And so we left his vegetarian rissoles aside.

Yeah, I know, start the revolution!

Always at this time of year supermarket advertising tells us certain seafood products are “Perfect for Lent”.

I’m a Christian minister from one of these orthodox churches where people still remember arcane words and practices like this, so it might surprise you that I don’t do fish on Fridays or fasting through Lent.

For the same reason I convinced my friend not to worry about his vegetarian rissoles: nobody is made holier by doing these things.

Actually, neither are they by NOT doing these things.

Exercising self-control is always a good thing. Solidarity with the poor is good. I even understand normal veganism and vegetarianism. But giving up meat to imitate a God who gives up life for us?

Lent is the period heading into when Christians celebrate that God was crucified for us, and it’s kinda ridiculous to imagine we imitate this in any way by giving up red meat, or Facebook, or any other thing we may abstain from.

That Jesus gave up his life for us is not an action to be copied – but a gift to be received.

St Paul’s Anglican Church meets on Sundays at 9am with kids church. All welcome.