Everyone knows Catholics don’t eat meat on Fridays in Lent. Butt. Pork Butt. But, did you know that every Friday all darn year is a day of penance? It’s true. Kendra said it best:
As Catholics, most of us probably observe the mandated fasting days of Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Hopefully we observe the Fridays of Lent as days of abstinence. Many of us don’t even realize that every Friday is a day of penance, but there it is, in Canon Law:
1. 1250 The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.
You don’t HAVE to give up meat each Friday during the year though. You can abstain from a number of other things as well. We usually do meat just because it is easier to keep track of. But, there are days when we know we are going to friend’s house who will be BBQing or that we have to eat the many luscious steaks we ALWAYS have in the fridge before the leftovers go bad. So, it’s great to have a backup plan for when Fridays get meaty.
Here are my go-to abstaining choices for days when I am carnivorous.
© Vankad / Dollar Photo Club
- Social media – the world will still turn
- Put focus on not being sarcastic, negative or down-putting
- No shopping or spending money
- Drink only water. No coffee, alcohol, etc.
- Eliminate sweets or your favorite food
- Use only non-secular TV and music – or give up TV and music all together
- Add an extra prayer time to your day
- Go for a prayer walk by yourself or with family
- No snacking between meals
- Give away something or purge an area of your house
- Don’t wear makeup – it’s not like you’re ugly
- Read a spiritual book – maybe a chapter every Friday?
- Attend daily Mass that day
- Pray a family Rosary
- Go to confession
- Go to bed an hour early or get up an hour early to pray
- Forgo condiments…mmmm ranch
- Take a cold shower
- Park in furthest spot and only use the stairs
- No carbs. I said it.
- Pray about what is standing in the way of you and a relationship with God – go with that. Always go with that.
Remember: whatever small sacrifice you make on Friday, it should be meaningful to you, and it should hurt just a little bit. Give until it hurts, baby.
.
Someone told me once that they slept without their pillow on Fridays when they had to eat meat. I tried it once and it was the best/worst sacrifice ever… give me back my 5 pillows! Never again. But maybe.
One of my goals this year, in addition to learning more about the Catholic faith, is to find ways to live a Catholic life with passionate devotion in a Hindu country. Your post is a good reminder that there are small ways to live out the faith on a daily basis. I’d love to hear more about the daily actions we can take to keep our faith dynamic.
Yeah, we need to get on that train… Honestly, I had no idea about this whole fasting throughout the year deal. Yes, I grea up Catholic. And, went to a Catholic school. But, not once did I know about this until this past year. Kinda like the whole never knew about NFP thing (but that’s another story for another time). I wonder why somethings are just never taught or spoken of?
Anyway, thanks for this list! We are definitely going to try this year!
BTW – love your last lines!! ;)
I love this!! Great to keep as a reminder as I have a husband who HATES fish and Eggs… so that leaves very few options for Fridays!
good ideas. we do meat because, well, it’s usually easy! but i like the variety.
this one confused me though… “Use only secular TV and music – or give up TV and music all together” <– is this because most Christian-themed music is so terribly awful it's penitential to NOT listen? Or perhaps you meant the opposite. Made me giggle though ;)
Love these ideas! I always observed Friday abstinences during my childhood, but then throughout college I had someone tell me it wasn’t actually mandatory and I (whoops) stopped making it a point to abstain without actually checking the facts. It was only actually over Christmas that my mom, sister, and I got into a conversation about it and I realized that you ARE still supposed to abstain from something. Soooo….now I’m trying to get back into the habit of remembering to do that. Your ideas are wonderful, though – I especially love the “going to mass” one. I have two churches within a block of my apartment and waking up early to go to mass would be a wonderful way to start the weekend.
xox
giedre
Just do an act of Charity
Awesome! I usually get pretty anemic during my pregnancies and think that if meat sounds palatable on a Friday then I should probably eat it…but I’ve needed a list like this to look at for subbing in something else because…hello, pregnancy brain… :)
This is a great list! I needed some ideas for when my “Fridays get meaty” (lol!) but I also want to be Coke-y. Pinning this for later use! :) Thanks
<3 Jamie
This is a great list! I’m saving it. Thanks Jenna!