Well, mine's not a by-the-book Catholic fast, so I wouldn't judge by all my crudite and assorted fruits and cheeses. Traditionally, Catholics were allowed one meal per day and at various times, the fast was supposed to last for the entire 40 days of Lent and/or Catholics were supposed to abstain from eating meat for that entire period. In the post Vatican II world, though, we're supposed to adapt the fast to "the local economic situation," thus the two small meals. Oh, and Roman Catholic fasting rules only apply to people aged 18-59, and only those whose health or work would not be adversely effect by fasting.
In other words, we say we're fasting but we're really just not eating like average Americans and not eating meat. We're the wimps of the fasting people.
Ha, Hindu fasting rules are so much less complicated. You get one meal. One meal! You can have it any time, but you only get one meal. And the basis of the fast is no salt. So that's why we have a bag of unsalted potato chips handy.
Also, fasting and exercising is terribly stupid. Which you know. Hee.
The funny thing is, on weekends I often eat just one meal. I wake up late, get distracted and don't eat until 4:00 or 5:00. In fact, I don't call it lunch or dinner. I call it "meal." Like, I'll call my mother and say, "I had KFC for meal today." But on a work day? I can't do it.
And I couldn't have chips. Chips are happy, indulgent food. It's supposed to be all about penance. It's hard to be penitent when I'm eating chips. I think the tablespoon of honey I put in my cottage cheese is as indulgent as I'm going to be today.
Jewish rules are also simple- no food, no drink. At all. On Yom Kippur and Tisha B'av (in the summer- commemorating the destruction of both Temples) the fasts start at sundown the night before, and you also can't shower, wash your mouth out, use any powders or creams, or even wash your hands unless they get dirty (or you go to the bathroom)- and even then only to the knuckles. Yom Kippur is also a "Yom Tov," a day in which the rules of Shabbos also apply, and Tisha B'av is a day of mourning, so for the first night and until noon of the day you have to sit on the floor or a very low chair.
I just thought I'd throw "the Mormon version" of fasting in with all the others. Ours is skipping two meals, no eating/drinking/gum during that time, and you're supposed to begin and end your fast with prayer. You're also supposed to donate the money that those two meals would have cost. And we fast the first Sunday of each month, plus other days if you're preparing for something or praying extra hard for something. Small children (younger than eight) and pregnant women don't have to fast.
I'm hypoglycemic, so I usually can't do two meals, but I still try.
Part of the post Vatican II reform says that we have the option of not fasting at all and instead, donate time or money to a worthy cause and pray. I think I may do that instead, in the future. Instead of being penitent, I just got angry. The combination of sleet and stupid drivers really didn't help with that.
I don't eat a ton anyway, so I just refrain from meat, snacks between meals, alcohol, and dessert, and I try keeping my meals simpler. There's a fine line with me, though, in that man, sometimes I just need to eat or I will become a raving monster. I just pray that it doesn't happen on Ash Wednesday or Fridays during Lent. Heh.
Were you able to go to a Mass today? Ours was pretty good. I go to the cathedral here in Boise, and it's just a beautiful place to attend Mass.
Were you able to go to a Mass today? I was going to try, but we had a snowstorm with sleet yesterday and my drive home was hellish. Plus, I ended up with a raging headache. I think it may have been caused by hunger, funnily enough. I got home, took out the trash, watched a movie while I ate my leftovers and was in bed by 9:00 PM. Wild night for me!
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In other words, we say we're fasting but we're really just not eating like average Americans and not eating meat. We're the wimps of the fasting people.
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Also, fasting and exercising is terribly stupid. Which you know. Hee.
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And I couldn't have chips. Chips are happy, indulgent food. It's supposed to be all about penance. It's hard to be penitent when I'm eating chips. I think the tablespoon of honey I put in my cottage cheese is as indulgent as I'm going to be today.
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You guys have a lot of rules.
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I'm hypoglycemic, so I usually can't do two meals, but I still try.
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Were you able to go to a Mass today? Ours was pretty good. I go to the cathedral here in Boise, and it's just a beautiful place to attend Mass.
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I was going to try, but we had a snowstorm with sleet yesterday and my drive home was hellish. Plus, I ended up with a raging headache. I think it may have been caused by hunger, funnily enough. I got home, took out the trash, watched a movie while I ate my leftovers and was in bed by 9:00 PM. Wild night for me!
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