Ready, Set, Go. . .
Ready….Set….Go….
Family life at times can feel like a race…. this past year and half pandemic probably compares to a very long and grueling marathon. Indeed, the journey to Heaven, like a marathon, requires a plan that includes training; discipline and commitment along with times of rest. The foundation of training for Heaven begins with prayer.
Summertime is a great time to renew, begin or strengthen our family’s faith life. Even more than we need routines for good health and school and sport performance, we need a daily routine for prayer and time for our Lord. Committing to keep our family’s focus on Christ and growing in relationship with Him will impact every aspect of our lives enabling us to thrive and grow and mature in all areas and to run the race to Heaven.
Developing a routine for incorporating faith and prayer can be simple. Like training for a race we need commitment and consistency. Once we develop the habit it becomes easier!
Some Suggestions:
· Make Sunday Mass a Priority.
· Pray in the morning before activities for the day. It can be short and as simple as offering
our day to the Lord and asking for His help and protection. If you commute, you can take a
few moments to pray in the car.
· Bless your children with the sign of the Cross on their foreheads before they leave your
home for the day and at bedtime.
· Pray at mealtimes.
· At dinner or bedtime, ask your children to Thank God for something that happened that
day. Encourage them to pray for special intentions for themselves and others. Perhaps start
a family prayer journal to record prayer requests and prayers answered.
· Commit to praying for one another as a family. Prayer is not just for Sunday or at bedtime.
It is comforting when our children know that they can turn to God in the quiet of their
heart at any time. God is always with them even when we are not.
· Help children to grow in virtue and strength by learning to offer up small sacrifices without
complaint.
· Consider saying a Rosary weekly or even daily as a family – or a decade of the Rosary if time
is short or you have very young children.
· Consider dropping by the Church for a time of Adoration.
· Frequent the Sacrament of Confession regularly.
Some Helpful Resources
Live the Liturgical Year as a family celebrating some feast days and our Baptismal days.
Catholic All Year has great suggestions.
Formed -sign up for our free parish subscription. Faith resources; movies; Youth and children’s programming
Praying with Scripture with Children – Lectio Divina for Families