Offline for Lent

There is so much to read and see on the internet. I find it all endlessly fascinating... enticing... agitating... wearying. If there is such a thing as gluttony of the eyes, I have it. (And what about you, dear reader?  How easy would it be for you to disconnect for a few days?  Have you tried?¹)

Recent attempts at moderation have been unsuccessful, so I'm trying stronger measures. I'll be offline until Easter, I hope, except for work and a small amount of personal email.

May God bless and guide you. Pax et bonum.

Fasting pre-Vatican II

Church law for Roman Catholics regarding fast and abstinence was changed by Pope Paul VI in 1966. But prior to that, the Pio-Benedictine Code of law had:

Canon 1251

§ 1. The law of fast prescribes that there be only one meal a day; but it does not forbid that a little bit [of food] be taken in the morning and in the evening, observing, nevertheless, the approved custom of places concerning the quantity and the quality of the food.
§ 2. It is not forbidden to mix meat and fish in the same meal; or to exchange the evening meal with lunch.

Canon 1252 (1983 CIC 1251)

§ 1. The law of abstinence only must be observed every [Friday].
§ 2. The law of abstinence together with fast must be observed every Ash [Wednesday], every [Friday and Saturday] of Lent, each of the [Ember] Days, and the vigils of the Pentecost, the Assumption of the God-bearer into heaven, All the (solemnities of) Saints, and the Nativity of the Lord.
§ 3. The law of fast only is to be observed on all the other days of Lent.
§ 4. On [Sundays] or feasts of precept, the law of abstinence or of abstinence and fast or a fast only ceases, except during Lent, nor is the vigil anticipated; likewise it ceases on Holy [Saturday] afternoon.

Fasting six days a week during lent? I had forgotten that fasting was so strict so recently.

Septuagesima

Lesson from the Epistle of blessed Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians.

Brethren, Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain. And every one that striveth for the mastery refraineth himself from all things; and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one. I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty; I so fight, not as one beating the air: but I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway. For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all in Moses were baptized, in the cloud and in the sea: and did all eat the same spiritual food, and drank the same spiritual drink: (that they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.) But with most of them God was not well pleased.

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James 4:8 (Douay Rheims)

⁸ Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners: and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Show with Haydock Commentary or the Latin Vulgate Bible
Bible passage courtesy of VeritasBible.com

The Presentation at the Temple

Simeon received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

Luke 2:22-40(Douay Rheims)

²²And after the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they carried him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord:

²³As it is written in the law of the Lord: Every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord:

²⁴And to offer a sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons:

²⁵And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was in him.

²⁶And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

²⁷And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when his parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law,

²⁸He also took him into his arms, and blessed God, and said:

²⁹Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace;

³⁰Because my eyes have seen thy salvation,

³¹Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples:

³²A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

³³And his father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him.

³⁴And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted;

³⁵And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.

³⁶And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was far advanced in years, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity.

³⁷And she was a widow until fourscore and four years; who departed not from the temple, by fastings and prayers serving night and day.

³⁸Now she, at the same hour, coming in, confessed to the Lord; and spoke of him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel.

³⁹And after they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their city Nazareth.

⁴⁰And the child grew, and waxed strong, full of wisdom; and the grace of God was in him.

Show withHaydock Commentaryor theLatin Vulgate Bible
Bible passage courtesy ofVeritasBible.com