Custodians of Beauty

"O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day. In union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. In reparation for my sins and for the intentions offered this month by our Holy Father." - Daily Offering Prayer My intention this lent was to bring our family closer to the cross, closer to the sufferings of Jesus through His Mother Mary. Last year, I made a Stations of the Cross for Toddlers . The girls loved having something to hold while we sat and prayed together. It kept their little hands busy and squiggly bodies occupied. Recognizing their fascination with the hands-on stations, I wanted to incorporate more visuals and tactile items this year. A crown of thorns, woven palms, nails, purple cloth; having these things around our home at little arms' reach helped our children reflect and meditate on the Passion of Our Lord.  Their young hearts were ready to learn and their love was pur...

Coincidentally,  St. Valentine's Day falls on Ash Wednesday this year so we moved our valentine feasting and sweet eating to Fat Tuesday.  It has not been our custom to take the kids to Mass on Ash Wednesday, since it's not considered a holy day of obligation. However, we do try to keep things low key and prayerful to help us enter into the season of Lent. (This silly little poem rings true for Catholics. Remember, you can't spell valentine without Lent!) Our children have not reached the age requirement for fasting and abstaining, but we encourage them to offer up little sacrifices (ex. going to bed without a stuffed animal for one night, letting a sibling pick which Netflix show to watch, or skipping the Mc D's fries when out and about running errands.) So far, so good! They have willingly (no whining or pouting) given up their favorites, their treasures, and their comforts for Our Lord. What pure hearts, those children have. If only we could learn to love ...

On Palm Sunday, we hear the Gospel reading of Jesus entering the city of Jerusalem, riding on a donkey. How fitting that this lowly creature was chosen to carry Christ (and Our Lady) to the place of His birth in Bethlehem and now bears Our King through the streets where He will suffer His Passion and Death on the Cross. From the womb to the tomb. What a beautiful prefigurement to reflect on during Holy Week. I wanted the girls to be familiar with this bible story so that when they heard it on Sunday, they would be able to follow along. So we cuddled on the couch and read from the book of Matthew. After explaining to my 3 year old why it was ok for the donkey to step on the clothes, we pulled out the markers and crayons for some coloring. This  coloring sheet  and  cut-out Jesus  (my personal favorite) were great visuals. We reenacted the scene of Jesus entering Jerusalem. I drew a few palm branches for the girls to use as props and place on the road. ...

During Lent, I wanted to incorporate the Stations of the Cross as a weekly devotion at our home. Getting my three and two year old daughters to sit and be still, whether at church in the pew or eating their lunch, is a constant struggle.  I wasn't sure whether they would be able to focus and remain engaged as we prayed. After gathering ideas on Pinterest, I found a hands-on Stations of the Cross kit. There are 14 items (small enough for little hands to hold) representing each station. What I like about this kit is that most of the items can be found in your home. On Fridays before their "quiet-time", I light a candle and have the girls sit with me at the table while we pray the Stations of the Cross. We begin by making the sign of the cross together and then I read the first station. I let the two year old hold the item first. I pray, "We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world." At the end of thi...