2007-03-01 13:27:09 · 24 answers · asked by Connie 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The Catholic Church and many other Christians Churches follow the Biblical practice of Jesus Christ and the Jews in setting aside days where the entire Church fasts and prays as one in a attitude of constant renewal.
By the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert and in spiritual preparation for the celebration of His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.
This season of penance is an intense moments of the Church's penitential practice and are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and charitable and missionary works.
With love in Christ.
2007-03-04 16:40:11 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a left over from when Catholics did not eat meat on ANY Friday.
That came about as a means of keeping the Catholics away from the Jews. The Jews could only afford meat once a week and usually saved it for the Friday night Shabbot dinner. By forbidding Catholics meat on Friday, the early Church could ensure the Catholics would not be eating with the Jews during Shabbot and "backslide" away from Jesus.
It was all about control over the people, not about symbolic sacrifices. (Now if you want to talk about symbolic sacrifices, we could discuss symbolic cannibalism.....)
2007-03-02 00:24:54 · answer #2 · answered by forgivebutdonotforget911 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Catholics do not eat meat on Fridays during Lent, because Jesus died on a Friday.
Before Vatican II Catholics did not eat meat on any Fridays, but after Vatican II this was changed.
What is the signifcance of not eating meet?
Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights; during Lent we fast and abstain from meat on Fridays to open ourselves to God in the same manner that Jesus did.
It's not so much about food as it is about a spirit of trust and dependence on God to provide for what we need. It's also about remembering the poor and taking the money saved from not eating meat to be given to the poor.
So what we see is that abstaining from eating meat of the Firdays of Lent is a way of connecting with our brothers and sisters who do not have enough to eat and a way of connecting with Jesus.
2007-03-01 21:43:26 · answer #3 · answered by Curious 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Traditionally (until around Vatican II), Catholics didn't eat meat on any Friday, all year. It was a way of remembering the death of Christ on Good Friday. Currently, the practice is only required on Fridays during Lent (and on Ash Wednesday), though some older Catholics still avoid meat on Fridays all year.
2007-03-01 21:34:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
To help the fishing industry. Catholics can eat fish on Friday, just no meat.
2007-03-01 21:38:17 · answer #5 · answered by dooltaz 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why don't Catholics eat meat on Friday?
The Church realizes that, since meat is a main part of most meals and since meat is usually the most expensive part of a meal, not eating meat on Fridays is a way for Christians to unite themselves more closely to the sufferings of the Lord by denying themselves something they enjoy. It is a sacrifice which unites them in penance and strengthens the solidarity of the Church through mild suffering and is commonly practiced during lent.
2007-03-01 21:31:25 · answer #6 · answered by Amina 3 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Not only on fridays during Lent, macie! In fact, catholic doctrine teaches "meatless fridays" throughout the year! This is in fulfillment of what the scriptures has prophesied...
(1Tim 4:1-4)..."Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:"
That is why they also forbid marriage for priests, bishops, cardinal, deacons...
And they even made people believed that Christ was crucified and died on a friday and ressurected on a sunday morning.
Well, in case you want to know more about this "Lent" thing...write to me please - - testyourfaith2005@yahoo.com
2007-03-05 01:04:05 · answer #7 · answered by GH 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Depends in your tradition and the sense of sacrifice, there no place in the bible that says you can't eat meat In God's Friday or during the lent. I know Catholics who eat meat, but in the nations that has a Hispanic culture and were Spain colonies is more traditional the idea of not to have meat in the day. My grandmother used to say that you have 364 days to eat meat, that wasn't to bad to sacrifice your self for one day not having meat. It's also base in the idea of the blood, not spreading blood in the day that the Son of God spread His blood for the sin forgiveness.
2007-03-01 21:35:20 · answer #8 · answered by Javy 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It's a tradition. It's a thing where you give up something for 40 days to be "spiritual." My mom gave up candy for 40 days (it's not like she needed to....she's not fat and diabetic).
Like a couple of posters said, it's not even in the Bible. It stemmed from a long standing Catholic tradition.
2007-03-01 21:40:07 · answer #9 · answered by chrstnwrtr 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some of us don't eat meat on ANY Friday outside of Christmastide and Eastertide, the way it used to be.
To remind us of the Sacrifice of Christ on Good Friday.
2007-03-01 21:31:10 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋