Abstinence from Meat--Commentary

Once the Church decided to lift the every Friday obligation not to eat meat and replaced it with the recommendation to replace it with some other act of penance or work of charity, it was quickly forgotten by most Catholics and replaced with nothing. I found myself in this same boat until I realized that I wasn't doing anything special on Fridays. My wife and I decided that we would simply return to the old tradition and abstain from meat on Friday. We do so unless some other sacrifice pops up such as an act of charity: helping someone in need, having someone over for dinner, hosting a special family get together, accepting an invitation to dinner on Friday where meat will be served. In this circumstance it seems more charitable to eat meat and not to trouble our host about a special menu for ourselves. We normally attend Mass daily and say the rosary, so we also remember the Lord's passion and death in this way.