Near fail on day one

Ash Wednesday is a fasting day in the Catholic Church. I’ve spent nearly a week preparing my mind for that fact.

Current Canon Law states that on a fasting day (for which there are only two obligatory days for Catholics: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday) you may eat only one full meal during the day but you may also eat up to two “collations” (small meals or snacks) which combined wouldn’t be the size of a full meal. There is no restriction on fluids (including alcohol) so fruit juices can help replace some of the lost caloric intake. I am a bit more restrictive than most people I know and eat only what’s necessary for the day – and don’t drink juice or alcohol. The elderly, the very young, and the infirm are released from the obligation on fasting days.

So, I woke up this morning and had a cup of coffee. Got to the office and had a cup of mint tea. Went to Mass and received Communion. Got back to the office and ate my first collation: About 2 cups of fresh veggies.

All day long, I’ve been thinking about my dinner. It needs to be simple and meagre, so I decided I would have a can of Chef Boyardee ravioli. My second collation would be six saltines about an hour before bed. No problem, right?

Problem! It’s just dawned on me that Chef Boyardee ravioli have meat in them. No meat on Ash Wednesday or Fridays during Lent.

Problem solved: I will have a two-egg omelette with cheese, onions, and peppers served with a small portion of roast potatoes for dinner instead.

That was a close one! I’m so happy to have had that thought pop into my head!