Have you ever wondered why we abstain from meat during Lent? To save money on the grocery bill and give the difference in alms? To practice self control when hungry from lack of protein? To offer the inconvenience as a sacrifice? Because fish was a staple food in Jesus' day?
Our family normally abstains on Fridays throughout the year, and additional days in the season of Lent. Quite honestly, I get a little frustrated with the hassle. My husband typically takes leftovers to work for lunch, so this makes Thursday night's meal meatless as well. So many of our lunches at home are meatless anyway (cheese quesadillas, English muffin pizzas, PB&J, cottage cheese and fruit, cheese & crackers, fish sticks) it seems like that should count for something if leftovers with meat need to be consumed on a Friday before they go bad.
But, is it really a sacrifice to have salmon and white wine on Fridays if hamburgers are less
expensive? Making something other than pasta or cheese pizza takes more effort or extra money. With ballet on Friday nights, I don't often have the time to make anything more complicated. Plus, leftover pizza makes a great lunch after Saturday morning music lessons.
My kids don't really care for beans (though I serve them anyway), soy messes with your estrogen, seafood is expensive, and my lab tests show I really need the iron meat provides. Given that I feel better (more patient, less hungry) when I eat more protein, all the abstinence rules start sounding superstitious, legalistic, and counter intuitive. I admit - I am struggling to make sense of this.
Because the teachings of the Church usually make sense after actually looking them up and learn about the WHYS, I did a little googling and found this article. If you don't want to click over, or are reading this on your phone, I will quote the author (a priest), but do click over eventually and read the whole thing and the role of zinc in the diet:
The Angelic Doctor tells us
that meat, milk, and eggs incite lust in the soul. In order to quite the
passions and to help the Christian faithful grow in the virtue of chastity, the
Church required that such foods be abandoned during the whole of the season of
Lent.
This view changes my perspective, but honestly, I not sure that I agree with St. Thomas. Let's just say this does not ring true with my own personal experience during my vegetarian years. Maybe a meatless diet makes a difference for those who are trying to live virtuously? If this is true, it makes perfect sense that so monastic communities and peace activists follow a vegetarian diet.
For me, at my current stage in life, I can't say that lustful temptations are something with which I struggle. As for anger, I have room for improvement. Lack of sleep, cloudy days, wacky hormones, and too much sugar seem to be more likely culprits than the consumption of flesh meat. I feel the most stable when I eat a diet high in meat protein and low in sugar and carbs.
Could it be that the practice of abstaining from meat is geared more for men than women? And does abstaining from meat just once a week make a difference in zinc levels to curb the passions?
I don't know, but I am willing to test this out by planning a meatless (almost) Lent. Our menu plan includes fish, a few eggs when needed, and meat only on Saturday or Sunday (or feast days), depending on our schedule. I will have to give more thought to the milk, cheese, lentils, and shell fish.
February 11 - 16
M - Fillet of Sole, salad, potatoes
T - Creamy Red Beans and Rice
Ash Wednesday - Crock Pot Mac & Cheese, salad
St. Valentine's - King Crab Legs and Lobster Tails, rice, veggies, and cherry chocolate cake (have you tried the jarred cherries from Trader Joe's? No red #40!)
F - homemade pizza
S - Orange Chicken & Rice
February 17 - 23
S - TBA
M - Arabian Baked Halibut, veggies, rice
T - Cheesy Black Bean and Corn Bake
W - Pasta with Tuna and Black Olives
TH - Salmon Loaf, veggies, chips
F - homemade pizza
S - Pork Roast and sides
February 24 - March 2
S - Tomato Basil Risotto
M - Crunchy Salmon with spinach
T - Minestrone Soup and bread
W - Pasta with Cream Sauce, Peas, and Chives
TH - Split Pea Soup and bread
F - fast food fish sandwiches
S - TBA, might stay in the city
March 3 - 9
S - Chuck Roast, veggies, and popovers
M - Salsa Shrimp Soup and tortilla chips
T - Black Bean Soup and tortilla chips
W - Linguini with Clam Sauce, salad
TH - Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
F - Pizza
S - TBA
March 10 - 16
S - Roast Chicken and sides
M - Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp, salad
T - Pasta and Spinach Sauce
W - Risotto Milanese with Scallops
TH - Broccoli Cheese Soup
F - Pizza
S - TBA
March 17 - 23
S - St. Patrick's Day - Irish Beef Stew and soda bread
M - Salmon Croquettes, chips, veggies
T - St. Joseph's Day - Sloppy Joe's or Italian pasta
W - Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta, veggies
TH - Fish Sticks
F - Pizza
S - Corn Chowder and bread
March 24 - 30
Palm Sunday - Roast Pork and artichokes, figs and cheese
M - Roast Cod and Crispy Potatoes
T - Lentils with Cumin and Coriander
W - Potato Soup and Oatmeal Bread
Holy Thursday - Lamb Chops, spinach pie, grapes, matzo/Seder type of meal
Good Friday - Hot Cross Buns, Salmon Burgers
Holy Saturday -TBA
Easter Sunday -Resurrection Rolls, Ham, New Potatoes, Asparagus, lamb cake
{I am always challenged to prepare special foods and get to church over the Triduum, so I like building in flexibility here.}
Also, we hardly ever eat out, like in a sit-down
restaurant. We do drive-through in a pinch, but we have some very busy
weekends coming up, hence the TBA status.
Planning your menu too? Be sure to check out Catholic Cuisine, A Continual Feast, A Book of Feasts and Seasons, and Cooking with the Saints.
And let me know what you think, what your experience has been with abstaining from meat?
Whatever your approach, have a blessed Lent!
