“Why Do Roman Catholics Have To Eat Fish On Friday?"
by Hoyt W. Allen, Jr.
My quick reference
says that this was
started by the Roman
Catholic Church (RCC)
in A.D. 988. Some
have stated that the
fish business was
"hurting" and the
hierarchy of the RCC
ordered the dogma
(doctrine or belief)
in order to assist
it. Possibly, the
RCC hierarchy had
some relatives
involved.
The dogma was lifted
in the 1960's or
70's (I called the
local parish priest,
but he did not know
exactly when).
However, at the
beginning of Lent,
that Friday must be
a "no meat" day.
Lent is the period
of forty weekdays
from Ash Wednesday
to Easter.
Bible fasting was
always a private
matter & not
something to publish
as was done by the
RCC. I have
practiced fasting on
one day a week and
it is a spiritual
blessing. However,
no one was aware of
this except my wife.
Sometimes I have
gone through several
days of fasting. If
a person is in
questionable health
they should check
with their doctor
prior to the event.
Bible fasting was
always going without
food or drink
voluntarily and
generally for
religious purposes.
However, it could
also be done for
other reasons. It
was sometimes done
as a sign of
distress, grief, or
repentance. The law
of Moses
specifically
required fasting for
only one occasion--
the DAY OF
ATONEMENT. This
custom resulted in
calling this day
"the day of fasting"
<Jer. 36:6> or "the
Fast" <Acts 27:9>.
Moses did not eat
bread or drink water
during the 40 days
and 40 nights he was
on Mount Sinai
receiving the law
<Ex. 34:28>.
Voluntary group
fasts (not specified
in the law) were
engaged in during
time of war, such as
when the Benjamites
defeated the other
Israelites <Judg.
20:26>.
Jehoshaphat called
for a fast in all
Israel when opposed
by the Moabites and
Ammonites <2 Chr.
20:3>. Reacting to
Jonah's preaching,
the men of Nineveh,
at the king's order,
fasted and put on
sackcloth
(Continued)
<Jon. 3:5>. Those
about to return with
Ezra from the
Captivity fasted at
the river of Ahava
in the face of the
dangers faced on the
journey <Ezra
8:21,23>. Esther and
the Jews of Shushan
(or Susa) fasted
when faced with the
destruction planned
by Haman <Esth.
4:3,16; 9:31>.
In times of grief,
people fasted. A
seven-day fast was
held when the bones
of Saul and his sons
were buried <1 Sam.
31:13. Fasting was
often done by
individuals in times
of distress. David
fasted after hearing
that Saul and
Jonathan were dead
<2 Sam. 1:12>.
Nehemiah fasted and
prayed upon learning
that Jerusalem had
remained in ruins
since its
destruction <Neh.
1:4>. Darius, the
king of Persia,
fasted all night
after placing Daniel
in the lions' den
<Dan. 6:18>.
Going without food
or water was not
automatically
effective in
accomplishing the
desires of those who
fasted. In the
prophet Isaiah's
time, people
complained that they
had fasted and that
God had not
responded favorably
<Is. 58:3-4>. The
prophet declared
that the external
show was futile. The
fast that the Lord
requires is to loose
the bonds of
wickedness, undo the
heavy burdens, feed
the hungry, shelter
the poor, and clothe
the naked <Is.
58:5-7>.
In the New Testament
Anna at the Temple
"served God with
fastings and prayers
night and day" <Luke
2:37>. John the
Baptist led his
disciples to fast
<Mark 2:18>. Jesus
fasted 40 days and
40 nights before His
temptation <Matt.
4:2>. Using a
marriage-feast
comparison, however,
Jesus insisted that
fasting was not
suitable for His
disciples as long as
He, the Bridegroom,
was with them <Matt.
9:14-15; Mark
2:18-20; Luke
5:33-35>.
Cornelius was
fasting at the time
of his vision <Acts
10:30>. The church
in Antioch fasted
<Acts 13:2> and sent
Paul and Barnabas
off on the first
missionary journey
with fasting and
prayer <Acts 13:3>.
Paul and Barnabas
prayed with fasting
at the appointment
of elders in the
churches <Acts
14:23>. Paul
suggested that
husbands and wives
might abstain from
sexual intercourse
to give themselves
to fasting and
prayer <1 Cor. 7:5>.
No doubt, Christians
today would be
blessed greatly by
submitting to
periods of fasting.
However, it should
be a personal
matter.<.p>
KYOWVA Evangelistic
Association
Is Worthy Of And
Needs Our Support
1541 S. 7th Street *
Ironton, OH
45638-2175
Webpage:
www.kyowva.com *
Email:
kyowva@sbcglobal.net