The caffeine withdrawals have stopped thankfully. It is the hardest thing I have ever given up though.

 

I've tried many, many times to give up soft drink. Then I go to Skyline Chili and it goes out the window. I cannot have Skyline with a Pepsi.

For the Catholics on the board what are your thoughts on Sundays being a "free" day?

For the Catholics on the board what are your thoughts on Sundays being a "free" day?

 

I'm not a Catholic but the "free" day tradition is more than just "free day." Sundays are always "feast days" because every Sunday is Resurrection Sunday. This is why the early church began meeting on this day rather than the Sabbath. It was to mark the resurrection each week. Because many centuries ago worship involved "the love feast" the traditions arose that fasting should be suspended in order to participate in the feasts of worship.

 

Just a little background on the concept.

Here's a nice article on how Lent is being observed in various Baptist circles.

 

http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/6158/53/

I just read thrugh all the posts--very uplifting!

 

I posted this also on the thread titled "Ash Wednesday"

A little off the subject...

St Henry high school students have been putting in lots and lots of hours singing and dancing in preparation for their Spring Musical--

 

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

performances at the high school

Friday and Saturday March 25th and 26th at 7:30, and Sunday March 27th at 2 pm

For the Catholics on the board what are your thoughts on Sundays being a "free" day?

 

Well, I don't personally take Sunday as a "free day" just because I kind of like the challenge of going straight through with my Lenten commitment(s) from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. However, if you want to look at it from a "technical" point of view, Sundays are not counted as part of the 40 days of Lent - it's 46 calendar days from Ash Wednesday on the 9th of March through Holy Saturday on April 23rd. I know a good number of folks who gladly take advantage of the weekly day of reprieve.

I didn't "give up" anything. I decided to do something instead.

 

I like that idea.

 

I am giving up chocolate. I'm already hurting. lol

Well, I don't personally take Sunday as a "free day" just because I kind of like the challenge of going straight through with my Lenten commitment(s) from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. However, if you want to look at it from a "technical" point of view, Sundays are not counted as part of the 40 days of Lent - it's 46 calendar days from Ash Wednesday on the 9th of March through Holy Saturday on April 23rd. I know a good number of folks who gladly take advantage of the weekly day of reprieve.

 

If we are talking "technical".....Isn't Lent supposed to represent Jesus's 40 days of fasting in the Desert. Then He comes into the city on Palm Sunday. So is Palm Sunday the end of Lent, which is also the beginning of Holy Week. In that case, the "Lenten Committment" is over on Palm Sunday----with of course continued fasting and abstinance on Good Friday.

 

Please chime in....would love to be educated in the way that BGP does so well!

OK, if we do what Jesus did for 40 days, should we go without food (fast) and other things of comfort? I don't expect anyone doing that, but I get why someone does give up something. Again, just curious.

If we are talking "technical".....Isn't Lent supposed to represent Jesus's 40 days of fasting in the Desert. Then He comes into the city on Palm Sunday. So is Palm Sunday the end of Lent, which is also the beginning of Holy Week. In that case, the "Lenten Committment" is over on Palm Sunday----with of course continued fasting and abstinance on Good Friday.

 

Please chime in....would love to be educated in the way that BGP does so well!

 

You are correct. But as you say, Lent "represents" those 40 days; it does not purport to track them exactly. That's how the season goes right through Holy Saturday Vespers instead of ending on Palm Sunday.

If we are talking "technical".....Isn't Lent supposed to represent Jesus's 40 days of fasting in the Desert. Then He comes into the city on Palm Sunday. So is Palm Sunday the end of Lent, which is also the beginning of Holy Week. In that case, the "Lenten Committment" is over on Palm Sunday----with of course continued fasting and abstinance on Good Friday.

 

Please chime in....would love to be educated in the way that BGP does so well!

 

40 is a long standing symbolic number. Hebrews wondered 40 years, Jesus fasted 40 days, Noah's rain was 40 days and nights. 40 years in the desert made the Hebrews Yahweh's people. He crafted their faith and prepared them in the desert. Jesus is baptized and spends 40 days in the desert preparing for the ministry of the Father. There he was tempted to settle for something less than God's will but he did not falter.

 

Palm Sunday did not follow the 40 days in the Wilderness however. It was at the beginning of Jesus' ministry. Palm Sunday was at the end.

OK, if we do what Jesus did for 40 days, should we go without food (fast) and other things of comfort? I don't expect anyone doing that, but I get why someone does give up something. Again, just curious.

 

Many Catholics observe centuries-old dietary restrictions:

 

Ash Wednesday, all Fridays and all Saturdays: fasting (which means the eating of only one full meal with two smaller meals not equaling the size of the main meal; no snacking between meals) and abstinence (which means not eating mammals or fowl or any soup or gravy made from them)

 

Mondays, Tuesdays, all other Wednesdays and Thursdays: fasting and only partial abstinence (meaning one full meal which may contain meat and two smaller meals not equaling the first that contain no meat; again, no snacking between meals)

 

(Interestingly, there are older and more regional customs that sometimes included not eating eggs or anything made with animal fat. In Germany, you'll find countless people eating pretzels during Lent for this very reason. They were invented by German monks to be a food devoid of fat and egg that could be consumed during Lent. The three holes in the pretzel represent the Holy Trinity and twists in the dough are made to look like arms with the hands folded in prayer.)

 

These are centuries-old guidelines but some choose to do much more. If it were possible to be the same as Christ, perhaps we would do so, but as we are only made in God's image, Lent is but a humble imitation of His sacrifices.

Many Catholics observe centuries-old dietary restrictions:

 

(Interestingly, there are older and more regional customs that sometimes included not eating eggs or anything made with animal fat. In Germany, you'll find countless people eating pretzels during Lent for this very reason. They were invented by German monks to be a food devoid of fat and egg that could be consumed during Lent. The three holes in the pretzel represent the Holy Trinity and twists in the dough are made to look like arms with the hands folded in prayer.)

I did no know that about pretzels---the 3 holes for the Holy Trinity. What would those German Monks say about Aunt Annie's Pretzels? Not exactly a Lenten sacrifice!

I did no know that about pretzels---the 3 holes for the Holy Trinity. What would those German Monks say about Aunt Annie's Pretzels? Not exactly a Lenten sacrifice!

 

Yessir...arms crossed in prayer is an old traditional gesture that has largely fallen by the wayside and been replaced by the practice of folding hands, just as many people/churches no longer kneel with much regularity. In fact, through the middle ages, children were taught to say the Our Father with arms crossed in "pretzel" fashion.

 

You can find images of reverently crossed arms in many images of the saints and holy men & women...

 

 

 

 

Most people (and by most people, I mean "at least myself"), think of pretzels as looking like this when they're right side up...

 

 

...when in realty this is right side up...