Why Lenten Penance?

Last Friday at work a fellow worker asked me the question: "Why do Catholics not eat meat on Fridays during Lent?" It was a legitimate question since several of us were eating fish sandwiches. But behind the question was a deeper one: What is the value of penance, of self-denial?

At first, I answered the query in a flippant manner, saying that it was due to the story in the gospel after Easter. Jesus appeared to the apostles who were out fishing. When he inquired whether they had caught anything, they said No. Then he told them to throw the nets on the other side of the boat, whereupon they caught so many fish that the nets were nearly breaking. So, I said that ever since, we have been eating fish on Fridays to get rid of that supply.

But then, seriously, I told them that our choice to limit our diets was an attempt to recognize that we have hungers that cannot be met by ordinary food. When we deny ourselves something that we would like to have, it is a way for us to acknowledge that fact as we plug into the deeper hungers within, in particular the hunger for love, joy, peace, etc. These hungers can ultimately be met only by our relationship with God in Jesus.

In our world of instant gratification, it is rather unusual for us to deny ourselves anything at anytime. That seems to run contrary to the current. Yet if we are going to truly Choose Life in each moment, we need to say No to those things that are not life-giving in the long run. That is not always easy to distinguish in the immediate circumstances. Since we can be easily controlled by some of our impulses, it is helpful to choose to curb those impulses by simple things, like not eating meat on Fridays.

The only reason for any penance during Lent is to make us more aware of the Lord's life within us. If it does not accomplish that, then it is only an empty gesture. If my penance becomes a burden for others, then I better question its true value and reassess my priorities, choices, and direction. Lent is not to be a burden, but an opportunity for growth in faith and love. Anything else is a waste of time.