How many people do you think who kept meatless Friday, came to know God from this mini sacrifice? It helped me to know God a little better. When you make a sacrifice for God, it centers your thoughts on God. Try it sometime. That's why I and many other Catholics still abide by meatless Friday's even though it is not required.
When you do it by choice it probably does bring your focus to God. But as a child I was not given a choice of having meat on Fri. or not. I was told if I ate meat on Fri. it was a sin, that I would have to confess to a priest to be forgiven of or else. Now what does that do to children? Why did they view it as a sin that would send me to hell if you are not a works based religion? And if the rules have changed what happened to the people who ate meat on Fri. didn't confess before they died? Are they in hell? Either answer will not be fair, so where is the justice in that?
Becky