I found myself the other day contemplating what I would eat on Easter day, and already looking forward to it. I am in the type of mood where the thinnest consomme or a slice of fat goose liver -let's not mention the French word- with a glass of sauterne, will obsess my prayers for the next 6 weeks.
I am impressed by the lentil eaters heroism, manly I call it. I normally give up meat, I am just so pleased I am not Byzantine Rite, I do so admire their ever tightening thumbscrew Lenten regime but going without dairy products or fish is just much too much!
Pray for one another during Lenten, lest we are tempted by a passing ortolan!
12 comments:
And no alcohol either! Roll on Easter Sunday!
Apart from venison and wild boar (I have an 84 year old friend here here who hunts) I don't care much for meat, and fish every day would suit me.
Lentils can be quite exciting, too. And Breton beans!
a posh starver. catholics never fail 2 amaze me.
It is truly amazing how appetising catfood starts to look as Lent progresses... and as for dreaming about bacon sandwiches, well...
God speed you with your Lenten resolutions, Father!
I agree, we need to make our Western tradition more manly and aescetic. I believe fasting properly would solve many of our problems.
Do we have to observe Lent on Sundays?
I always understood that we do not have to observe Lent on Sundays because it is a day of celebrating the Lord's Resurrection?
Even the most unappetising fare seems like cordon bleu during Lent!
I stayed at an Orthodox monastery once and I have to say their skill in making vegetarian food tasteful hardly made you miss meat at all.
And that from a pork pie fanatic ;-)
It always amuses me when Catholics speak in tones of admiration about Orthodox or Catholics of other rites and their fasting. In my experience of Greek Orthodox the fasts may be on the books but I know no one who fasts except in the last week of Lent.
Well I've been vegetarian for 15 + years. I usually on Fridays and Ember days give up dairy and egg products. Lent for me is basically Vegan (as far as i am able) or a Russian Orthodox style Lent. I don't eat in between meals and I eat one main meal and 2 smaller ones. I found myself already thinking as well what I would make for Easter Day. Sundays of course is relaxed.
'The one full meal that is allowed on fast days may not, according to common opinion, be extended beyond two hours, unless there is a very good reason for doing so ... The extraordinary length of three to four hours for dinner was stated by Elbel and Gobat as an occasional custom in Germany. Some authors maintain that in such extreme cases of very protracted dinner, the evening collation should be omitted.' H Davis SJ, Moral and Pastoral Theology II p 399
I truly enjoy reading your blog (enough for me to be tempted to give it up for lent, lol). As an Orthodox Monk, I've been in lent 3 days now (the strictest of them other than Good Friday) and know what you you mean. Ritz crackers are gourmet fare. But after the initial shock there comes a lightness to the spirit which is very helpful to focus on the soul. Understand, our fasting rules seem draconian, but are not "binding" as you understand under canon law, but rather they are standards with which to measure oneself. As one reader remarks, many don't observe them beyond a few days, but as a priest of 20+ years, I'm amazed at how many do - young and old. The spiritual benefit is immense. May you have a truly blessed 40 days (kala tessericosits)and may we all behold Easter day with unbounded joy!
How splendid, Father. It is very important to get both feast and fast right.
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