02/22/2026
Every Friday of Lent the same question comes back:
“But fish is not meat?” ”
And many think it's just a simple, meaningless, old rule.
Abstinence from meat is not a dietary treat. It's a penitentiary act. The Church asks us not to eat meat on Fridays of Lent because meat, traditionally, has been a symbol of feast, abundance and celebration.
Friday is Memorial Day: we remember the Lord's Passion and Death. It's not a feast day. It's sobriety day.
That's why the Church establishes abstinence from meat, but allows fish. Not because fish is "not meat" biologically, but because historically it was not considered a festive food, but simpler and austerity.
The rule is enshrined in the Code of Canonical Law (c. 1251), which establishes abstinence from meat on Fridays, especially in Lent.
But beware: the point is not swapping a steak for a seafood feast. If "fish" becomes a luxury, it has already lost its spirit.
Abstinence seeks to educate the heart. Reminds us that the Christian does not live to satisfy desires alone. We learn to freely give up for love.
As Pope Leo XIV recalled, Christian penance is not an external display, but an inward path that unites us to Christ's sacrifice.
The real question isn't:
“Can I eat this or that?” ”
The question is:
“Am I willing to offer anything for Him who gave everything for me?” ”
Because Friday isn't just a meatless day.
It's a day to love more.
