AAVR Magazine

The Season of Lent and my Diet Woes

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, and I truly meant to write this post yesterday, but I was on my couch all day with a cold. Needless to say, I didn’t feel like writing. For those of the non Catholic religion types and are unfamiliar with what Ash Wednesday is, a quick synopsis. It marks the beginning of Lent where Catholics sacrifice something in their life (either by giving something up, or doing something for others that they don’t normally do) for a period of 40 days leading up to Easter. The 40 days are based on the Noah’s flood and Jesus wandering in the desert for 40 days and being tempted by the devil. Early Christians would wear sack cloth under their clothes during Lent as a way to sacrifice comfort.

In all honesty, I do love Lenten season. It is a great time for self reflect, meditation and a refocusing on what is important in ones life. I especially love Holy Week with the Holy Thursday Mass where you have the symbolic washing of the feet, the Good Friday service where we morn at the estimated hour of Jesus’ death, and then the Holy Saturday Vigil where everyone lights candles of the new flame that were all lit from the pascal candle. And in my family, this all leads to Sunday morning brunch at my Grandmother’s house for a traditional Polish breakfast where we have to eat all of the blessed food first. Really, I love this time of year, except for one thing.

On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, we are supposed to fast. Today, fasting regulations have been relaxed a bit to allow for two small meals and one large meal, where as back in the day it was really only the large meal at the ned of the day that was to be eaten. Again, I have no problem with fasting, it’s the diet restrictions on Fridays during lent that I have a problem with. You aren’t supposed to eat meat on Friday’s during Lent. For most people, this really isn’t a big deal, however, I am not most people. I have always been allergic to dairy products (milk and cheese), so that takes out regular pizza. But there are plenty of other options to eat. For one thing, seafood it an option… oh wait, I developed a seafood allergy in High School. After years of eating fish on every friday during lent, I could no longer enjoy this great meal (available at most fast food locations).

How do I coupe with all of this? It’s not easy, and I break the rules at least once a Lenten Season. On Fridays, I either try to bring left over pasta to work which works out great, but then I end up having pasta again for dinner. If I am not going to be home for dinner, this is where the problems begin. When we happen to go to a diner, there is no problem, I can just order breakfast, and I’m all set. But what about when I am going out with people and we aren’t going to a diner, but we go to a TGI Friday’s? Now I’m forced to either eat a salad that has no meat in it which means I’m still going to be hungry, try to find a pasta dish that doesn’t contain seafood, meat or cheese (good luck) or break the rules. This is where I break the rules.

Every time I break the rules, it does bother me. I feel like I should have been able to do it, or why didn’t I just tell people we should have gone somewhere else. But in reality, we don’t always have the right options in front of us. And at the end of the day, I’d rather break the rule and and eat some steak or chicken rather than starving myself which in some situations (like when you are drinking) can become dangerous.

To the Pope,
I would like to propose a change to the rule. For those of you that can eat fish and dairy you have to give up meat. For those of you that cannot eat fish or dairy, you suffer all year long by not being able to eat these delicious foods, you may eat meat on Fridays during Lent.
Sincerely,
Keith

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