Why do Catholics not eat meat on Fridays durring Lent , but it's OK to......?

Question

Why do Catholics not eat meat on Fridays durring Lent , but it's OK to eat Fish. What is the story behind this?

Answer 1

Seems fishy alright...

Answer 2

It was a way for we who observed Lent in the past to be more "in communion" with the poor since fresh meat was quite the commodity. Because meat was so expensive -- and people like it so much, it was used primarily for feasting and celebrations and since we neither feast nor celebrate during Lent (in The Catholic Church weddings do not take place during Lent), then we give up eating meat on Fridays -- the day that Jesus died.

Technically, Catholics are not supposed to eat meat on any Fridays at all during the year....not just Lent. We're supposed to fast on Fridays, too.

Answer 3

Fish doesn't have 'flesh' . That is the difference.

It originates from the time when peasants ate fish and meat (usually beef and lamb) was consumed by the wealthy. The whole purpose is to simply reflect on the sufferings of others less fortunate than yourself.

It does lack a bit of meaning today though, with the price of seafood so high (higher than meat in most places). As a result, usually I just go vegitarian on the Fridays of Lent.

Answer 4

Many think that this tradition took hold in the middle ages when meat was the main staple of the diet of the upper-class.(Fish was on accessible to those near large bodies of water, and was mostly considered the food of commoners.) Take away meat and you were left with bread and maybe something like a vegtable soup or slop.

I've heard others say that fish is okay because Jesus was a "fisher of men" and most of his followers were fisherman.

The whole idea is that we are to sacrfice; not starve. Before the 20th century (or maybe even earlier), you couldn't really transport fish long distances, so it wasn't an issue for most people because they didn't have access to it anyway.

Answer 5

Being able to eat meat was seen as a sign of being rich enough to go to the market and buy meat. The poor people would go to the river or lake and catch a fish to have something to eat for their meal.

Eating fish on Fridays is a way to remind us that there are poor in the world who cannot afford to eat meat.

In Venezuela, they are allowed to eat capybara, a large aquatic rodent on Friday. Before anyone knew any better, the bishop declared it a "fish" because it lives its entire life in the water and has webbed feet.

Personally, I like to eat fish, so instead, I eat penut butter and jelly, bean souop, or macaroni and chees on Fridays.

Answer 6

<> sure. <> The Communion host is a wheat BREAD product. This wheat bread host is transubstantiated into the physique of Christ by utilising potential of consecration - yet this physique of Christ isn't a physique of flesh. this is Jesus' Glorifed physique; no longer made up of meat. What you may desire to understand is that Catholicism has no aversion to meat, according to se. Fish, which some human beings see as belonging to the beef nutrition team, is suitable rather for meat on Lenten Fridays. reason being, fish is symbolic of Christ. it is why ingesting fish on Lenten Fridays is nice dispite the actuality fish comes from the flesh of, nicely, fish. <> Are you possibly forgetting that the positioned up-Resurrection physique of Christ is a Glorified physique?

Answer 7

It goes back to the time or Carnival. People considered fish to be bloodless and it was cheaper than buying meat. Part of the Lenten sacrifice was to give the money that you saved from buying the "bloodless" fish to the Chruch and poor.

Answer 8

The reason is, the men that wrote the bible & were involved in the early days of christianity were fishermen. They used this as a way to promote their trade. Very few catholics will admit this is why. But it IS the truth.

Answer 9

We can't eat "red" meat. Fish does not qualify as "red" meat.

Answer 10

Fish isn't meat.

Answer 11

I believe it has to do with honouring Jesus death since he was a warm-blooded human they abstain from eating warm-blooded animals.