Where's the beef?

Let's set the record straight here; I'm a Catholic, it is Friday, and it is Lent. So what does that mean, no meat, all day. For vegetarians, not a problem, for most a little bit a problem. For me, not a problem...a reminder.

There are many reasons that Catholics don't partake in the eating of meat on Fridays in Lent, here are just a few;

• "The law of abstinence requires a Catholic 14 years of age until death to abstain from eating meat on Fridays in honor of the Passion of Jesus on Good Friday. (EWTN)
• "Some say it was because the church was trying to support the fishing industry when times were tough" (Life Teen)
• "we know that the symbolic fish was familiar to Christians from the earliest times." (Wikipedia)

While those are all fine and good and to a certain extent mandated by Catholic Canonical Law, I abstain for a different reason, remembrance.

Remembrance not directly of the sacrifice of Jesus as ordained by Canonical Law but instead remembrance of those who have guided me in my faith. Those that have guided me towards being a better Christian. While this applies to my mom, my dad, my teachers (yes I was a "Catholic School Dropout"), and my other mentors along the way, the observance of abstaining from meat really gives me a chance to remember my grandma and grandpa, who weren't even Catholic. (Go figure)

Among other things, Grandma was known for her tuna salad it was a staple every time we visited, Grandpa, among other things, was known for just slightly burning the popcorn. However, buried underneath all of the remembrance were the lessons of respect for everyone, charity, and "work is a prayer."Along side G'ma and G'pa all the other lessons of faith that build up along the road get refocused and re-examined this time of year. I remember and think, this is good.

For an outsider, abstaining from meat seems a little silly, and in all honesty I suppose it is, but taking this time to not only grow in faith, like we're kinda mandated to do, but also to remember those who loved us before, and love us still, like I choose to do, is a good enough reason to keep this "silly" tradition alive.