The why behind the why

In these forums, the answer to questions is often, "Because the church says so."

Why meat and not fish? The word used is carne. Why is it a mortal sin? Cause the church says so. etc.

These are fine answers to a point if you are attempting to resolve the 'legal' issue. But they leave the question of why behind the why.

The Jewish law had two parts. There is the moral aspect, and there is, what I call, the dinner theatre aspect. The prophets lived dinner theatre so that the play act would get attention. The contents of it was designed to teach a lesson hidden in riddle. And the purpose of the riddle was not to hide the matter, but to make people think about what the prophet was saying.

This is the same purpose for icons. We are to wonder what it means and through that wonder focus on the scripture that gives it meaning.

It is the same for the law. "The law, having a shadow of the good things coming..." The shadow is the riddle.

Why the fast?

So the question for me is not which law prohibits meat, but why does the law prohibit meat. So here's my take on it derived from the sensus plenior.

1. Jesus coupled the idea of 'bread' and 'every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."

Quote: Mt 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Lu 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. 2. He then serves bread and fish to the 4000, the 5000, and to the disciples on the beach after the resurrection. So he couples bread and fish.

3. Therefore 'fish' represent 'every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

The conclusion is that one can eat fish during the fast because we should live by 'every word that proceeds from the mouth of God'.