What's with the fish?

Scholars, theologians, and historians all offer several reasons for why the Church embraces the discipline of abstinence. Abstinence dictates that on Fridays - especially during Lent - Catholics abstain from eating meat. This tradition dates back hundreds of years.

Some say it was because the Church was trying to support the fishing industry when times were tough. The Church was trying to keep fishermen afloat (pun very much intended). There is some historical evidence of that, dating all the way back to the second century.

Some say it was safer to eat fish than meat. Everyone knew the specific time frame in which it was safe to eat fish, while people tended to test that time frame with beef and other meat. There’s some historical evidence to that too, dating back to about the seventh century.

Some point out that hundreds of years ago only the very wealthy could afford meat. Fish (in comparison) was the poor man’s meal. It was cheap, humble food that you had to catch yourself. Though that's not typically the case today, there's historical evidence that it used to be the case.

Some say that not eating meat helped folks to focus on the humility of Christ, who lived a simple man’s life, likely eating a lot of fish Himself.

The bottom line is this: If we aren’t focusing on Jesus and on the cross when we abstain from meat, then the matter can become less about Lent and more about "Should I have the meatless pizza or the grilled cheese sandwich?"

Here's the real deal: Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, gave up His own body - His own flesh - that Friday so many years ago. He went through the pain of that self-sacrifice, completely mindful of God the Father.

When we go through the incredibly minor act of abstaining from meat - the flesh of animals - on Fridays, it is just one tiny act of self-sacrifice that points us back to that awful but Good Friday. That was the Friday when God loved us so much that He gave up His flesh in the most selfless act in history.

Let's all try to keep it all in perspective when we have to pass on the burger this Friday.

Need to know if it "counts" as meat? Click here to check out a recent piece from the Pillar.