Lent reflections

Recently someone in one of my groups asked for input on how everyone juggled tradition (family) with Tradition (Church). She was talking specifically about Holy Week and how you fit all of the Masses and blessings in while still spending time with the kids and caring for your daily obligations plus cooking all of these wonderful traditional Easter time meals. It wasn’t something I could really speak to as I have really struggled with the Holidays since my Mom passed away almost 3 years ago, but it definitely got me thinking. This year for Lent, I had planned to take the kids at least twice to Stations of the Cross and my PRE kids at least once. I had fully intended to attend all of the Masses of Holy Week and dutifully drag my heathens with me. (For those of you unfamiliar with me, when I use the term ‘heathens’ I am lovingly referring to my four wonderful children.) I wanted to begin scads of new food traditions that my kids would remember fondly to their children when they are old and grey. I vowed to go to Confession every other week as well as doing lots more meditating and praying each and every day. I was really proud of all my shiny new “traditions” and certain that this would be the best Lent ever! So how did it go, you ask? Well, I did attend Stations of the Cross this Lent – Once with my PRE kids at their Confirmation retreat (thanks Kim & Kelly) and it was beautiful and inspiring, but I didn’t make it with the kids on Friday. I did do a lot of personal soul searching, but did not succeed in getting the kids to cheerfully commit to devotion each day. I did a daily devotion myself (most days) but was not successful in praying the Rosary every day. I did succeed in going meatless and fasting the days the Church asks us to – house-wide even (yay!) Everyone went to Confession the mandatory ONE time during Lent and we didn’t miss a Sunday Mass, even while out of town for a cheer competition, but we sure didn’t attend EVERY Mass on Holy Week – just Holy Thursday @ St. Leo’s and Easter Sunday at home. Food traditions – HA I didn’t even cook on Easter Sunday, instead we had leftovers and an argument about how mean Daddy was for not springing for Chinese. So how did I do? In the great scheme of things, I think it WAS the Best Lent ever. Not because I am the most devout Catholic on the block, not because I am a great cook, not because I followed through on all of my ‘promises’ to myself, but because my kids know that FAITH is important to me and that it is important that THEY have Faith. My kids understand that Easter is more than cute fuzzy bunnies and eggs – it is the GIFT that our Lord and Savior gave us freely and willingly, that because His Divine Nature conquered death we are able to go to Heaven. What it all boils down to is I worked at improving the relationships between myself, my kids and Jesus and I think that I DID accomplish that and will continue to improve those relationships in the coming year.
Alleluia - He is Risen! God Bless - TK