Dairy isn't flesh though, it's milk. I've never heard of abstaining from dairy products or eggs.
Although, I think the thing that has always disgusted me the most is the people who will eat extravagent shrimp and lobster dinners on Fridays during Lent.
yeah but fish and eggs come from vertebrates.
i know its vertebrates because vertebrates were made on a different day from invertebrates...
Why do you think Easter Eggs are such a symbol of the feast? or Shrove Tuesday pancake dinners so widespread? No eggs or butter or milk for the duration of Lent, so it all had to be used up before Ash Wednesday (hence, pnacakes), and couldn't be had again to enjoy until Easter (heance Easter Eggs and buttery sweet Hot Cross Buns)!
It's traditional in the Oriental Churches (Orthodox & Eastern Catholic), to abstain from eating all meat, oil, wine and animal products (eggs, milk, cheese etc.). Freeper Tax Chick, who loves lentil meatloaf and pumpkin chile, 'fasts' without trying ;-) For the rest of us, it's a daily struggle.
Some lenten reflections from a Maronite priest.
Things to avoid when you fast
& words from the Fathers of the desert
1- Do not fast to make others see you: “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.” (Matthew 6:16-18). Fasting is always a means rather than a goal. If you fast just to let others praise you and treat you as a saint, I tell you, you are deceiving yourself and you may never enjoy the benefits of fasting.
2- Do not fast with pride: “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, 'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity--greedy, dishonest, adulterous--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.” (Luke 18:12). Humility is the basis for every virtue.
3- Do not fast while holding grudges: “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? Do you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? This, rather, is the fasting that 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, and not turning your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am! If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; If you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; Then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday; Then the LORD will guide you always and give you plenty even on the parched land. He will renew your strength, and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring whose water never fails.” (Isaiah 58:5-11).
The Fathers of the desert sayings:
1- “Fasting humbles the body”. (Linginus).
2- “If a king wants to take the city of his enemies, he needs to lay siege to the city, no food or drink allowed. In this way, the people of the city become humiliated. Therefore, they surrender to the king.” When we fast, we lay siege to the body. We do not eat or drink. Then, we become humbled, weakened. Therefore, we surrender to Christ the King.
3- We learned from experience that the excess of food and rest is the cause of oppression.
4- Thoughts told a monk called Daniel: “Eat today and fast tomorrow.” The monk replied: “I won’t do this, but I want to fast today so that the will of God might be fulfilled tomorrow.”
5- “The fortress of a monk is fasting. His weapon is prayer. The one who has no fasting, has no fortress against his enemy. The one who has no prayer life, has no weapon to fight his enemies.”
6- “Fasting without prayer & humility is like an eagle with broken wings.”
7- Fasting causes victory. Fast with Christ so that you might be glorified with him by defeating the devil.”