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 question that one of us will usually ask. I appreciate that this is the first thought my kids have when thinking about Lent and 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 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 us a guide on how we can serve others and make charity a part of our daily lives.
We make it a priority to highlight the three pillars of Lent within our own family preparations. In addition to the practices 0f fasting and abstinence, we work with our kids 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. We pray together every night before bed and during Lent we add the practice of praying a decade of the Rosary. We start by going around the room and asking everyone if they have someone or something they would like to pray for on that particular night. It is always heartwarming to hear their prayer intentions. Praying the Rosary as a family is such a wonderful experience. It brings great peace and joy to my heart to see my entire family united in prayer. We also stress the importance of good deeds and charity to others. We discuss that we should do a good deed or do one nice thing for someone else each day. At night 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.
For us as parents, Lent is also time for 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?” 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.