Wife keeps feeding me meat in Lent

  • Thread starter Thread starter C.Ray
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
HomeschoolDad said:
I find that non-Catholics (aside from Orthodox, Jews, and possibly Muslims) don’t really have a concept of noting that the day of the week, aside from Sunday, has anything to do with religion. It’s not part of the larger culture.
Click to expand...
Well, I’ve worked with all kinds of Muslims who had to do Ramadan by themselves or in a small group while us Christians and “nones” were eating whatever we wanted in front of them. Jewish people who want to keep kosher don’t have ready access to those foods at most restaurants in my areas either.
Being “on your own” for religious practices just comes with the territory of living in a diverse country.
 
This is true, there are some Jews who want to be Orthodox, but don’t live in an Orthodox community, and thus have to order kosher online or through other means.
 
Convert here. My family often forgets if I happen to be home during lent. So I’ve thought about this a decent amount.

There’s certainly a point to be made about politeness. And not refusing hospitality. However, there’s also a point to be made about setting an example and not causing scandal. Someone once made a comment to me about my failing to observe my faith when I was trying to be polite. And I will never, ever, compromise again for that reason certainly not around them.

If it becomes a big deal to not forget about lent, she’ll remember. If you let it stay some insignificant thing, she’ll never care.
 
Rabbi said:
I’m very disappointed that you’d call your wife a “heathen.” I hope you meant nothing derogatory by the term.
Click to expand...
noun, plural hea·thens, hea·then.
  1. (in historical contexts) an individual of a people that do not acknowledge the God of the Bible; a person who is neither a Jew, Christian, nor Muslim; a pagan.
  2. Informal . an irreligious, uncultured, or uncivilized person.
I was thinking definition 1, not 2.
 
I am surrounded by pagan neighbours, I understand your use of the word heathen lovingly. I call them Christians on their journey home to God. Thankyou for the story of the Cardinals.
 
Last edited:
GospelOfMatthew said:
I have had priests tell me it is the more humble thing to do to eat what has been made no matter if its meat.
Click to expand...
If the wife did it once because she forgot, or the man was visiting a relative or friend who had made meat for dinner, then yes, it would be more humble to eat it.

However, if this is something that happens every Lent for six straight Fridays, then there is a communications issue between husband and wife or something else is going on. He is a grown man and his wife’s cooking is not his only food source, also it is one night out of the week - he can eat her cooking the other six nights. He could deal with this in all sorts of ways:
  • talking to his wife so she understands this is important to him to not have meat on Fridays in Lent
  • planning to pick up his own dinner or make his own food on Fridays in Lent so his wife doesn’t have extra work making something different for him
  • eating whatever else she serves that doesn’t contain meat, such as salad, bread etc.
Our spouses are not expected to be “obedient” but they are expected to respect our religious practices or else not enter into a marriage with us. If I chose to marry a Jewish man who didn’t eat pork, I wouldn’t keep serving him ham every week and expect him to eat it. Of course, he might have to tell me that he didn’t eat pork or that he needed other specific dietary accommodations, because if I just kept plopping down a plate of pork and he shrugged and ate it, I’d figure everything was fine.
 
Last edited:
Convert as well. I do the following when invited to dinner at someone´s place on Lenten Fridays. “Mum/friend etc, do you mind cooking the delicious X fish with the Y sauce that you cooked Z time before? Yours is the best!” or something like it.
 
Is ‘heathen’ not PC or something? Seems like a fine word to me.

Actually I grew up with it. I’m a convert, and when I was a child I recall asking my parents whether we were Christians. They said, “no, you’re all a bunch of godless heathens.”
 
With MY family/friends, I prefer the pronunciation “Hee-therns”
 
It’s not the nicest word one could use of a spouse. She’s deserving of more respect than being dragged in a post for not sharing your religion. Honestly, why don’t you just show her this post? If it means so much to you that she be the one responsible for ensuring you have a meatless Friday, bring it up with her instead of subjecting her and her intentions to the scrutiny of internet strangers.
 
You only have to fast - it doesn’t say what from. Yay us lucky uk catholics who have to do this all the year round :confused: not just lent
 
The opposite extreme is us Canadians who can eat steak every Friday of the year except Good Friday… though I personally try to abstain more often.
 
Think of that pot roast your wife just set in front of you as a heaven-sent opportunity to demonstrate your will-power!
 
halogirl said:
You only have to fast - it doesn’t say what from. Yay us lucky uk catholics who have to do this all the year round :confused: not just lent
Click to expand...
No, we in the UK have been asked to abstain from meat all the year round. We do not have to under the pain of sin. Big difference.

In fact, as I’ve mentioned before I other threads, our parish has a fundraising hot pot supper on a Friday regularly.
 
Last edited:
Oh I suddenly feel a whole lot meatier haha nah we had non meat sandwiches for lunch tho lol
 
I would just like to advise you not to show this post to your heathen wife.
Just sayin…
Carry on. 😊
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top