A bar girl is dated by a sailor. A lady friend tells her: “Hey, today is Good Friday. You are a Catholic; you’re supposed to fast and abstain from flesh meat.”

The girl replies:

“This is not flesh meat; this is seafood!”

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Of course, there’s no such distinction in the Church rule. The main reason why Catholics fast during Lent is to make penance or atone for their sins. It is done to imitate Jesus’ own 40-day fast in the desert.

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Almost all world religions give an honored place to fasting. Legend says Buddha grew so thin from fasting that he was able to touch his backbone when he pressed his abdomen. The Muslims also fast during the season of Ramadan.

Others fast for esthetic reason, for instance, to look younger, slimmer and more beautiful.

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There is, however, another meaning of fasting. The prophet Isaiah links fasting to social justice. Listen to this: “Is this the manner of fasting I wish, of keeping a day of penance that a man bow his head like a reed and lie in sackcloth and ashes?

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“Do you call this a fast? This, rather, is the fasting I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke, setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them. (Isaiah 58:5-7).

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Traditionally, Lenten practices have emphasized fasting and prayer. Lent challenges us, first of all, to Gospel simplicity: to right priorities and a simpler lifestyle. The poor cannot fast because they have nothing to eat. Hence, they’re always fasting.

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Those who are better-off must look for ways of sharing with the poor. As someone said, “We must live simply so others may simply live.”

The Christ whom we love and serve was born poor, lived poor, identified with the poor, and died poor.

We can hardly consider ourselves His disciples if the poor find no place in our hearts.

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PRACTICE: Refrain from having a big party or eating expensive meals and donate the money saved to charity.

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Practice other forms of fasting. Fast from ANGER and HATRED. Give your family an extra dose of love each day. Fast from JUDGING OTHERS. Fast from DISCOURAGEMENT.

Hold on to Jesus’ promise that He has a perfect plan for your life.

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Fast from COMPLAINING. When you find yourself about to complain, close your eyes and recall some of the little moments of joy Jesus has given you. Fast from RESENTMENT or bitterness. Work on FORGIVING those who may have hurt you.

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THE LIGHTER SIDE. “Actually, there’s a lot to be said for sin, you know,” said one Priest to another. “After all, if it didn’t exist, we’d be out of a job.”

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A tribe of cannibals in Africa were converted to Christianity by a Catholic missionary. Now on Lenten Fridays they only eat fishermen.

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LENTEN APPEAL. Lent affords us the opportunity to do acts of charity. You can do this by contributing to our poor seminarians’ scholarship program.

Seminarians are our future priests. We cannot have priests if we don’t support seminarians now.

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Send donation payable to "Adopt a Seminarian" at Christ the King Seminary, 1101 E. Rodriguez Blvd., 1099 Quezon City. For inquiries, call Fr. Bel at Christ the King Seminary (cf. tel. directory) or e-mail: belsvd@yahoo.com.

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GOD BLESS our latest donors: R. ISIDRO; A.V.L. SANTIAGO; Luz LAZO; Charito GAVIOLA; RICO-RIVERA FAMILY; Estrelita DEMAISIP; Claire BIBAT; Persiverando LUKBAN; Rene-Ellen DUMANA; Evelyn UMACAM; Charlito-Llilian GAVIOLA; Elizabeth RAMOSO, Anonymous.