The season of Lent is part of Easter

“No meat on Friday!” My friend, Memo, exclaimed as I took a bite of my juicy double-bacon cheese burger. “Why not?” I mumbled with a mouth full of the forbidden food. He thought for a moment and said, “I don’t know. You’re just not supposed to eat meat on Fridays during Lent.”As I continued munching out on my delicious burger, I contemplated how much people really know about Lent. Usually, people understand the basic notions (e.g. giving up something for 40 days, not eating meat on Fridays, and going to mass on Easter before cracking confetti eggs), but I believe the spin we put on Lenten obligations have undermined the tradition all together.Lent is a 40-day event that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter, the day-according to Christians-of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. The forty days are a recreation of the time Jesus spent in the desert, where Satan tempted him. During this period, it is customary to follow a strict regiment of fasting and prayer as to mimic the actions of Christ in the desert. This is done to cleanse and discipline one’s self for the final week of Lent, which takes us through Holy Thursday (the Last Supper), Good Friday (the Crucifixion), and Easter Sunday. What does any of this have to do with meat deprivation? Why do people try to stop drinking Coke and eating chocolate? And what’s the deal with those Easter eggs? Well, aside from the eggs-a pagan symbol for rebirth adopted by Christians-let’s remember that the main point of Lent is justice. We do God justice when we pray; we do ourselves justice when we fast; and, we do others justice when we give alms.In the past, a person’s diet was taken very seriously; during Lent, some meats, fruits, eggs, and alcohol were prohibited. In the early Middle Ages, the forbidden foods were narrowed down to meats, eggs, and dairy products. Saint Thomas Aquinas, an eleventh-century philosopher and theologian, explained that “they [meats] afford greater pleasure as food [than fish], and greater nourishment to the human body, so that from their consumption there results a greater surplus available for seminal matter, which when abundant becomes a great incentive to lust.” If we follow his logic, we begin to understand: the less sustenance, the less energy a person will have; the less energy, the less likely we are to commit a sin. Therefore, meat abstinence every Friday of Lent has become Canon Law for Catholics as per Vatican II and is deemed a mortal sin if disregarded. For non-Catholic Christians who participate in Lent, meat abstinence is a choice. However, in either case, meat consumption can be replaced with an act of charity.For the well-disciplined believer, however, these rules become suggestions and guidelines for a humble diet: people will often choose between one meal per day, vegetarian meals, or no food at all (for 24 hours that is).Let it be known that each Sunday is a “mini-Easter;” diets and other chosen practices can be broken. This makes sense because if anyone went into the desert and didn’t eat for forty days, he or she would die.It was also customary for Christians to take part in volunteering, charity work, and devotions. Catholics are given freedom by the church to choose what they do for Lent, and it is not considered a sin if we don’t follow this practice. Unfortunately, this tradition has become skewed. At first, it was expected that people would volunteer and do charity work, but now people “give up” stuff (e.g. saying bad words, driving inconsiderately, having sex, etc.). Essentially, we should not choose Lent to give up something we are not supposed to be doing in the first place. The purpose of this tradition is to be Christ-like, vis-à-vis his ministry. I suppose giving up certain sins for Lent isn’t completely counterproductive, but the Lenten season is a time when people are supposed to be preparing for the second coming of Christ. Instead, it is viewed as a burdening time brought on by a forceful religion and religious extremists. This kind of thinking is what gave birth to events like Mardi Gras (literally “Fat Tuesday”). Before Ash Wednesday, many will gorge themselves with food, alcohol, and anything else they are about to give up for forty days. This, indeed, is counterproductive to Lent and all it signifies.Many Lenten practices can ultimately be traced back to ancient traditions. From the diet to the sacrifices, Lent is a time of self-discipline, purity, and preparation. Sadly, our modern society has twisted the meaning and value of these practices into a less spiritual experience. However, those who commit wholeheartedly in this wonderful event can find it rewarding and gratifying.