OT:Lent & Ash Wednesday Question

[GOOFY4DONALD]

Our family never considered giving up meat on Fridays to be much of a sacrifice....fresh fish has always been considered more of a luxury in our family, especially as it is usually more expensive. So the whole concept seemed kind of archaic to us. Eating vegetarian is perhaps more true to the principal of Lent, but even then there are some pretty tasty vegetarian options out there...especially in our land of plenty...

I think if you're going to make some sort of sacrifice for Lent, it should be something of meaning to you. I think maintaining the intent is more important than an ancient custom. I think giving up free time to help others would be a good thing to do - or cleaning house and giving away older things to the less fortunate. The kids could participate by giving away toys they've outgrown to the less fortunate.

I agree with this. It is supposed to be a sacrifice. If you give up a burger for lobster I think this would be defeating the purpose.

 

[java]

Well the "reason" Friday is fish day is that Jesus was cruxified on a Friday(or so they say) Meat was seen as a luxury item and eating fish was seen as a sacrafice...I like to think the disciples were mostly fisherman and it is a bow to their belief and servitude. We don't "give up" anything. We do things instead. My father - a rule following Catholic gives up soda. He doesn't eat meat on Friday or Wednesday- He also goes to church every Friday during Lent. Not us. Will that get him to heaven? He thinks so- I'm not so sure.

 

[Mom2Ashli]

DD's Sunday school teacher passed out Lent Calendars for the children with things they should do each day of Lent.

No meat on Wednesday or Friday for us. And we normally give up something we use or do alot. Candy, sweets, Chocolate, etc. We also try to make more special time for family time.

 

[Motherofboys]

We were also allowed to have whatever we "gave up" for Lent on Sunday, we called it "Little Easters". I do like the new focus on doing extra things (good deeds, praying the rosary, etc) instead of giving something up. I love the sacrifices of Lent, it helps us to focus on how blessed we are throughout the year and it makes the celebration of Easter so much more special. I will be giving up all junk food (yes, chocolate too ) and swearing. We encourage our kids to participate as much as possible, it's good to learn the customs from a young age (IMO).

 

[bethyg]

Wow! What great responses and perspectives. Until my research, I only thought those of Catholic faith participated in Lent. I have found many other religeons participate as well, such as Lutheran and Methodist. I would love to hear their perspectives as well. I was raised in a religeon that does not partake in Lent, so I have no exposure. While looking into the whole purpose of Lent, I felt very moved at what it actually represents. It makes me really wonder why other Christian denominations don't participate. I would think any act of spiritual renewal and focusing your thoughts and life more upon Christ would be much desired by those of any Christian faith, which is why my family is interested in participating regardless if our church does. Technically, I guess it could be done anytime of the year for us, but I like the timing and relationship to the suffering of Jesus, and how Lent ends on Easter. Seems much more real.

Some of the articles I have read are still a little confusing. I know early in the days of Lent, people fasted on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Do people still fast on these days, or just abstain from meat (like pork, beef & chicken)? Is it only meat you don't eat on Fridays? Other than fish, can you have a protein like a grilled cheese sandwich or PB?

I would also like to know how those of non-Catholic denominations commerate Lent. Do you fast and "give up something" as well?

Again, thank you for your responses. They are very open and all responses have been honest and non-judgemental.

 

[Motherofboys]

We are Catholic and we fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. We do not eat meat on Friday (kids abstain from meat, but we don't have them fast). We eat other proteins, but we do not eat any meat product (like chicken broth, etc).

 

[MickeyP]

For those interested, Ash Wednesday is not a Holy day of Obligation. You should still go to receive your ashes.
Here's a question: Who returns their palms to provide for the ashes? Just curious, cuz I always forget.

 

[Todd&Copper]

For those interested, Ash Wednesday is not a Holy day of Obligation. You should still go to receive your ashes.

According to my Catholic church, it is a Holy Day of Obligation and this is what it says in our church bulletin:

Ash Wednesday is a holy day of obligation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states,”The precept of the Church specifies the law [i.e. to keep the Lord’s Day holy]..... more precisely: ‘On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass.’ "The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass, which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic Rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day."[2180] In other words, it is sinful not to attend. If there is no serious reason preventing you from attending (e.g., illness, the care of infants), you need to go to Mass.

 

[java]

On Ash Wednesday - No not a holy day of obligation in our Roman Catholic Church.

 

[beattyfamily]

According to my Catholic church, it is a Holy Day of Obligation:

Ash Wednesday is a holy day of obligation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states,”The precept of the Church specifies the law [i.e. to keep the Lord’s Day holy]..... more precisely: ‘On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass.’ "The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass, which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic Rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day."[2180] In other words, it is sinful not to attend. If there is no serious reason preventing you from attending (e.g., illness, the care of infants), you need to go to Mass.

No where in the quote above does it say that Ash Wednesday is a Holy Day of Obligation.

In the Roman Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday is most definitely not a Holy Day of Obligation.

 

[DawnM]

I used to be that way. Once I felt so much better physically I was able to stick to it.

Now, staying off the computer, that would be very hard!

Dawn

I would find that very difficult. It's hard for me to eat that way for only 7 weeks, and we eat seafood.

I was going to try to stay off the computer today....made it until early afternoon!

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

My dh gives up alcohol and desserts for Lent. Actually, our entire family gives up desserts for Lent.

DsAlmost14 is giving up Girl Scout cookies--he bought his own stash from his sisters!

I am adding-----finishing unfinished projects for others. I have fabric for the girls' bedroom windows, lots of mending for dh, finishing up my sister's landscape plan, etc. I volunteer one afternoon/week and would love to add more time for that, but I just can't fit it in. I can do the unfinished projects at night or during a free half hour

 

[1of6]

We don't really give up something but rather make a promise about something that will help us become a better person. MY kids have done things like not fighting, getting places on time and helping out the first time they are asked.

 

[englishteacha]

I grew up in a Protestant church but we never "gave up" anything for Lent. We did things in Sunday School to help others. I remember getting a Lent calendar a few years as a child, and we also supported the Heifer Project. The Sundays in Lent were always focused on Jesus' life and teachings. We celebrated Maunday Thursday-the Last Supper, sometimes had an ecumenical service on Good Friday with other Protestant churches in town, and always a large celebration on Easter. Since we've moved away from our hometown church, I haven't yet found a church that "feels right." I guess when you grow up in a specific church as part of that church family, it's hard to find a new church.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

Many Lutheran churches will be very similar to Episcopal churches. Episcopalians are Catholic-lite: all the ritual and half the guilt.

To the PP asking about ashes: we bring our palms from last year's Palm Sunday to the Shrove Tuesday pancake feast and burn them.

I didn't realize that Ash Wednesday isn't a day of obligation in the Roman Catholic church. Very interesting.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

I am a United Methodist (that's in the northern portion of the country, you historically find Southern Methodists in ...wait for it...the South). We go to services and receive ashes on Ash Wednesday. As many other posters have stated, we are encouraged to make a sacrifice as well as adopt a positive habit. We omit Sundays from the period, as each Sunday is considered a celebration of Easter. And as someone else pointed out, that's how you get to 40 days.

In my family, we also omit meat on Fridays. My ds goes to parochial school, so it just makes it easier for him. Plus, we could use more fish in our diet. It's a positive thing for us to do. In his school, the little ones are not included in the "no meat" on Fridays rule until 4th grade.

This year, dh and I are giving up fast and fried food. DS will probably give up gum. I am also not eating any of those tasty 100 cal packs of cookies or crackers until I have had 5 fruits/vegetables each day. We also make a better effort to make it to church every Sunday during Lent.

When I was younger, my youth group often held a fast from Good Friday to Easter morning. I also have a chart for ds of good things he can do each day (thank the person who made your breakfast/lunch/dinner), thank your teacher, etc. While different people within our church practice giving up/adding differently, the main thrust is to modify your life in some way to make yourself more like Jesus.

 

[Kimmumum]

We are Lutheran. We don't eat meat on Fridays. We do not take Sundays off. Things I have done are: giving up escalators/elevators (only stairs whenever possible--good excersize too), do/say something nice to someone everyday, give up chocolate, no yelling, give up pop, give up credit cards etc. I really like the being nice to someone. You feel better and so do they.

We do this mainly because I grew up 1/2 Catholic and 1/2 Lutheran. As a Lutheran I do not have to give up anything but we do. We do not have to "not eat meat on Fridays" either but we do that too.

We go to church on Ash Wednesday (the ashes come from the palms from Palm Sunday).

 

[mjantz]

Methodist here. I had been thinking about what to do or not do for Lent. I think I'm going to do no meat tomorrow and on Fridays and I'm going to attend the early church service. I love hearing Lenten sermons & having to get up early will be a true sacrifice for me.

 

[MyGoofy26]

What are ideas of things to give up for Lent? DS was thinking sodas, maybe sweets. What are non-food/alcohol/tobacco things that can be given up for Lent?

Please forgive the OT post.

A couple years ago I gave up fast food. I got pretty dependent on it, I was commuting to college an hour and a half each way so being on the road it was convenient to eat at least one meal in the car en route, so I was eatingfast food a few times a week at least. I did make exceptions for deli type places - getting a somewhat healthy sandwich from Subway or something like that.

I felt SO good not eating all of that garbage that I still rarely eat it. Maybe once or twice a month at most, often going a month or two between fast food meals.

Sounds silly but this year I'm giving up nail biting. I've been chewing my nails for as long as I can remember and it's such a habit that I usually don't even realize I'm doing it. I got a headstart (2 weeks already) and my nails are longer than they've ever been. I've stopped here and there over the years, but never long term (2 weeks at most) . . . so making it all the way through Lent will be a challenge and hopefully I'll be able to break the habit for good.

 

[bethyg]

More questions about fasting: Do you completely fast (nothing to eat including solid foods and liquids....much like instructions before surgery) or are liquids allowed (water, tea and coffee, vegetable broth or tomato soup since they are not made of meat). This question might seem very specific and literal, but to someone unfamiliar with fasting, it helps understand the process better.

Is fasting just on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and no meat on Fridays during Lent?

Also, Why no meat on Fridays? I know this used to be fairly common for every Friday through the year many years ago with all Catholic churches, and as I understand has been relaxed a few years back. Just curious the history behind no meat on Fridays.