I am so glad to be all grown up and in charge of my own Friday selections. Long gone are the days of Fish Sticks and Egg Salad Sandwiches, although I do enjoy both every now and again.
So why do Catholics abstain? Because it’s the law. Yeah, just as governments have laws, so do Churches. Eating Kosher. Forgoing pork. Dietary restrictions and observances are not new. For Catholics, it falls under the heading Penance.
CHAPTER II
Days of Penance
Can. 1249 The divine law binds all the Christian faithful to do penance each in his or her own way. In order for all to be united among themselves by some common observance of penance, however, penitential days are prescribed on which the Christian faithful devote themselves in a special way to prayer, perform works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by fulfilling their own obligations more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence, according to the norm of the following canons.
Can. 1250 The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.
Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Unfortunately for most Catholics today, the clarity of Penance isn’t what it was before Vatican II. The entire opening paragraph of the law is open to interpretation. When you use language such as ‘each in his or her own way’ it just opens the door to all sorts of things. As a result, many of the Post Vatican II Catholics abstain from nothing except during Lent, when the Law is made abundantly clear. As humans, we tend to follow the path of least resistance.
And yet within the Church I find more and more are returning to the days of Old – or rather to a stricter interpretation of the law. I believe one of the fundamental reasons for this reassurance in organized religion, and in particular in the traditional Latin Rite is a our deep need for structure and unity. And that’s just fine by me. Pray a little. Sacrifice a little, while always turning to God in thanksgiving.
Black Bean and Salsa Tostadas
1 (16 oz) can Refried Black Beans
1 tablespoon Taco or Hot Sauce
1 tablespoon Taco Seasoning
6 Tostada Shells
1-1/2 cups Hot Salsa
1-1/2 cups Mexican Cheese
1 Avocado, optional
2 Green Onions
Heat oven to 375-degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy clean up, set aside.
Empty can of refried beans in a microwave-safe bowl. Add taco or hot sauce. Cover and microwave for just a few minutes to warm. Remove beans from the microwave, add taco seasonings, stir and set aside.
Working with one tostada shell at a time, spread beans over the shell. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with about a quarter cup of cheese, then a dollop or so of salsa. Once all the tostadas have been made, place baking sheet in the heated oven. Allow to bake about 10 minutes, just long enough for cheese to melt.
While the cheese melts, peel and slice the avocado, if using. Snip the green onions. Remove tostadas from oven, sprinkle with green onion, salsa, a dollup of sour cream and garnish with a slice of avocado as desired.
Don’t forget to enjoy with that margarita.
Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.
My sheep hear My voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow Me.
