Steven M Schisler
Sep 2, 2018 · 3 min read

Growing up in the Church pre-Vatican II and early during it, meatless Fridays were the norm. It was a Church enforced abstinence from meat to promote self sacrifice and mortification for repentance from our sin. Grilled cheese sandwiches, fish fries, salmon patties, egg salad, tomato soup, pasta and sauces without meat… you name it, we ate it. One day a week and you thought it was going to kill you sometimes, like when the neighbor was grilling and you were eating tomato soup! My mom was a convert from our Lutheran brothers and sisters and after Vatican II, she often joked about wondering how many people were in hell for eating meat on Fridays…

Today we get some teachings from Scripture (DT 4:1–2,6–8, JAS 1:17–27, MK 7:1–23) that speak about these things. Moses told the Israelites, “In your observance of the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin upon you, you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it.” James says, “All good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights…” Jesus tells the crowds, Scribes and Pharisees, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” Man-made laws that seek to control people under the guise of religion without the intent of change from within are useless.

My person guess is that only God knows how many people are in Hell for eating meat, because only He can see the heart. James tells us that everything God gives is good, so we can use and enjoy those thing in their proper place and order. Jesus, truly understanding, helps us to understand that our own hearts are what need change and cleansing from defilement, not our stomachs… That was the actual intent of the abstinence from meat on Fridays, to aid us in repentance, but most chose to see it only as a bothersome hinderance to our own happiness, never relating the “personal sacrifice for interior change”. Many other Church “laws” are also for our own spiritual good, although we fail to seek out or try to understand their reasoning in cooperation with natural or Divine Law, like not using artificial contraception (simply because it promotes selfishness and non-cooperation with God’s plan creation and for our complimentary sexuality), being pro-life (and not just anti-abortion), worshipping EVERY Sunday and Holy Day at Mass (our duty and honor), going to Reconciliation at least once a year (really? Only once is going to kill somebody?), among others. Jesus followed the Holy Spirit guiding John the Baptist in preaching repentance from our sins and turning our hearts towards God in love, trust and faithfulness. That’s what God desires… our hearts in union and intimacy with Him for Eternity. A bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, absent-mindedly eaten on Good Friday won’t send you to hell unless we eat it in defiance and apathy towards God or His Authority on earth. Putting God first is what it’s all about, in every area of our lives. Peace and All Good, my friends!

Steven M Schisler

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Husband, Dad, Grandpa, Catholic Deacon, Secular Franciscan, Outdoorsman, Adventurer, Retired/Disabled Electrician/Field Superintendent/Project Manager/Vice-Pres