Eat Meat on Good Friday

[ibubapak]

Hi.. my husband tells me we should only eat fish on Good Friday as it is tradition in his family. Is Christian Science also have a rule not eat meat on good Friday..?? Thank you.

[waterbaby]

Not to my knowledge. I grew up in New England and we always ate fish on Fridays because it seems that everyone else did too. The Catholic church mandated it for their parishoners (why I'm not sure)...and even tho' we were CS'ists we just went along with it. It seemed the thing to do. And I'm sure my mother liked having that part of the menu planned every week.:)

[Sue]

I find myself deliberatly not eating fish on Good Friday. This may not be a good thing either but my reasoning is that I have to yet find a valid reason why meat is not eaten on Good Friday. I don't see the reason on sticking to a custom, be it Christian or other,
that to me has no real spiritual basis. Many of Jesus' disciples were fisherman so fish probably was a staple part of their diet so I am sure they ate it on many ocassion not just before his crucifixion. I think it would be much more relevant if we ate a Jewish passover meal of unleavened bread and lamb as this had significance to Jesus at that time as he was a Jew. It commemorates the Children of Israel leaving Eygpt for the promised land. I see it as a willingness to give up the conventionality of the past and seek the realisation of God's promise. In addition Jesus ate fish at breakfast with his disciples after his resurrection. May be I should just be focusing on Jesus's words - " take no thought for your body what ye shall eat..." and concentrating on spiritual nourishment.

Sue

[waterbaby]

So someone please share, what is the significance of eating fish on Good Friday or on any Friday for that matter?

[adyer]

It is a Catholic ritual. It may have to do with the tradition that Jesus was crucified on Friday and eating fish was back then a way to abstain from mean, which was more of a luxury item. It has no significance in Christian Science. None whatever.

[Starlight Rider]

As Sue said, the Christian Science view is to take no thought for what you eat. On an unrelated topic Mrs. Eddy says to "eat what is set before you." (S&H 222:29)

But there is certainly no harm in honoring your husband's family tradition. It evidently has meaning for him, and you can show your respect for him by joining in the tradition. Many families have meaningful traditions related to varoius holidays so this is nothing unusual. When in Rome....

[Sue]

Jim, thank you for your response. It was a woke-up call for me as it reminded me what is really important. Love of God and our fellow man not debate as to the relevance of a tradition. Respect for the individuals right to practice their beliefs and traditions is one way of expressing this. Now taking no thought for what you eat has taken on new meaning for me.

[SPA]

The "no meat" rule of Friday applies now only during the season of Lent. It is a "church discipline". One remembers the season of penance, the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, and the redemption of that day. One also will focus on the Resurrection and its glory, too. From a Christian Science perspective (the Church of Christ, Scientist, doesn't have a rule or law about abstaining from meat on any Friday of the year at all), if you follow the custom, then focus on the fact that by curbing material longing (in this case, for example, for a Big Mac) you can turn to things spiritual (redemption, glory, resurrection, leaving matter behind, etc.). There is no Catholic church law that says one MUST eat fish at all! The law is that one abstains from meat on certain days as a discipline and self-sacrifice.

[pattyp]

For many years, possibly centuries, Catholicism required its adherents to eat only fish (no meat) on Good Friday. This requirement may have been rooted in Catholic theology, but there is no Biblical basis for it.

On the day of the "last supper", Jesus simply told his disciples to "prepare the passover." He didn't have to give them specifics. The Passover had been observed faithfully for centuries, ever since the time of Moses, and there were strict rules for its preparation.

The Passover required the sacrifice of a lamb. That, together with unleavened bread, constituted the meal. and there were to be no left-overs. If fish had been served (which I seriously doubt) it would only have been as a side-dish. ;-)

Christian Science accords with Jesus' teaching about food, such as "Take no thought what you'll eat. . .", "If they eat any deadly thing it shall not hurt them . . .", "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man . . .", etc.

Not all Christian Scientists have progressed to the point where they are entirely free of human beliefs about food, health laws, etc., personal likes and dislikes regarding this food or that, perhaps even fear of certain foods. But this is because students of CS are (understandably) at different points in their progress. There is still some of the "old man" to be put off.

Science and Health wisely points out the inconsistency of relying on tobacco or intoxicants ("strong drink" per Romans 17) for comfort or pleasure; drugs for pain or pleasure; and even reliance on a cup of tea or coffee to jump-start one's day.

But it is only through spiritual development that these hugely popular fall-backs begin to lose their hold in one's experience. And while any of the above "reliances" would have prevented an otherwise sincere student from being admitted to membership in a CS church 50 years ago, that is less likely today.

It is entirely up to each branch church to determine its membership rquirements. While some today still adhere to the traditional stance, others have widened their circle to include a broader membership base, reasoning that it is more 'good neighborly' to nurture such people within their healing community, patiently supporting their spiritual progress as old habits drop away, rather than to require that certain sometmes very challenging demonstrations be made before one can apply for church membership.

[jocah]

CHET-NUN spells grace

Sue wrote:
"I think it would be much more relevant if we ate a Jewish passover meal of unleavened bread and lamb as this had significance to Jesus at that time as he was a Jew. It commemorates the Children of Israel leaving Eygpt for the promised land."

O how wonderful are the Hebrew holidays for learning the moral and spiritual Science of the Bible. They tell us more of what the prophets knew, and give clearer instruction about their visual imagery. They reveal the culture that bred the Messiah, our Saviour. They are his holidays and ours.

It is now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, according to my little palm computer Bible calendar. This is a good time of year to repent of sin, for the leaven represents the errors of Egypt, and we are to hurry away from them. No time for "pleasant bread" (Bible: Daniel 10'3), ie junk food, overeating, or over consumption, lust of any kind.

The Pascal week ends tomorrow, 27 April 2008 at sundown (Hebrew: 23 Nissan 5768). But then comes Shavuot, which we often hear spoken of as Pentecost (English: the 50th day). This holiday commemorates the first fifty days of the Exodus which culminates with the prophet Moses receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. What a story for Sunday School!

Bible holidays are so much fun, and full of lasting lessons. Just like the Bible promises (Bible: Exodus 12'17, etc.)

As for the question of meatless Fridays? I'm vegetarian, so the point is mute to me.

Smiles and shalom,
Jocah

[friendlyfire]

I had a "History of English" teacher tell us that the no meat on Friday rule actually was a way to get the masses to partake in the abundance of fish that was coming to market, and going to waste, and shift the focus from the lesser available and more expensive meat. He claimed the church had such control over the people--the masses-- who couldn't read, that they would just indicate it was ... divine, and thus a tradition was established. I understand that no meat on Friday is during lent is about sacrifice, but in this day and age... is it really?
Anyway... it's interesting how we give rituals importance. For example, coffee for breakfast, popcorn at the movies, turkey on Thanksgiving... Then consider this, "breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Is it?? One must eat so much protein, fruits/veg, grains, etc. Or how about this, "certain foods are good for you and others will kill you." Just some thoughts to consider....