When my husband and I started our family, we expected a different way of living than the status quo, one that more reflected love and peace. There's always work, laundry, dinner time, and taking care of each other. However, it is easy to lose sight of the meaning of these everyday pillars of family life. What's the end goal of it all? Andrew and I had each other and these beautiful children. What were we supposed to do about them?
We started with the end in mind. The point of marriage and family is that everyone has a deep and lasting relationship with Jesus and lives a life that reflects that wonderful relationship, which leads to eternal life after death. There is no better way to encounter the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit than by going to Mass. Embracing the Holy Trinity will give me the impetus to live a different life than I could have only vaguely imagined. But I continue to hope that, over time, each of us will transform into the individuals God created us to be, as well as our more authentic selves and Christ-likeness. Masu. Accept more of Jesus and reflect more of Him outwardly.
During Lent, the Church invites us to prayer, sacrifice, and almsgiving, all of which are deep imitations of Christ who was in constant communion with the Father. What if our families viewed these commitments as a lifestyle rather than a spiritual task to check off a list?
prayer
Because we are created in God's image, we are at our most natural and authentic when we are connected to God. Last month I mentioned the wisdom of St. Teresa. “Prayer is a departure from the heart toward God.” Whether the launch is slow and steady like a ship at anchor, or like a large rock flying toward heaven, Jesus calls it He wants it.
Drawing close to the Lord in honest prayer ourselves and setting this example for our children is the best start toward the ultimate goal of heaven. And while there are challenges in bringing children of any age to Mass, never forget that there is immense grace just in being in God's presence.
Sacrifice
I thought it would be difficult to teach sacrifice to any child, but children show a natural tendency to sacrifice from an early age. Think of your toddler sharing Cheerios or your 5-year-old giving you stickers. They share what they like. And this tendency provides a great basis for teaching sacrifice and fasting. Go a step further and show your family that combining self-denial with love for a greater purpose is a powerful prayer at any time, and certainly during Lent. From frustration to emotional pain, we should ask Jesus for the grace to bear it with love, and we should do so out loud so our children can hear.
alms
I try to teach children charity from several different angles. They see us working to financially support the church and meet the needs of seeing and hearing among our neighbors. After all, almsgiving is a gift to yourself. My children make sweet offerings during the gathering at Mass, but they are also learning to give of their time and energy. We'll be joining Catholic Charities in distributing food to some of the poorest people in our community, and soon we'll be working at a local coffee stand serving the homeless.
The point of teaching charity is to open children's eyes to the inherent dignity of their fellow human beings, to see that they too can help, and to be eager to help.
I hope I can go to heaven. Plus, I hope the whole family can get there. Living with this purpose in mind will ensure a fulfilling life. In it, we know that God continually invites us to prayer, gives us the grace to make sacrifices, and loves us through us in acts of charity. The result is Easter morning joy and eternal life throughout our lives and every time we imitate Christ.
Katie Sciba is a national speaker and Catholic Newspaper Award-winning columnist. Katie has been married for 15 years and is blessed with six children.
This article was published in the February 2024 edition. catholic telegraph magazine.Click here for a free subscription here.
