Lent: Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving

So what did you give up for Lent?

Less screen time
Less eating for comfort
Less junk food

More reading actual books
More prayer time
More healthy eating

Excellent infographic :>👍

Just one question - do we abstain from eating meat only on Fridays, or is it an all-Lent-long thing?

Grwat question, I was actually researching that this morning. What I understand is that Friday is the day Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice on the Cross. Traditionally meat was reserved only for festivities or times of celebration (think of the father killing tree fattened calf when the prodigal son returned) it wasn't thought appropriate to eat as if you're feasting on the day Jesus died so that's where it became a day of penance. St. Thomas Aquinas lays out a whole list of things people used to abstain from but which we're no longer obligated like dairy and eggs. Basically a full vegan diet. The green earthers would approve 😉

Interesting, but this doesn't really answer whether we abstain from eating meat on just Fridays or all Lent long (that's what I was originally asking).

Since Vatican 2 we are only obligated to abstain on Fridays. It used to be all Lent except Sundays you can choose either.

wait for real? I always heard it was everyday but Sundays. I tried it one year.

Oh, okay - thank you for taking the time to answer my question - I truly appreciate it :> 👍

Interesting how the rules seem to change depending on what is convenient/socially acceptable at the time.

Makes you wonder what else the church is going to change it's mind about.

*great question