Lenten Reflection

 

Lenten Reflection, March 17th

STM Lenten Image.jpgThere are many practices that Catholics observe during Lent -- giving up something for 40 days, fasting, and abstaining from meat on Fridays. These are traditions allow us to suffer with Christ, as He did for us, so that we may one day enter into Heaven with Him.

Growing up, I was surrounded by these customs as they are observed by my family and much of my community. However, as an undergrad at Yale, these Lenten practices are foreign to many of my peers. While some of my friends have become aware that I abstain from meat on Fridays, they do not understand why I can't eat meat specifically -- a question I did not have a concrete answer for.

In order to better understand this practice, I did some research. According to the USCCB, meat was originally abstained as it was considered a delicacy and was used for celebrations. On Fridays, Catholics gave meat up as on offering of penance, and instead ate fish for a simpler meal.

Today, it is a common practice of Catholics to eat fish on Fridays instead of meat. Yet, when I had dinner with friends a week ago, I noticed the fish entrees were often more expensive than the meat -- it didn't feel right to order something the seemed so opulent.

As our culture has changed over time, it has impacted the way we view certain types of food. Often both fish and meat are now considered "celebratory" meals. With this in mind I have begun to reconsider how to best offer penance on Fridays -- should both meat and fish be abstained?