Give it up for Lent!

I’m proud to be a Baptist (or, as my sister now refers to the denomination, “a dipper”), but I do enjoy certain aspects of the Catholic liturgical tradition, including Lent.

Now, I can’t find much biblical basis to support not eating meat on Friday (but fish is OK and you’re exempt if you’re older than 59… the rule is also lifted if St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday so Catholics can eat corned beef), but I think no harm can come from giving up something I think I can’t live without. The idea, at least as far I can interpret the catechism, is to think of Christ’s suffering every time you desire that which you’ve temporarily sacrificed.

For my Catholic friend Justin, his sacrifice was CDs and Sprite. Yeah, he really went all out. I don’t know if I could do without music.

No word yet on if Luis is giving anything up.

My “sacrifice” is that from Ash Wednesday (Feb. 21) to Easter (April 8), I’m going to do my best to avoid Dr Pepper and fast food. Actually, that will probably be a lot tougher than Justin giving up his Weezer.