As a new mom many years ago, I realized the importance, impact and grandeur of getting in the right mindset to find the most meaningful Catholic traditions. We were starting our own family, and we wanted to make sure that we were intentional about living our faith. Little by little Liturgical Living was forming and growing in our family. As a military family, we have been so incredibly blessed to make many incredible, faithful and inspirational friends along the way in each state and community! Getting to experience what we call several lifetimes of experiences and friends, I feel like we are all called to share the Lord with others. This is a way in which I can do that!
I read “Building Better Families” by the wonderful Matthew Kelly! There was 1 major thing I got out of this book as I was reading it when our first child was a baby. That “parenting” isn’t enough. We must parent towards something. We must have a family motto and go back to it in each decision. I would imagine that a Christian family is parenting for heaven, and so therefore all decisions would try and lead someone towards doing what is holy. We are the “leaders” of our children. Like leaders in this world, they are all leading towards a goal, whether it is freedom, communism, or all in between. As Christin parents, we lead with the goal of getting ourselves and our children into heaven. What does that look like? It looks consistent. It looks holy. It looks pleasing to God. Also, it looks counter cultural these days, so we need to anchor ourselves in Christ for His strength to sometimes be what others would call so radical!...so radically in love with God!
Take Christmas for example. I think about how there is such a large percentage of adults that get depression around the holidays. I feel so certain that much of it has to do with the fact that they were given this false reality from the beginning of their memories. Christmas was about awaiting the coming of Santa. Be good for Santa. In so many ways, Santa has become God like. I know this sounds like a radical stance, but as a society our faith and reverence has been on a major decline, and anything to make a difference to get out of the pagan ways that do not foster belief and reverence in our Lord is a bonus. Given the 2 options, do the pagan thing, or tell your kids that Jesus’s Birthday is the biggest party of the year where everyone gets presents and is the most important birthday to celebrate. Advent is a countdown to the best birthday party! These truths can foster humility and love for our Lord… that the world does not revolve around your child, and that Jesus is more important than them! Then from the very beginning we give them the full truth! The countdown to the biggest and best birthday party of the year is super exciting! This sounds so countercultural, and it is. Our culture is pagan. Christmas has become a pagan holiday glorifying Santa and winter wonderland and it has lost its meaning in the world. When we open our eyes to how the world has capitalized on this in a major way and taken it as their own and taken Jesus out of it, that is something to be alarmed about. That is something that needs to be changed, if raising our children to be faithful is important, then we need to put Jesus back into all the things where He has been sidelined in big way to counteract this. To be more than just a Christian, but rather a Christian in every aspect of our lives, is rather countercultural, so it takes strength, convictions, and literally living for God, and not for others. When we live to impress others, we have a difficult time living for God. When we care what others think, then others sway what we do, and so our souls are swayed. However, if we do all for God, meaning, trying to always do the right thing according to God’s ways, then we can live knowing that we have the ultimate approval, His approval and nothing tops that for feeling satisfied with a content heart and mind. So, who and what are we living for. If everything points to God, then heaven.
I love to read spiritual books, and I read a lot! Years ago, I read “Discovering God Together, The guide to Raising Faithful Kids” by Dr. Gregory & Lisa Popcak. I read something that changed me forever that I had never really seen in writing before. I read that often we make living and practicing the faith ridged, and this turns kids…and anyone off. This made me rethink how to live the faith. Faith should be refreshing, joyful, loving, and capturing all those feelings of God our creator, purity, beauty and love. I realized that many of my feelings of living liturgically felt ridged at times, and I was so refreshed to get out of that and let my creativity and the talents God gave me be given back to him and others to glorify Him, and what a gift it has been for the family. I am so excited to share Liturgical Living with you, and so much more as I am always adding! God Bless.
