Abstaining From Meat On Fridays

[PatrickRitaMichael]

I know we're supposed to not eat meat on Fridays as a sacrifice to God b/c meat used to be a luxury (and can still be depending on where you live). A Protestant friend asked me if there was some symbolism behind abstaining from flesh? Is there something special about the flesh thing or is it just the sacrifice?

[Pontifex]

I think the discipline of abstaining from meat is still a good practice that gets people to think about the need to sacrifice something or to offer something to God in a special way. It has a particular power because it is a collective movement of the Body of Christ. We join together and say, "This is the action we are going to take to display our hearts disposition of sorrow for our sins."

Of course, in the United States, we are not required to abstain from meat on Fridays, except during Lent. I know some priests that still abstain year round.

A word on sincerity when you abstain during Lent. If, on Friday's, one heads to Red Lobster and orders a big old slab of Crab Legs or Shrimp Tar Tar or whatever, then one needs to think about whether or not they are entering into the spirit of penance or not. Toasted coagulated milk sandwich and tomato soup, fish sticks, now were talking sacrafice. haha.

Peace