Update of an original post from 2/21/18
As we approach Ash Wednesday, the conversations around our dinner table begin to focus on our Lenten sacrifices. What are you going to give up for Lent this year?…is a question that one of us will usually ask. I appreciate that this is the first thought my kids have when thinking about Lent, but my hope is that through our actions and preparations over the next forty days, they will develop a deeper understanding of what the season is all about.
The Church calls us to participate fully during Lent through fasting, prayer and almsgiving. The acts of giving something up and abstaining from meat on Fridays are the most common practices that many of us follow during Lent but we cannot fully prepare for the joy of Easter through these acts alone. We are also called to strengthen our relationship with God through prayer. Hopefully we already have time set aside in our daily life to connect with God but during Lent, we should make an effort to spend a few extra minutes in prayer each day to deepen that relationship. Charity is one of the foundations of Christianity and the season of Lent is the perfect time to evaluate our charitable works and to place the needs of others before our own. A good starting point is to review the corporal works of mercy, which offer a guide on how we can serve others, and make charity a part of our daily lives.
As Pope Francis stated in his 2018 Message for Lent “Above all, I urge the members of the Church to take up the Lenten journey with enthusiasm, sustained by almsgiving, fasting, and prayer. If, at times, the flame of charity seems to die in our own hearts, know that this is never the case in the heart of God! He constantly gives us a chance to begin loving anew.”
We make it a priority to highlight the three pillars of Lent within our own family preparations. In addition to the practices of fasting and abstinence, we work with our children to determine appropriate sacrifices for each of them depending on their age; as they get older the sacrifices become more meaningful. We also incorporate additional prayer time into our family life. During Lent, we add the practice of praying a decade of the Rosary to our nightly prayer time. We start by going around the room and asking for prayer intentions. It is always heartwarming to hear their responses. Praying the Rosary as a family is such a wonderful experience and it brings great peace and joy to my heart to see my entire family united in prayer. We stress the importance of charity towards others by striving to do a good deed or do one nice thing for someone else each day. As part of our nightly prayer time, we discuss how we did, offer support for each other and discuss how we can do better tomorrow.
In addition to being the first teacher of the Catholic faith for my kids, one of my main responsibilities as a Catholic parent is to lead by example through my actions and through my passion for the faith. When we participate in these practices together with our children, we help to show them the way and provide a firm faith foundation that they can build upon later in life.
Lent is also time for individual self-examination, reflection and spiritual renewal. It is a time to evaluate our relationship with Christ and to begin the process of finding our way back to God in the areas where we have wandered off course. We should ask ourselves… Am I following the path that God has planned for me? Am I living my life according to the teachings and example of Jesus Christ? What changes do I need to make in my life to grow closer to God?
As Pope Francis stated in his 2019 Message for Lent – “Each year, through Mother Church, God gives us this joyful season when we prepare to celebrate the paschal mystery with mind and heart renewed… as we recall the great events that gave us new life in Christ” (Preface of Lent I).” “The celebration of the Paschal Triduum of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection, the culmination of the liturgical year, calls us yearly to undertake a journey of preparation, in the knowledge that our being conformed to Christ (cf. Rom 8:29) is a priceless gift of God’s mercy.”
During these forty days of Lent, let us take time to examine our conscience, appreciate God’s presence in our lives and prepare our hearts and minds for what we are about to experience – The celebration of the Paschal Mystery during Holy Week and the joy of the Risen Lord on Easter Sunday.