A conversation about a common Catholic practice and the meaning behind it.
Steve the Questioner: Just a friendly reminder to all Latin Rite Catholics that if you deliberately eat a single bite of meat today and don’t repent of such an egregious act, the Church teaches you’ll burn in hell for all eternity, because proportionate justice doesn’t exist for God. Seems fair.
Peaceful Emily It’s not the eating of meat itself that damns you but the “non serviam” attitude it embodies- which, yes, if deliberate, is a full rejection of relationship with God.We know what happened to the last guy who said that…
Steve the Questioner I know. It’s a petty moral tyranny. “Obey us in even these little things or be tortured forever.”
As opposed to the EO, who say “Fast way harder than Catholics” but also “no sin if you fail.”
Thomas Rock: If Jesus could have His flesh ripped off His back by the Cat o’ Nine Tails, we can abstain from eating meat to show we love him.
And the Church (corrupt as it is) can bind us on pain of mortal sin to do it. It’s for our salvation.
Steve the Questioner So, the standard issue Catholic guilt trip is way past its expiration date.
Recall that the passion was not strictly necessary, according to a number of theologians, Christ’s circumcision shed enough blood for salvation.
#Lent2022
And Fr Satish said nothing to encourage people to not eat meat on Friday.
Ken: Eating meat is not itself the sin. It’s the statement being made by that act — a wholesale disregard, disrespect, & lack of appreciation for what Christ did for us.
If we abstain from meat just to “follow the rules,” w/out the real purpose behind it, we’re doing it wrong.
Pilgrim East: I mean, I think that even Roman moral theology wouldn’t necessarily assert this. If you’re intentionally doing it to spurn the rules, that might be one thing, but if your intention and will is affected by weakness, it’s different.
Roman legalism causes a lot of anxiety.
Catholic DAWG: Didn’t you just complain the other day that the obligation to attend Sunday Mass was not reinstated? Do you not also want choice there too?
You seem to be a good example of why Pope Francis preaches anti-rigidity.
Philip L: What else do we have in this vast, airless, poisonous vastness, both burning hot and freezing cold? Who loves us and can save us from it, apart from Christ? Is telling a child – who does not see the danger – that he should not play next to the cliff edge, an act of oppression?
Defénde: Yup, sounds pretty similar to being told to do something as simple as not eating an apple but still doing it anyway. Non servium will get you damned every time.
Dr T: It’s truly amazing that people treat “not eating meat on Friday in Lent” as something as hard as running a marathon or climbing a mountain. In reality, we are merely eating like most of the world. The older Lent fasting rule of “one meal and two snacks, not weighing more than 8 ounces each” is already probably more food than what most sedentary adults over 40 need to eat for every day of the year. There are exceptions, but we all eat too much, as is.
S Susan: Thought—
Who was hungrier than me on a Friday, even an Ember Friday in Lent?
Jesus hanging on the Cross.
He still hungers for us to love Him, and make tiny little sacrifices to share with Him.
Tami B: I forgot and ate meat � But in my defense, I was rear ended yesterday for the second time in two months. And my doctor told me to eat more protein because I’m borderline anemic. Thankful the kids and I are ok. It was an 18 wheeler this time �
Felicitas: You’re aware that martyrs in 1 Maccabees literally died for not eating pigs? It’s not about the content of the rule, it’s about obeying God
Also, the rule is ridiculously lax, you can even substitute any other penance
(And to be clear, older casuists labeled one bite as venial)
Heribert Jone, Katholische Moraltheologie (one of the best known moral theologians before the council):
“The obligations of fasting and abstinence bind in themselves under mortal sin. But if they are only transgressed in an inconsequential manner, there is only venial sin.”
Junta Bird: Check out Article 6 – Moral Conscience in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Especially sections 1778, 1779 and 1780. In my opinion, it’s empathetic to where you’re coming from on these rules, etc
Steve the Questioner:In fairness, the penalty of mortal sin is still attached to eating meat on Fridays of Lent. This isn’t a trad thing.
Mark W: I know and that has always bothered me also. I believe in the just punishments of God, but rather choose to focus on His Mercy instead. 3 conditions for Mortal Sin. I’m not going to presume there all meet for people eating meat on Friday nor despair that they might not be. I think you ask a lot of good questions. It’s good you ask. I pray you eventually find peace. For me, I trust that God doesn’t want anyone in hell and that he’ll find a way to make that happen despite all the crap that happens. Thanks for being real and honest about this issue.
The latest Lenten song parody. Remember its a Friday of Lent. That means NO MEAT. pic.twitter.com/AWuhuLM8E1
— Catholic Guy Show (@catholicguyshow) March 11, 2022
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