’s not forget the monastic fast. When does that start again?

 

[musicgal4jesus]

I usually relax my Lenten standards on Sundays. I won’t go “all out,” like go pig out on all the foods I’ve given up for Lent, but I will let myself do other things (like go on Facebook, which I gave up). But I agree with those who said it’s sort of like a mini-Easter.

 

[Erich]

Every Sunday is a mini Easter…

I used to give up anything chocolate for Lent, but several years ago I came to the conclusion I had to find something else to give up – mostly because my younger son’s favorite birthday cake flavor is chocolate, and his birthday is almost always during Lent!

Now, I give up coffee. The first year I did so, I observed each Sunday as a mini Easter… and had a caffeine withdrawal headache every single week as a result. Needless to say, I don’t do that anymore! :coffeeread:

 

[Gertabelle]

I give myself permission to break the “fast” on Sundays in Lent. Unfortunately, I gave up fast food (which is a really, really good thing to have stopped) and the fast food I crave is ChicFilA, which is closed on Sundays

So I sometimes enjoy a second cup of coffee instead.

I never heard about the “Sundays are exempt” rule until I was a postulant in a Benedictine monastery. And of course at that point it didn’t matter, because contemplative nuns are pretty serious about keeping the fast, even on Sundays. Of course, I told my friends that the reason I wanted to be a nun was so that I could take Lent more seriously

Happy Fourth Week of Lent, y’all!

Gertie

 

[AlanF]

Just wondering.

Cuz it sure would be nice to have a treat today.

~grace

I do, since Sundays aren’t part of the 40 days of lent.
I also read somewhere that all Sundays are feast days celebrating the resurrection of Christ, anf they are also “mini Easters” (as others have said), and because they are feast days were’re not supposed to fast but to feast. So I relax it.

 

[DaveBj]

I had a few M&Ms after lunch and dinner. They were good. Today I’m back on the wagon.

DaveBj

 

[Frosty]

According the the Catholic Encyclopedia in my Bible which was printed in 1952, the rules of fasting for Lent are:

Days of Fast Alone All week days of Lent except for days which are both Fast and Abstinence. Those days are: Ash Wednesday, All Fridays and Saturdays of Lent

.

It also goes on to say:

In all that concerns fast and abstinence, Catholics must learn their exact obligations from the local regulations promulgated by the Bishop.
For example, the kind and amount of food allowed at the two small meals on a day of fast and the precise days on which either fast or abstinence are obligatory. These days are frequently different in different dioceses.
One change from the general law of the Church that affects the whole United States, is the transfer of abstinence from Saturday to Wednesday in all the weeks of Lent, except Holy Week. In individual dioceses there may be other changes

.

It seems pretty clear that even then, Sundays during Lent were not considered to be days of fasting.

 

[Lead_Me_Home]

I do but to an extent. I don’t eat six pies. I may eat half of one I eat sweets but if I give up something like tv (what ever) I don’t do that.

 

[Little_Dove]

I do. I think Lent is meant to teach us how to live the 325 other days of the year. IF we always kept Friday penitential and Sundays as feasts, what a witness!

Oh, by the way, I don’t fast on St. Joseph’s day nor on the Feast of the Annunciation either! If Father is wearing white, and we get to pray the Gloria, it is a feast day! I just end up thanking the good St. Joseph, the Blessed Virgin and Holy Mother Church for giving us these days!

God Bless!
To Jesus, through Mary

 

[CrackerJackie]

This year is the first I’ve ever heard of the Sunday exemption. My husband and I gave up beer and we’ve decided to extend that even after Lent. Next year we want to plan for Lent and do something more “spiritual.”

 

[Gertabelle]

This year is the first I’ve ever heard of the Sunday exemption. My husband and I gave up beer and we’ve decided to extend that even after Lent. Next year we want to plan for Lent and do something more "spiritual."

It’s never too late to do something more spiritual.

I plan on adding a little something for Holy Week, especially as I have to work all week this year. So, CrackerJackie, keep up the beer abstinence, and talk with your husband about doing something “more spiritual” for Holy Week. You have a week and a half to choose

God bless you!
Gertie

 

[graceandglory]

Unfortunately, I’ve discovered recently that when Sunday comes along there’s nothing I’m really interested in eating anymore. .

I agree with you, except i really had a craving for ice cream. I even planned to buy one of those small haagen dazs 4 oz servings. Then they served treats at Church, so I ate a brownie instead. Two days later, and I’m still wishing I had the ice cream!

 

[graceandglory]

I do. I think Lent is meant to teach us how to live the 325 other days of the year. IF we always kept Friday penitential and Sundays as feasts, what a witness!

Amen!!!

Every Sunday a feast day,…isn’t that how it was in the olden days?

I was thinking on my last post, how planning to have a small treat is moderation, it is the virtue of temperance. Versus the year-round “I want ice cream” thought that is able to be almost immediately indulged in any day of the year in our society.