Breaking The Lenten Fast

[CrossCuT]

[size=1]So I have a quick question.

Is it ok to break your lenten fast for one day if you promise God to give it up in a day you dont have to fast?

And if you arent allowed to do that, is it a venial or mortal sin?



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[Nihil Obstat]

I haven't been perfect for my own little Lenten promise.

I've been praying the Rosary every day. In theory. I've missed either four or five times though. I feel bad.

I've promised to make it all up though. Luckily with this, I can do that. I've also been tossing around the idea of an all night prayer observance on Good Friday.

[XIX]

My understanding is that breaking a Lenten fast is not a sin, because the fast is something we choose to place upon ourselves.

If Polycarp Snodgrass says that he's going to give up all food except for rice and water during lent, and he end up munching on a few dry rice cakes three times per week, he still is sacrificing a lot more than some dude named Peggles who is sticking to his Lenten fast of giving up sweets.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='XIX' post='1811055' date='Mar 18 2009, 09:04 PM']My understanding is that breaking a Lenten fast is not a sin, because the fast is something we choose to place upon ourselves.

If Polycarp Snodgrass says that he's going to give up all food except for rice and water during lent, and he end up munching on a few dry rice cakes three times per week, he still is sacrificing a lot more than some dude named Peggles who is sticking to his Lenten fast of giving up sweets.[/quote]
I don't get your scenario at all. Sorry.

[Vincent Vega]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1811056' date='Mar 18 2009, 10:05 PM']I don't get your scenario at all. Sorry. [/quote]
Seconded.
But I absolutely love the names.

[CrossCuT]

[size=1]But what if you willingly break it because of a certain situation but promise to make it up later?
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[MissyP89]

It's still not a sin. It would be like saying "I'm going to read the Bible tonight" and then deciding not to. The Lenten fast is a choice, not a forced issue.

[icelandic_iceskater]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1811056' date='Mar 18 2009, 11:05 PM']I don't get your scenario at all. Sorry. [/quote]
I think he's saying that person Polycarp Snodgrass gave up more, despite the fact that she broke his fast for a rice cake...

Anyways the act of eating a rice cake is not a sin. The act of not sticking to your fast is not necessarily a sin, although your circumstances or intentions could make it so. Like if you made an oath to God to keep your fast and then broke it, but then the sin would be in breaking the oath, not in breaking your fast. Or if had the intention of not growing closer to God, but then the sin is in directly intending to not draw close to God. etc

[Nihil Obstat]

Also if you broke it for the sake of 'throwing it in God's face', then that would be bad too.

Unless we're talking about obligatory fasting, obviously, on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Just in case we're not on the same page.

[Thomist-in-Training]

[quote name='CrossCuT' post='1811074' date='Mar 18 2009, 10:23 PM'][size=1]But what if you willingly break it because of a certain situation but promise to make it up later?
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Yah, as long as we're not talking about eating meat on Friday It's [i]ok[/i]. One priest told us it's better though to make an act of the will that your Lenten promise will be on pain of sin if you break it. I've broken once or twice out of needing to eat more, which doesn't count in the same way. Once, though, I broke it out of "charity" i.e. because someone was having a dinner party for a friend I may never see again. I'd seen her once but decided to go at the last minute and ate meat (for the second time; have been eating meat only 1x daily for Lent). Asked my priest about it later and he said "Just stick to the salad next time," ie, it's better not to make exceptions for yourself for that sort of reason. If it's a matter of getting really cranky or too tired to work well, you should break it, on the other hand.

[whatsup]

I gave up snacks for lent, but then found myself feeling sluggish. I started snacking a wee bit and that improved things. I went to the nurse feeling dizzy after eating and i have to basically eat small meals, snack if needed, limit sugar etc, (unless I start to feel bad) which is exactly what i do naturally....so my lent thing is kinda out the window.

[saintwannabe 777]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1811051' date='Mar 18 2009, 10:01 PM']I've promised to make it all up though. Luckily with this, I can do that. I've also been tossing around the idea of an all night prayer observance on Good Friday.[/quote]

Me 2, I'm gonna try to fast from when I wake up to 8:00 PM so we'll see how that goes