Chickens at Market, four chickens for sale in the open air market of Hoi An, Vietnam, December 2008, photo © 2008-2009 by ybonesy. All rights reserved.
It just dawned on me that Jim thawed a whole chicken to roast for dinner tonight, which means we’ll being eating meat on Ash Wednesday.
Not that I observe Ash Wednesday. I didn’t go receive ashes today at mass, and I usually don’t give up anything for Lent. Yet, a little voice inside my head did admonish me for not having saved the fresh cod I bought last week so that we might eat fish tacos tonight instead of roasted chicken.
Growing up we always ate fish on Ash Wednesday and other holy days. Usually in our house that meant we ate fish sticks that Mom pulled out of the freezer and cooked on a baking sheet in the oven. We ate our fish sticks with tartar sauce and maybe a salad and potatoes. Being as how fish sticks were one of my favorite foods, I always looked forward to holy days. (I even kind of liked getting the little black cross of ashes on my forehead.)
And why fish but not chicken? Why doesn’t the Catholic Church, or other Chrisitian religions that observe the law of abstinence, interpret the law in the same way that Jim and I interpret our own meat rule?—which is that when we say meat, we really mean red meat.
According to website ZENIT, which is a news agency that covers the Catholic Church,
The law of abstinence prohibits eating the flesh, marrow and blood products of such animals and birds as constitute flesh meat.
In earlier times the law of abstinence also forbade such foods that originated from such animals, such as milk, butter, cheese, eggs, lard and sauces made from animal fat. This restriction is no longer in force in the Roman rite.
Vegetables as well as fish and similar cold-blooded animals (frogs, clams, turtles, etc.) may be eaten. Amphibians are relegated to the category to which they bear most striking resemblance.
This distinction between cold- and warm-blooded animals is probably why chicken may not replace fish on days of abstinence.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, which I understand now is a season of reflection and repentance, although during my childhood it just meant it was a time to give up chocolate or fighting with my brother. Lent is observed for forty days—from Ash Wednesday to Easter, not including Sundays—and the reason we give up so-called bad things (per my layperson’s understanding) is that we try to emulate Jesus and the time He spent in the wilderness for forty days.
In many countries, the last day before Lent (called Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, Carnival, or Fasching) has become a last fling before the sacrifice and solemnity of Lent. For centuries, it was customary to fast by abstaining from meat during Lent, which is why some people call the festival Carnival, which is Latin for farewell to meat.
The tradition of Catholics eating fish originated in the Middle Ages, when the Catholic Church prescribed “no meat” on at least one day a week. Of course, the eating of fish was allowed. Another explanation for the sacredness of fish as opposed to chicken (besides the fact that one is cold-blooded and the other is warm) is that during the Biblical Flood, which some Christians interpret as a punishment to mankind for its sins, fish survived; hence, fish were free of all sin. (Hello00, they also had gills.)
Anyhoo, I’ll probably be the only person in my family who eats chicken tonight. Well, me and my oldest sister, who happens to be married to a Muslim.
Let’s just hope that if this fish thing is really important to God, He will remember that I have strong associations with folks who will be dining with some cold-blooded, sin-free creatures.
yb, I’m also having chicken for supper. Yikes! But, I did eat 2 of my fasnachts yesterday, ummm, yeah, just 2.
All of that aside I saw Joe Biden on the news tonight & thought he had been punched in for forehead or fallen. Duh, it was of course ashes. Well, I have enough ashes from the fireplace for everyone & they are absolutely free for the taking. D
LikeLike
ybonesy, that photograph is amazing. I love it. I learned a lot from your post. And this…(Hello00, they also had gills.)…cracked me up. You are one funny woman.
I like the ritual of Lent. The humility of it. I think spiritual rituals, whatever they are to each of us, are very important in our lives. I read at one of your links:
Ashes are a symbol of penance made sacramental by the blessing of the Church, and they help us develop a spirit of humility and sacrifice. The ashes are made from the blessed palms used in the Palm Sunday celebration of the previous year. The ashes are christened with Holy Water and are scented by exposure to incense.
The ritual of using the blessed palms from Palm Sunday the year before, reminds me of the ritual at Winter Solstice when we burn the branches and trunk from the Yule tree (or Christmas tree) from the year before. So many Christian rituals borrowed from some of the matriarchal traditions. In my eyes, all religions are connected by the Source.
I have a question….are Catholics the only ones who celebrate Lent? I ask this question because when I was in grade school (the 60’s), they only served fish sticks on Fridays. And I assumed this was for the Catholic kids. But then, why would they cater to the Catholics and not other religions? And why bring the church into school? This is a question I’ve always wondered about. Do they still serve fish sticks on Fridays in schools?
LikeLike
I’m not sure about what they serve on Fridays and/or Christian holy days in schools, but I would be surprised if they served fish in most schools. Maybe for a holy day in a highly Catholic community, I could see, but I suppose someone could sue for separation of Church and State. Also, since my girls both take lunch to school, I never look at menus.
But to answer your question about whether this is Catholic only or other religions, I had to look up more about the history of fasting or eating fish for Fridays. I found a website by Rev. Ken Collins (his website provided some of the info for my post re: the Middle Ages), which had this info:
Why Do Christians Eat Fish on Friday and During Lent?
——————————————————————————-
In the secular world, ‘fasting’ means abstaining from all food and drink, but in religious circles, ‘fasting’ means going on a disciplined diet. The purpose of a fast is to find out who is in control, you or your belly, and to win that control if necessary. It’s also a way of using your appetite as a spiritual snooze alarm that moves you to pray.
So now that we understand that fasting means a diet and not total deprivation, I can answer the question.
In the first century, Jews fasted on Mondays and Thursdays. The original Christians were all Jewish and were used to the fasting as a spiritual discipline. They moved the fast days to Wednesdays and Fridays, because Judas engineered Jesus’ arrest on a Wednesday and Jesus was crucified on a Friday. Most often that fast took the form of avoiding meat in the diet. In those days, meat was a luxury food. You either had to buy it in a market or you had to own enough land to keep cattle. On the other hand, anyone could grow vegetables or forage for them, and anyone could catch a fish in a lake or a stream. You could buy better fish and vegetables, but the point is that you could eat without money if you were poor. So meat was rich people’s food and fish was poor people’s food. That is why the most common form of fasting was to omit meat and eat fish.
The Wednesday and Friday fasts were a universal Christian custom in ancient times. The Eastern Orthodox still observe these fasts. The Roman Catholic Church downplayed the Wednesday fast, but kept the Friday fast until quite recently. Anglicans and Protestants also observed these fasts. In the 18th century, a man could not be ordained a Methodist minister if he did not fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, with the reasoning that a person who could not rule his own belly could certainly not rule the church.
LikeLike
diddy, I think fasnachts are definitely cold-blooded and until they hit your stomach, they’re probably sin-free, so eat up!! 8)
LikeLike
QM, I do agree that this season of Lent, since it stresses reflection, sacrifice, and an intention to emulate JC, does offer an opportunity to be humble.
Also, it was an exciting time for me as a kid. There was the whole preparation aspect to it, which had the religious meaning of what happened when Christ was crucified, but also the sense of new beginnings, Spring, warmth. And of course, the pagan celebration of Easter, and that entailed. Well, we’ve written about hats and patent leather shoes in the past, haven’t we?
So, it was the start of something, and I remember that feeling.
LikeLike
ybonesy, thanks for the extra info. Fascinating when you overlay the different religions like that. Looks like there is an element of universality to the fasting. And fish, the poor people’s food. Yeah, I think the separation of Church and State will be an ongoing issue until the end of time. (The ACLU recently sued a charter school here in MN named TiZA (LINKs here WCCO and here Star-Tribune).
It does feel like a time of new beginnings. And Spring is on the way after a long Winter. Yes! we have written about hats, dresses, and patent leather (and what about the rabbit skin muff?). I loved that Mom made our matching Easter dresses in the Days of Yore. I wonder if mothers (or fathers) still have time to sew like that. I have so much respect for those who can sew. 8)
LikeLike
My mother actually called me this morning to ask what we were having for dinner. When I told her I had burgers out in the counter from the freezer, she said, “What! On Ash Wednesday! Well, you better not waste that food, maybe you should not eat meat tomorrow!”
So what is that all about. Do you think you can arbitrarily assign those kinds of practices? I don’t know about that…
BTW, my mother is a Baptist, my dad was Catholic, and so the kids were raised Catholic. My mom had to sign a paper when they got married saying she agreed that all the children would be raised Catholic.
Mixed marriages were a big thing in the 1940’s. My parents actually were married in a small church about 30 miles from their home because the priest there would perform mixed marriages IN the church. Most of the priests at that time only allowed a small ceremony in the rectory.
Though I no longer am a practicing Catholic, I do consider myself spiritual. To that effect, I’m taking a Lenten retreat (on the internet) about forgiveness. I thought that was a topic relevant to most everyone. I’ll see how it goes.
LikeLike
I don’t know if one can assign the days, but maybe. Kind of like visits to the gym—I forgot to go today so I’ll go tomorrow instead. 8)
Yeah, the Catholics are pretty strict about requiring the non-Catholic spouse to come on over…if they’re married in the Catholic Church. Although, maybe it’s more about what the husband was, right? More women I know of my mother’s generation (or women who are in their 70s now) who adopted the religion of the husband.
A Lenten retreat on the internet? How did you find that? I’ll be curious to know how it goes.
LikeLike
QM, a rabbit skin muff? Hmmm, I’ll have to go back and find that one. That would be pretty impressive to see made from hand by one’s mom. Did your mom make one for you?
I don’t of any parents who sew. I know of some knitters, and I take it back, I know a couple of very talented mothers who make great Halloween costumes. But the Brunswick dresses and such…don’t know of any parent who’s got time these days to get into that kind of clothing.
LikeLike
Oh, goodness, ybonesy, I got a chuckle out of that one. Nope, the muff wasn’t handmade. Just the dress. At least I think that’s what you were thinking. Did you have one of those hand muffs that kept your hands warm? I think they came from Victorian times. What do I know though. I don’t know a lot about fashion. Just follow popular culture and some of the trends when they come to light.
LikeLike
I remember those. I’m sure there was some super-Mom out there who made them for her kids back in the days when we were young. 8)
I don’t think I ever had one of those muffs. I know exactly what they are, though. So civilized, aren’t they? As in, “I’m not planning to do anything with my hands in the cold except stick them in this warm muff…” Ha.
LikeLike
8) 8) Musn’t touch anything now. Is that a word musn’t? Looks so funny.
LikeLike
yb, QM, I spoke with Daddy today. He is a devout Christian & yes, they also celebrate Ash Wednesday. For 40 days he is giving up Hershey Kisses, which he eats daily. I personally don’t give up anything, however, we did always eat fish on Friday when I was growing up. And every Friday was fish stick day at school.
Lent, of course means a lot to many. My Mom is very big on it. She is truly a person that I admire for her her beliefs, though we do do always agree, I respect her for them.
This was a great read yb, & I had to chuckle many times. Thanks! D
LikeLike
I love these Vietnam photos, just like being there, the vibrance,the colour. Reminds me of my time in Hong Kong.
LikeLike
Jo and QM, as you both mentioned the photo (and thanks for you compliments!!) I wanted to tell you that I took it in the vibrant, colorful market where I took some other photos and published in the Hoi An post that I linked to in the caption.
I especially loved the chickens and the eggs for sale. I took a photo of the eggs—many were speckled and small, almost like pigeon eggs or something—but my photos came out blurred.
diddy, that’s probably good that your dad is giving up Kisses. Especially if he eats them every day.
I think I might give up Smarties. I eat a handful every day if I’m at work because one of my coworkers (who doesn’t eat candy herself) keeps a basket for the rest of us. Also peanut M&Ms, and yesterday she had Robin’s eggs (maltball like things, but since I don’t like maltballs, those didn’t tempt me). I’m trying to be more healthy in my eating, and I should cut out the candy, especially since I have aunts and uncles with diabetes.
LikeLike
Ybonesy, excuseme for posting this comment here as it is not concerning your piece.
@Redravine: I would like to submit some artwork. I have read through your submission guidelines but I do not see any address or link to post my entries to. Also, i see no easily accessible or publicised way to contact you on the blog (hence my post here.) Can you please send me details via mail. Thank you, Aristotle.
LikeLike
That’s OK, aristotle.
You can send us a note at info@redravine.com. Looking forward to seeing your submission.
LikeLike
“Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, which I understand now is a season of reflection and repentance, although during my childhood it just meant it was a time to give up chocolate or fighting with my brother.”
This was the best line ever.
: )
LikeLike
🙂
Sometimes it’s just so hard to rise to the challenge of being reverent…
LikeLike
YB – I can remember going to confession the Saturday before Lent and then after, feeling so light – light hearted, light physically, so close to God, ready for the sacrifice – then giving up candy, fighting with my sisters, then later cussing, etc. I remember eating fishsticks and Mac & Cheese every Friday, but on Good Friday or Saturday before Easter (there’s a name for that Sat before Easter which I can’t remember) my Mom would make Torta Juevos with chile roja, salmon patties, calabacitas, then sopa and panocha for dessert. I used to hate that dinner when I was a kid but now it is soooo good.
Closer to Easter my mom would take us girls to buy new Easter outfits – so exciting – brand new dresses, new shoes (which smelled so good), new socks, everything. All was right with the world. Easter was always so bright and promising, what with being able to eat candy (and what pretty candy that is produced at Easter time – mm mm) and also that the “dark” time (that of the passion) is over and we could all rejoice for Jesus and also for ourselves.
I don’t go to church now. I don’t get ashes, I don’t buy new clothes (for Easter.) Still, I can’t help help but feel that I shouldn’t eat meat on Ash Wednesday or on Fridays during lent. Luckily for me I still have the lenten meal of Tortas etc. on GF and Sat before easter. That is a very comforting meal to say the least. It always goes back to our beginnings no? Neece
LikeLike