Lent "doesn't count on Sundays"?

[razordu30]

Catholic in college right now; my first Lent with other Catholics outside my parish.

We were talking about Lent recently and someone said that you don't have to keep your Lent sacrifices on Sundays because they're a day of rest.

I mentioned this to someone else and he said in his famiily the rule only applied to kids.

Most Catholics I talked to never heard of it.

Any thoughts? Also, this is really naive of me, but are we the only ones that do Lent? My Anabaptist friend had never even heard of it until college.

Thanks again. I've been lurking this board since December. I hope to participate more in the future.

-Ramon

 

[geocajun]

Q: Why are Sundays excluded from the reckoning of the forty days?

A: Because Sunday is the day on which Christ arose, making it an inappropriate day to fast and mourn our sins. On Sunday we must celebrate Christ's resurrection for our salvation. It is Friday on which we commemorate his death for our sins. The Sundays of the year are days of celebration and the Fridays of the year are days of penance.Here is a good article on Lent from a well respected Catholic Apologist:

http://www.cin.org/users/james/files/lent.htm
Welcome to OBOB Razordu30!

 

[ShannonMcCatholic]

You can either continue to fast or not on Sundays- whatever ya' want. Sundays are seen as "little Easters" so to speak- as our Sunday Mass is a celebration of the Resurrection-- and therefore not a time for fasting... If you are counting 40 days- it's Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday- minus the Sundays. From the evening of Holy Thursday to the evening Easter Sunday is known as the Triduum, while Thursday, Friday and Saturday are still days of fasting- they are not prepatory fast days, but are known as paschal fast days (fasting along with the Paschal Sacrafice, so to speak).

There are some Protestant denominations that celebrate Lent.

And welcometo OBOB!! Hope to see you around more!!

 

[Magisterium]

Well for one, you'll notice that lent is slightly longer than 40 days. It was explained to me that this is because Sundays are not included in the days of Lent. That said, during lent, I LIVE for sundays. I don't think I'd be able to make it without the Sunday reprieves. That said, I do have friends who choose to continue their abstinence on Sundays during lent. I admire their fortitude, but I think I'd have to be a little less aggressive with my choice of abstinence if I couldn't have my Sundays.
(or maybe I'm just a big sissy, I don't know...)

 

[JillLars]

Q: Why are Sundays excluded from the reckoning of the forty days?

A:

Because Sunday is the day on which Christ arose, making it an inappropriate day to fast and mourn our sins. On Sunday we must celebrate Christ's resurrection for our salvation. It is Friday on which we commemorate his death for our sins. The Sundays of the year are days of celebration and the Fridays of the year are days of penance.Here is a good article on Lent from a well respected Catholic Apologist:

I wish I would have known this last weekend when they had donuts after church, and I didn't have one cause that's what I gave up for lent.

 

[razordu30]

Thanks guys.

I'll probably observe the Sundays anyway:

1) I gave up smoking for Lent, and I actually hope to give it up completely; taking it up again every week would probably stop that.
2) I've decided to observe abstinence (even in the form of self-fulfillment), which, IMHO, wouldn't really be difficult if I broke it once a week.
3) The last thing is desserts; I'm also trying to lose weight in general, so I'm just avoiding it altogether.

So I'll probably just buckle down for the rest of Lent. Thanks, though...I never noticed 40 days minus Sundays.

-Ramon

 

[JagSayon]

Q: Why are Sundays excluded from the reckoning of the forty days?

A: Because Sunday is the day on which Christ arose, making it an inappropriate day to fast and mourn our sins. On Sunday we must celebrate Christ's resurrection for our salvation. It is Friday on which we commemorate his death for our sins. The Sundays of the year are days of celebration and the Fridays of the year are days of penance.Here is a good article on Lent from a well respected Catholic Apologist:

http://www.cin.org/users/james/files/lent.htm
Welcome to OBOB Razordu30!

I do not think that statement where "Christ arose on a Sunday" is correct. Mark 9:31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

Whether or not Christ died on Friday, nobody can really tell, which is the same as Christmas (allegedly Christ's birthday). But, assuming the Lord was crucified on Friday at the time 00:01 in the morning, from Friday to Saturday is one day, from Saturday to Sunday is the second day and finally, from Sunday 00:01 to Monday 00:01 should be the third day; the Lord Jesus should have risen on Monday, not Sunday.

Regards,
Jag

 

[seebs]

I wish I would have known this last weekend when they had donuts after church, and I didn't have one cause that's what I gave up for lent.

Well, nothing wrong with sacrificing a bit extra.

 

[JillLars]

Well, nothing wrong with sacrificing a bit extra.

Yeah but they were krispy kreme's

 

[seebs]

Yeah but they were krispy kreme's

Never had one of those. They good?

 

[Dominus Fidelis]

I keep mine...I mean, whats the point of doing something you will feel, and then indulging on Sundays...but thats just personal preference.

 

[geocajun]

I do not think that statement where "Christ arose on a Sunday" is correct. Mark 9:31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

Maybe this wil clear it up - its pretty plain, but if you still have questions on it, let me know.

Catechism of the Catholic Church:
2174 Jesus rose from the dead "on the first day of the week." Because it is the "first day," the day of Christ's Resurrection recalls the first creation. Because it is the "eighth day" following the sabbath, it symbolizes the new creation ushered in by Christ's Resurrection. For Christians it has become the first of all days, the first of all feasts, the Lord's Day (he kuriake hemera, dies dominica) Sunday:


We all gather on the day of the sun, for it is the first day [after the Jewish sabbath, but also the first day] when God, separating matter from darkness, made the world; and on this same day Jesus Christ our Savior rose from the dead.

 

[Aaron-Aggie]

A differing opnion: http://www.blessedsacrament.com/theology/q59.html
Thursday after Ash Wednesday: http://www.usccb.org/nab/022604.htm

 

[mathias1979]

I've heard this. My fiance and I gave up all deserts/candy/cookies/cake for lent. She was at dinner on Sunday night and passed up desert, but the preist who was there told her it was okay. But she still decided against it. I feel the same way, I just feel that the Sunday rule is a technicality, like I'd be cheating. But I don't know, after the answer geocajun provided, I almost feel obligated to not keep my lenten sacrafice on Sundays.

-Matt

 

[Bastoune]

I do not think that statement where "Christ arose on a Sunday" is correct. Mark 9:31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

Whether or not Christ died on Friday, nobody can really tell, which is the same as Christmas (allegedly Christ's birthday). But, assuming the Lord was crucified on Friday at the time 00:01 in the morning, from Friday to Saturday is one day, from Saturday to Sunday is the second day and finally, from Sunday 00:01 to Monday 00:01 should be the third day; the Lord Jesus should have risen on Monday, not Sunday.

Regards,
Jag

Well Jewish Sabbath is a Saturday... Jesus was "resting" then before the resurrection. The Scriptures are clear about this, that no preparations could be done because Jesus died b4 sundown, beginning of Sabbath. So He did die on a Friday, rose on "the first day" or "the 8th day" (as Barnabus called it), which was Sunday.

 

[Aaron-Aggie]

A differing opnion: http://www.blessedsacrament.com/theology/q59.html
Thursday after Ash Wednesday: http://www.usccb.org/nab/022604.htmhttp://www.usccb.org/nab/022604.htmhttp://www.usccb.org/nab/022604.htm

I must also add either way its all a personal devotion so Do what brings you closer to good but always pray about it