Renunciation and Lent

A good story for renunciation, especially in this holy season of Lent...

The boy walked with his mother, holding her hand, with a sweet in the other. A poor lady with a dirty boy, dressed in clothes that were much too large, approached them and asked some help.  The boy looked at his mother so as to ask: "Shall I give him?" and when she nodded approval, the sweet changed hands.  A passer-by was greatly edified and asked the mother, "Now you will certainly buy another sweet for the boy?" "No," said the mother, "because renunciation means to do without."

Some of us in the community expressed our desire to give up meat all through Lent. Since there was not a overwhelming majority, I decided not to impose it on everyone.  So it was decided that meat would be served only on Sundays and I got the exact number of those 'renouncing' meat.  Accordingly I reduced the quantity of meat. That night after supper, a couple of those who raised their hands to say that they are 'sacrificing' meat this Lent, approached me and asked, "Brother, how come you did not inform in the kitchen to serve us eggs, instead of chicken?"