Lent Fasting – Dos and Donts During Lent

Lent is a period of forty five days starting from Ash Wednesday and ending on Holy Saturday. During this period, Catholics practise penance and fasting. The period falls before Easter.

The word ‘Lent’ derives from the Old English word lenchten, meaning spring. In ancient days, there was a period during spring during which there was a shortage of food. People fasted during this time and the custom carried on.

Fasting during Lent

In 1966, Pope Paul VI restructured the Church’s practice of public penance in “Apostolic Constitution on Penance”. In 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law incorporated the changes.

The fasting requirements are: Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 must fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Additionally, all Catholics above the age of 14 years must abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all the Fridays of Lent.

Fasting, as explained by U.S. bishops, means eating only one full meal. Some food (not a complete meal) is permitted at the other two meal times, depending on when you are eating the full meal.

The Lent fast forbids the consumption of meat, but not eggs, milk products or condiments made of animal fat.

Thus, according to U.S bishops, food during the fast may include meat juices and liquid foods made from meat. Foods such as chicken broth, soups cooked or flavored with meat, meat gravies & sauces, and seasonings or condiments made from animal fat are not forbidden. So it is OK to eat margarine and lard.

The U.S bishops suggest that when you are in doubt as to whether any food constitutes meat, look at the interpretation in your area. They say custom is the best interpreter of law.

People who suffer from illness or whose work prevents them from fasting are excused from the fast.

Other Penances During Lent

The Church encourages people to take up other penances during Lent. Lent is usually marked by three activities — prayer, which represents justice towards god, fasting, justice towards oneself and almsgiving, justice towards the neighbor.

These days, people give up a vice during Lent and add a good quality to themselves that brings them closer to God.