Catholics view of Lent

JudiB · Aug 27, 2007

I working on a piece about, well, Lent, mainly as an essay about my struggles during a particular stressful Lent. Im using the premise that Lent is a time of reflection where we assess what we need to give up for the rest of the year (self-pity, temper, greed, doubt in God) in order to live a more spiritual life.

Would like other feedback including perhaps the chance to use some of your thoughts.

Please feel free to disagree. (like you wouldn't

) Hey that sentence sound like a bumper sticker to combat "America: Love it or Leave it."

So will this generate discussion about Lent or about America???

Thanks ahead of time, guys!

JudiB · Aug 27, 2007

Sorry about mis-spelled wards folks.

JudiB

theengel · Aug 27, 2007

Lent...while your description of it is a wonderful offshoot (or byproduct?), the purpose is to share in the sufferings of Christ. So it doesn't necessarily (and shouldn't always be) one of those things you think you should give up anyway. For example, wearing something itchy beneath your normal clothing doesn't benefit your physically or mentally...but offering up the discomfort creates a connection between you and Christ. The benefit is spiritual and nothing more.

Pisarz · Aug 27, 2007

In "official Catholic" terms, Lent is characterized as a time of three things: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. If you do some research into the Catholic interpretation of each, that would also supplement your understanding.

My novel is entitled GOOD FRIDAY, so I can appreciate your interest in the matter!

Siddow · Aug 27, 2007

I haven't taken part in Lent since I was a kid, but I remember my mom always decided what I should give up for it, and it usually was something like candy or sleepover parties.

Sassee · Aug 27, 2007

Yeah, me and my sister took the easy way out and gave up something piddly for lent. I gave up drinking carbonated bevorages one year, I think she tried to give up chocolate one time... so, most kids don't get the full grasp of the whole Lent thing.

You shouldn't ask me though. Since I was young I've been more like the holiday Catholic (get your butt to church on Easter and Christmas) and now that I'm an adult I don't go at all, justifying my actions by saying it's enough that I just believe. If there's a hell, I'm probably going there. lol!

(btw, the thing about Catholic schoolgirls... it's all true!)

GeorgeK · Aug 27, 2007

In real Lent it's not supposed to be advertised what you are doing or abstaining from. So you aren't supposed to make a big deal of it to others. You do it quietly so only God knows.

The cheater's Lent are the people who go to a restaurant and announce to their friends that they aren't eating meat tonight because it's friday, so instead they order king crab.

Skyraven · Aug 27, 2007

Hi JudiB,

My take on Lent is that its definitely a time for reflection and prayer and fasting. However, about four or five years ago, to get myself into the habit of reading the bible daily, I decided to give up time to God everyday to read His Word. I asked a friend of mine if she could get me a copy of Our Daily Bread, which gives a bible reading and short devotional. It helped me to read and write reflections on what I was reading and what it meant to me. As a kid and teen, I gave up things like candy or soda or specifically chocolate (I loved it!). But as I've gotten older, I'd been craving a better understanding of the bible and how it fits into my life. I hope this helps.

johnnysannie · Aug 28, 2007

Lent is the forty day period before Easter, a time for reflection on our own humanity (which is why it begins on Ash Wednesday - the ashes that the priest smears on your forehead in the sign of the Cross represent both our sin and our mortality) and sin. The forty days is supposed to correlate to the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness as well.

For me, as a Catholic, Lent is a time when I obey the days of fasting and when I abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent. This isn't hard for me because as a child, we Catholics did not eat meat on ANY Friday so I grew up with fish or scrambled eggs or pancakes or such for Friday supper.

I am not always a "good" Catholic but I go to church during Lent more often than any other time of year. And I always give up something for Lent, something that I enjoy or value.

Lent is also a time of self-imposed penitetence.

General Joy · Aug 28, 2007

As skyraven touched on, my mom always told me that we can give up something for Lent, or do something extra, like something charitable, or devote extra time to reading the Bible or prayer books. Even though I don't go to church as often as I should, I always make it a point to strictly observe Lent when that time rolls around. I give up things I'll really miss... like chocolate! (that was a tough 40 days)

badducky · Aug 28, 2007

There are as many variations of Lent as there are Catholics. Dogma is what it is. But, in the day and age where so many levels of religious education exist, and so many different levels of commitment exist, I often suggest to people that the official interpretation of the church is the ideal... and then people tend to strive for it in their life. Most of the time, we can't quite pull it off.

I long ago stopped giving up edible things for Lent. I didn't see any spiritual value in my massive failure.

But, that's me. And the next Catholic will tell you something else.

A great comparison is Ramadan.

I lived with a Muslim in college. He and his friends and family very quietly did their fasting. When talking about it, to him, it was as much about his family suffering together and then having their traditional foods at traditional times together as it was about the sacrifice for Allah. His talking about why he did it always included both as much as it did anything.

When talking about Lent, people I've talked to tend to use it as an act of self-improvement, and make it social. It isn't "bad" as someone has suggested above. It's just a part of the activities. Church IS a social event. Self-improvement and diet plans work better when everyone is behind you and offer little reminders and little support, after all.

But, I do think it is like Ramadan. It's something we do together, and it is as much about bringing the families together in a small way - giving us something to talk about or whine about when we all miss the chocolate - that's basically good. I think it's as much about that as it is about Christ.

After all, if you want to look for Christ in the modern world, turn your head around and look at the people.

pconsidine · Aug 28, 2007

My understanding was always that the 40 days of Lent were meant to parallel Christ's 40 days in the desert, facing the Devil's temptations (if I'm remembering the story correctly). There was always an emphasis on depriving oneself of something important in order to identify with Christ's temptations during that time, though in practice, most people would "give up" something that wasn't all that dear to them anyway.

I've been hearing much more in recent times that, rather than placing the emphasis on self-deprivation, there's much more importance being placed on making positive changes. For example, rather than giving up chocolate (or what have you), a person will do volunteer work or something like that. It seems to be an effort to spin the experience into something more positive than just giving something up.

There's definitely a generational difference in perspective, though. Just like my grandmother still misses the Latin Mass, she thinks it's basically wimping out to not have to give up important things for Lent. Most people of my generation are much more willing to see the value in taking the positive approach to it.

JudiB · Aug 28, 2007

God (sorry for the pun) (sorry for calling God a pun) (Catholic guilt, you know) you guys (sorry for calling all of you guys), what great stuff! Thanks. I'm learning alot about my religion here. For instance, the word Lent means Springtime in German but in many other languages it comes from the word 40. As some of you pointed out, there's not only 40 days of lent but 40 years of winderness travel for the early Israelites and there's many other 40's in the Bible revolving around much the same theme. I think I'll do a sidebar on it, call it "40." Or is that too creative?

Thanks again ALL you guys. And girls.

ishtar'sgate · Aug 28, 2007

Not exactly on topic but after reading all the posts on giving up something or doing something extra during Lent, I wondered if that's where the idea of making New Year's resolutions came from. In times past the new year began in spring not winter so it may well tie in somehow. Does anyone know?
Linnea

pconsidine · Aug 28, 2007

I think the idea of pointing the Biblical importance of the number 40 can be interesting, provided that it's appropriate to the publication and the gist of the article itself. A simpler title is probably better, though, as it is only a sidebar and shouldn't compete for attention with the main article itself.

Just my 2¢.

theengel · Aug 28, 2007

pconsidine said:
Just like my grandmother still misses the Latin Mass

Not any more...the Pope just made it possible for people to find those Masses

Tallymark · Aug 28, 2007

I'm jewish, so truth be told, I know next to nothing at all about Lent, except for this fun fact: in some Southern American countries, for the purposes of Lent, capybara meat is considered a fish. (the capybara being a giant water-loving rodent).

Okay, so that wasn't entirely relevant, but it was too cool not to share.

This has been a very interesting thread for me, though (since I didn't really understand the point of Lent. "No meat?" I wondered, confused. "Did Jesus not like meat?" Suffering, though--ah, that I get!). Judaism of course doesn't have Lent, but many of our holidays are based on similar ideas (except, of course, no Jesus--we focus on god and our ancestors). On Passover we deny ourselves bread, because our ancestors went without bread during the flight from egypt, and to understand and honor the suffering our ancestors went through at that time, we eat symbolic foods during the cedar (bitter herbs because of their bitter lives, salt water because of their tears, etc). I expect many other religions also play on the idea of symbolic suffering to bring ourselves closer to god, though of course every religion will derive different meaning from it.

I don't know where the idea of new years resolutions come from, but I know the jewish new year begins in the fall. These are the high holidays (pretty much the holiest time of the year), and is a time for sef-examination, repentence, and for cleansing ones sins away and beginning the year anew (presumably with the goal of not repeating said sins). It starts with Rosh Hashanah, the day of judgement, where we symbolically cast our sins into the river in the form of bread and wish for a sweet new year, and lasts through Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, where we fast. And, y'know, go to temple a lot. ^_~

pconsidine · Aug 28, 2007

theengel said:
Not any more...the Pope just made it possible for people to find those Masses

You don't know grandma. I'm pretty sure she invented the vendetta all on her own.

Kate Thornton · Aug 28, 2007

Back in my Anglican Catholic days, Lent was very meaningful. It was meant to draw one closer to the meaning of the sufferings and temptations of Christ and also to the sufferings of others (walking a mile in the shoes of the poor.) We never had meat on Fridays anyway - making a vegetarian life a little easier (I eat some meat now and then, I'm not strict) Now that I have different beliefs, I still observe a season of introspection, simplicity and empathy, and it is the time I try to concentrate more on the earth and other people than myself. It's hard.

GeorgeK · Aug 28, 2007

theengel said:
Not any more...the Pope just made it possible for people to find those Masses

Interesting thing about how Vatican 2 was probably deliberately mistranslated by the American congress of Bishops. I say probably deliberately because for a group of supposedly highly educated men they made a crucial change in the text. The pope said, "Mass may be celebrated in the vernacular," whereas the American Bishops changed it to "Must", hence outlawing the Latin Mass (only in America) which was never the intent of the Vatican.

Skyraven · Aug 28, 2007

Tallymark said:
I'm jewish, so truth be told, I know next to nothing at all about Lent, except for this fun fact: in some Southern American countries, for the purposes of Lent, capybara meat is considered a fish. (the capybara being a giant water-loving rodent).

Okay, so that wasn't entirely relevant, but it was too cool not to share.

This has been a very interesting thread for me, though (since I didn't really understand the point of Lent. "No meat?" I wondered, confused. "Did Jesus not like meat?" Suffering, though--ah, that I get!). Judaism of course doesn't have Lent, but many of our holidays are based on similar ideas (except, of course, no Jesus--we focus on god and our ancestors). On Passover we deny ourselves bread, because our ancestors went without bread during the flight from egypt, and to understand and honor the suffering our ancestors went through at that time, we eat symbolic foods during the cedar (bitter herbs because of their bitter lives, salt water because of their tears, etc). I expect many other religions also play on the idea of symbolic suffering to bring ourselves closer to god, though of course every religion will derive different meaning from it.

I don't know where the idea of new years resolutions come from, but I know the jewish new year begins in the fall. These are the high holidays (pretty much the holiest time of the year), and is a time for sef-examination, repentence, and for cleansing ones sins away and beginning the year anew (presumably with the goal of not repeating said sins). It starts with Rosh Hashanah, the day of judgement, where we symbolically cast our sins into the river in the form of bread and wish for a sweet new year, and lasts through Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, where we fast. And, y'know, go to temple a lot. ^_~

Hi Tallymark,

I had a great teacher in 6th grade in my elementary school who took the time out to teach us Catholics about our Jewish Heritage, being that Jesus was a Jew. He set up a Passover Cedar (hope that's spelled right!) in our classroom with the bitter herbs and the fruit. I loved the fruit, but I also loved learning about my history. I liked the idea so much that I took a Jewish Studies class (humanities requirement) and learned Hebrew!

Heiddi

theengel · Aug 28, 2007

GeorgeK said:
Interesting thing about how Vatican 2 was probably deliberately mistranslated by the American congress of Bishops. I say probably deliberately because for a group of supposedly highly educated men they made a crucial change in the text. The pope said, "Mass may be celebrated in the vernacular," whereas the American Bishops changed it to "Must", hence outlawing the Latin Mass (only in America) which was never the intent of the Vatican.

Yeah...it would seem so. Only the traditional latin rite is still alive. There's one here in Cincinnati. Just across the Ohio river there's one in Covington KY. Then there's one in Batesville Indiana (east of here). And they have a daily one in Indianapolis.

I know we're getting off topic here, but you can see that the 'old' ideas don't die out so easily. The fact that lent is supposed to bring us closer to Christ through suffering is still alive...as a matter of fact, it's pretty well spelled out. I mean the Church imposes suffering.

Catholics must fast on Ash Wednesday and on Good Friday. Catholics must abstain from meat on Fridays during lent. Neither one of these practices are there to help a person physically. In general, they don't help anyone physically.

The reason they dropped some of the rules during lent was because they had assumed people would find their own ways of using self restraint for the sake of pennance and spiritual fulfillment.

When I look at my own habits I'm thinking they were way off track. Reading the posts here doesn't change my mind.

SherryTex · Aug 29, 2007

I am Catholic and I love the season of Lent.

It is a time to recall both the Old Testament roots of our religion --the Israelites wandering for 40 years in the dessert, and Jesus' 40 days in the dessert, a season of sparseness, of being aware of the dessert in our souls absent Christ. The giving up is a physical practice usually because of the Aristotilean notion that physical discipline and mental discipline parallels spiritual discipline. (The charioteer driving the horse metaphore works here), and I find it is true. Lent gets a bad rap as simply a time to give up chocolate and full of ruler hand slapping nuns, but it is a rich time of self assessment if we allow it.

We are also supposed to engage in positive acts --this has been the push recently, though we aren't supposed to pronounce our positive acts (Father sees in secret), like almsgiving, donating time, volunteering. The idea is to do all three, prayers (spiritual discipline), fasting (mental discipline --mind controlling apetite) and service (physical discipline, actually doing something).

Good luck on your piece.

pconsidine · Aug 29, 2007

theengel said:
The reason they dropped some of the rules during lent was because they had assumed people would find their own ways of using self restraint for the sake of penance and spiritual fulfillment.

Funny thing – even though I make no profession to being a good Catholic, I've often been more observant of the rules and traditions of the church than most "good Catholics." My ex-wife used to comment on that all the time, as if my lack of belief was somehow an excuse for her lack of adherence.

Though I can see how it would be odd that someone who isn't really a member of a church would know so much about its practices and traditions.

maxmordon · Sep 12, 2007

Something that may help you, there is an warm blood animal that can be eating during lent thanks to a Vatican Loophole

It's the Capybara, World's largest rodent. During Lent, here the prices of the Capybara meat skyrockets!

Catholics view of Lent

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