x2. Thank you. I will always have my belief and don't see how people can "give something up to remind them/bring them back to their belief." Can someone explain the reasoning for not being able to eat meat on Fridays, during a 40 day period? Does that bring you closer to your beliefs? Call me ignorant... But I just don't understand. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Most of the younger won't understand... Humor aside. Its been 30+ years since CCD, I think the no meat on Friday was the norm till Vatican II, then it became the norm during lent. Fitz' & PT's explanations above, plus the bit of self deprivation, especially of worldly things, that accompanies lent theorhetically may afford you more time to develop and grow in your beliefs and relationship with the Almighty.
Lent is not just about giving up sin... It's about giving up some worldly possession that is important to you in order to focus more on your relationship with Jesus/God. I don't partake but the concept is simple enough really.
I'm not going to descend into a diatribe with anybody on here with Catholic bashing or any other sort of bashing. I will say that "Used to be a Catholic" doesn't qualify you to speak on behalf of Catholics or the Church. Lent isn't just a Catholic discipline. It is practiced and celebrated by other Christian communities. In terms of what I thought this forum stood for, the initial posts on this thread was an attempt at sharing personal aspects of ourselves in a respectful manner. However, if this continues into "Catholics are horrible pagans"-Thread, then I request that one of the moderators close this thread. Open dialogue is only as valuable as the respect extended.
Who said Catholic's are horrible pagans??? We know of at least one that is a little sensitive tho ...
Can a Catholic help me understand how seafood is not a meat? Not trying to hate, just want to understand the justification.
Hooker, personally speaking we never looked for a justification rather we just conformed to tradition. Take this with a grain of salt because it hard to fully know for sure the original origins ...but part of our Lenten tradition was that giving up luxuries was seen a way to recognize Christ's sacrifice Meat was and still is in many places considered a luxury, as compared other food items. So we weren't concerned with "meat" meaning flesh ...we were looking for a way to make a symbolic sacrifice.
ok that makes sense not much of a sacrifice in LA when everyone just has crawfish boils every Friday during lent, but I can understand if it was something that was just carried on from a historical tradition
I just looked in the dictionary and it says the flesh of animals, esp. mammals. I think it's kind of a traditional thing. But if you were Catholic, you knew that "meat" referred to "the flesh of mammals." It's kind of good that the Friday thing was dropped, because fish now pretty much equals steak in price. When I was a kid, back when the no meat on Friday, no meat during Lent was in force, fish was much cheaper than "the flesh of mammals."
Can't wait to enjoy a nice prime rib dinner on Friday - Then go donate the equal amount of the meal to those who need it more than I. I will be sure to pray and acknowledge Jesus/God before and after to thank them for the delicious meal they have provided me.
Just so my Catholic friends know, if you were to come over for dinner Friday, I would make us fish ... I have no hatred for the people of the Catholic church...at all...and Trial, I have a hooked on phonics package you can borrow :D ( I bought it for Germ years ago ) :p
