Lent is on the way, and I am going to be giving a few things up: Sweets, Meats and anything Deep Fried.
I like the discipline of Lent. I like the simplicity of my give up plan. But, I’m having some trouble defining my terms: What’s a meat and what’s a sweet?
I’m thinking no identifiable beef, pork, chicken, lamb, goat or giraffe. I’m thinking fish is OK, as the Roman Catholics and the Jews don’t consider it a meat. I’m also thinking I’m cool with cheese, other dairy and eggs. I don’t think I am going to be looking for broths to be pure of veg when I go out to eat. I’m just going to assume that if it doesn’t have chunks of meat in it, it’s meat-less. Example: the diner down the street sells Matzo ball soup. I think the broth is chicken, but it has no chunks. I think that is OK for Lent. Is that wrong?
I am on less sure of my Sweets footing. I get it that donuts are right out, cakes and cookies, too. No whip cream, no pie, no (gasp) chocolate. But what about yogurt? Pancakes? Muffins? Juice?
I know that fasting is about the spirit of Lent, about suffering is some small measure to show respect, and perhaps negotiating this thing out is more hairsplitting than humility. But is seem like something that we all may have an opinion on, and I want to hear it. So tell me, between which foods should I draw the no-no line?
I will say up front that Lent isn’t something I’ve ever participated in. However, my mom has fasted a few times in her life and I remember her once sitting at lunch taking tiny licks out of a kiddie yogurt trying to be obedient but worrying about getting a migraine from not eating.
I think it’s more about the symbolic sacrific and filling your time with prayer and thoughtfullness in place of other things you usually fill that time with. Spending meal time (or tv time, or whatever time) being thoughtful instead of just shoveling in food/watching mindless prime time dramas/whatever it might be.
I hope that makes sense. Just my 2 cents.