Friday: Abstain From Meat

[Moneybags]

Today is Friday, the day we commemorate Our Lord's passion and death. It was our own sins that condemned Our Glorious Lord to death - death on a Cross. As Catholics, we are still bound to either abstain from meat today or rather to do some act of penance. It was on this day of the week that Our Glorious Redeemer died for us. Please, never forget this, especially at 3 o'clock, the hour that He died. At 3 o'clock attempt to pray the 3 o'clock Mercy Prayer. Please remember Our Lord's love and repent today.

[b]Code of Canon Law:[/b]

Canon 1251: "Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the episcopal conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday."

Canon 1253 provides an exception to the rule - and, perhaps, an explanation for the cultural shift: "The episcopal conference can determine more particular ways in which fasting and abstinence are to be observed. In place of abstinence or fasting it can substitute, in whole or in part, other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety."

Today is a great day to pray the Stations of the Cross. I also try to pray them every Friday especially after Pope John Paul ll's example, who prayed them every Friday, even as he lay dying in the hospital. They are a wondeful set of devotion that can be prayed in Church or at home. Nonetheless, the stations allow us to contemplate the true love of Our Redeemer. Please join me in praying the Stations of the Cross. Remember, it was on this day that He gave up His life all for you.

[b]Prayer to the Glorious Cross:[/b]

I adore You, O glorious Cross, which was adorned with the Heart and Body of my Savior Jesus Christ, stained and covered with blood. I adore You, O Holy Cross, out of love for Him, Jesus, who is my Savior and my God.

(Pope Pius IX declared that reciting this prayer five times on Friday will free five souls from Purgatory and 33 souls by reciting it on Good Friday. This prayer should be recited before a crucifix with a contrite heart and praying a few minutes for the Pope).
[b]
Prayer to Jesus Christ Crucified:[/b]

My good and dear Jesus, I kneel before you asking you most earnestly to engrave upon my heart a deep and lively faith, hope, and charity, with true repentance for my sins, and a firm resolve to make amends. As I reflect upon your five wounds, and dwell upon them with deep compassion and grief, I recall the words the prophet David spoke long ago concerning yourself: they have pierced my hands and my feet, they have numbered all my bones!

[Sojourner]

I'm abstaining from vegetables

[homeschoolmom]

I'm abstaning from commenting on this thread.

oops.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' post='1257907' date='Apr 27 2007, 10:54 AM']I'm abstaning from commenting on this thread.

oops.[/quote]

[jckinsman]

Awhile back, I was listening to a priest talk on the radio about lent. he said that every friday was mashed potatoes, just mashed potatoes. The thing is you never knew what you were going to get mixed in them. Maybe peas and corn, maybe spinach, could be coagulated milk or onions, I'm sure the list went on. His mother knew this,.....that life can throw many thing's at you,some are harder to swallow then others.Because of Christ's death on the cross for us though, no matter how nasty the meal can get, you know in the end your body will be better nourished for it!.........JC

Edited April 27, 2007 by jckinsman

[Gershom]

[quote name='St. Benedict' post='1257890' date='Apr 27 2007, 11:43 AM']Today is Friday, the day we commemorate Our Lord's passion and death. It was our own sins that condemned Our Glorious Lord to death - death on a Cross. As Catholics, we are still bound to either abstain from meat today or rather to do some act of penance. It was on this day of the week that Our Glorious Redeemer died for us. Please, never forget this, especially at 3 o'clock, the hour that He died. At 3 o'clock attempt to pray the 3 o'clock Mercy Prayer. Please remember Our Lord's love and repent today.[/quote]

Thank you for the reminder.

[Tindomiel]

So here's a question. If you abhor meat (or as I do, just rather dislike it) how is it a sacrifice to give up meat on Friday and eat the vegetables that you would very much prefer?

[Knight of the Holy Rosary]

[quote]So here's a question. If you abhor meat (or as I do, just rather dislike it) how is it a sacrifice to give up meat on Friday and eat the vegetables that you would very much prefer?[/quote]

Canon 1253 provides an exception to the rule - and, perhaps, an explanation for the cultural shift: "The episcopal conference can determine more particular ways in which fasting and abstinence are to be observed. In place of abstinence or fasting it can substitute, in whole or in part, other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety."

[Lil Red]

[quote name='St. Benedict' post='1257890' date='Apr 27 2007, 08:43 AM'][b]Code of Canon Law:[/b]
Canon 1253 provides an exception to the rule - and, perhaps, an explanation for the cultural shift: "The episcopal conference can determine more particular ways in which fasting and abstinence are to be observed. [b]In place of abstinence or fasting it can substitute, in whole or in part, other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety."[/b][/quote]
just thought i'd make sure everyone caught the bolded part.

[Mateo el Feo]

[quote name='Lil Red' post='1257959' date='Apr 27 2007, 02:16 PM']just thought i'd make sure everyone caught the bolded part.[/quote]I think the greater issue is that the overwhelming majority of Catholics (in my own experience, at least) don't even know that Fridays outside of Lent are days of penance.

So, abstain from meat (the ordinary practice) [u]or[/u] substitute it with "works of charity and exercises of piety." But let's do [i]something[/i] to recall the significance of this day of penance.

[Groo the Wanderer]

[quote name='jckinsman' post='1257930' date='Apr 27 2007, 12:22 PM']Awhile back, I was listening to a priest talk on the radio about lent. he said that every friday was mashed potatoes, just mashed potatoes. The thing is you never knew what you were going to get mixed in them. Maybe peas and corn, maybe spinach, could be coagulated milk or onions, I'm sure the list went on.[/quote]

MMMM...mashed potatos mixed with fish...yum-o!

[Lil Red]

[quote name='Mateo el Feo' post='1257963' date='Apr 27 2007, 10:25 AM']I think the greater issue is that the overwhelming majority of Catholics (in my own experience, at least) don't even know that Fridays outside of Lent are days of penance.

So, abstain from meat (the ordinary practice) [u]or[/u] substitute it with "works of charity and exercises of piety." But let's do [i]something[/i] to recall the significance of this day of penance.[/quote]
i agree with you - i just wanted to make sure people were aware that they can substitute abstaining from meat with works of charity. St. Benedict acts like that's not even an option.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='Mateo el Feo' post='1257963' date='Apr 27 2007, 10:25 AM']I think the greater issue is that the overwhelming majority of Catholics (in my own experience, at least) don't even know that Fridays outside of Lent are days of penance.[/quote]and i would argue that most people here [u]do[/u] know that you should do [i]something[/i] to mark the significance of all Fridays.

[Mateo el Feo]

[quote name='Lil Red' post='1257984' date='Apr 27 2007, 02:37 PM']and i would argue that most people here [u]do[/u] know that you should do [i]something[/i] to mark the significance of all Fridays.[/quote]Agreed. Phatmass is a wonderful concentration of individuals with a love for their Catholic Faith. In my real-world experience, I think that such knowledge isn't so common.

As far as the St. Benedict post, though his topic doesn't suggest an alternative to abstaining, he does fully quote Canons 1251 and 1253. Over half of his post consists of recommendations for prayerful meditation which would fit quite well as an "exercises of piety". (can 1253)

In light of this, I'm not ready to find discord with someone who posts in charity and without any trace of animosity.

[Ash Wednesday]

Errrm, I need to get some sleep -- but I agree with Lil Red and was a bit baffled by this post (but I absolutely believe it was a charitable one, to be sure).

Edited April 27, 2007 by Ash Wednesday