This Sunday is known as Palm or Passion Sunday, and it marks the beginning of Holy Week.  It is really important to prepare our families for this mass for several reasons:

1. There will be two gospels read, one at the beginning of mass with Jesus entering Jerusalem (with people waving palms) and the other during the Liturgy of the Word.
2. The gospel reading of Jesus' passion and crucifixion will be read and it will be long.  If children can follow along, it will be easier for them...well, for everyone!
3. As it is still Lent and the focus is on Jesus' passion and death, it is a solemn occasion.
4. Your children will be given a palm, which without any guidance, could will become a toy, a way to harass their sister, or an origami lesson.

I will hopefully remember to talk with my girls about what to do with the palms, which of course can be folded later...

There are also lots of great ways to prepare our kids for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter linked in the slideshow for this week.  I know my family is really anticipating them after all these weeks of Lent. :)

Catholic Family Meeting {Prep for 5th Sunday of Lent - Cycle B}

I cannot believe it is already the 5th Sunday of Lent!  I'm in a need of a little refocusing on my Lenten goals and putting God first, even when (or especially when) things get hectic.  

This week's readings explained very well by Loyola Press' website here, and all three readings are preparing us for Jesus' passion.  The gospel reading will definitely need some explanation for children (and of course, I needed it too!), as Jesus tells His disciples:

Does God really call us to hate our life?  

To children, this will be quite confusing.  What Jesus wants is for us to be detached from the things of this world.  He wants us to have an eternal perspective, and to put our love of God first.  

The awesome thing about this is that as you detach yourself from worldly things and cares, you come to love life even more.  

What a wonderful lesson to teach our children, especially if yours are like mine and have every creature comfort and live a very privileged life.  And I need to relearn this lesson everyday to keep myself from living the way of the world, attached to possessions, comforts, and even people.

Catholic Family Meeting {Prep for Fourth Sunday of Lent- Year B}

It's another busy week over here!  So...I'm going to be brief. 

This week's gospel is centered on John 3:16.  When I think of John 3:16, I think of...Tim Tebow

Because interestingly enough, this ^ on Tim Tebow's face was my first introduction to this scripture verse.  But what an awesome verse to know and remind ourselves of when life has become overwhelming.

My 6 year old daughter already has it memorized thanks to our family meeting in the fall when we read this same gospel reading and we sang along to the song (linked in this week's slideshow).  

This week's readings focus on God's greatest gift to us: Jesus.  The light of the world.  They are a reminder that God is merciful and forgiving.  All we have to do is ask, and we shall receive.

Catholic Family Meeting {Prep for Sunday, March 1}

"Then from the cloud came a voice,

'This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.'"

Mark 9:7

This week we prepare for the Second Sunday of Lent with the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus.  Can you imagine if you were at the Transfiguration?  With Jesus' clothes turning a brighter white than we can even imagine, seeing Moses and Elijah, and then God speaking... 

Sometimes I catch myself reading some of the events in the bible like a fairy tale rather than the most miraculous, shocking, and world-changing events that ever occurred.  I hope to convey the importance of examining and meditating on these events to my children in this week's family meeting, so that we may never be complacent or apathetic to all that Jesus did and continues to do for us.

Catholic Family Meeting {Prep for Sunday, February 22}

Lent has officially begun, and there is no better time than now to put God at the center of our lives.  My goal is to do my best to avoid distractions and spend more time in prayer and doing the things that will prepare my heart and soul for Easter.  If you haven't already, see what you and your family can do to make this a fruitful Lenten season.  

Good Friday for the Family

Good Friday is one of those days that does not get the recognition it should.  Probably because we enjoy the joyous occasions more than the suffering.  But what would spring be without winter?  What is the joy of the Resurrection on Easter without the sorrowful Crucifixion on Good Friday?  

The last few years, as I have grown in my understanding and appreciation of my Catholic faith, I have developed a love of this day.  

Happy Festives

To be quite frank, my family and most in our country are spoiled.  We don't know real hunger.  We don't know what it's like to live in constant fear or danger.  We don't go without the things we need, let alone many of the things we simply want.  This is a true blessing that is often taken for granted.  

On Good Friday, I am reminded of real suffering and sacrifice.  Fasting, abstaining from meat, and reflecting on Jesus' death on this day are ways that I can give up some of the comforts in my life to grow closer to God.

There is some great information about Good Friday here.  The following are ideas for having a reverent Good Friday with your family.

1.  Learn about Jesus' death.

Obviously the story of Jesus' death is a disturbing one, and it should be carefully considered what and how to share it with kids.  Grace (almost 5) knows pretty much all the details from the scouring at the pillar to the Crucifixion.  She has heard the story right from the bible, and she has seen a couple animated shows depicting the events.  I am careful that what I share with her is age-appropriate and isn't too graphic or scary.  However, some books seem to gloss over it a little too much, and I think that it's important for kids to understand the pain and sacrifice that Jesus went through for us.

One of the better videos I've seen is a short animated film called The Witness, which tells the story of Jesus' arrest, death, and Resurrection from the perspective of Barabbas (the murderer released instead of Jesus).  

But if it's already Good Friday, here is a good video and you don't have it, here is a better option.  It doesn't go through Jesus' arrest, scourging, or crowning of thorns, but it gives a good overview of Jesus carrying the cross and His death.

Good Friday Coloring Pages
9 Coloring Pages

Coloring pages, like these can also help kids better understand the events of the Lord's Passion.

2.  Pray the Stations of the Cross

The Stations of the Cross are depictions of Christ's journey carrying the cross to His Crucifixion.  Like me, you may have seen them along the walls at church and not known exactly what they were for (oops!).  

Most Catholic churches set aside time during Lent to pray the Stations of the Cross, especially on Good Friday.  Here are some resources for praying the Stations of the Cross with your family:

Stations of the Cross for Children Powerpoint by Loyola Press

 Audio Stations of the Cross by USCCB

Printable Stations of the Cross Book
CatholicMom.com

Printable Stations of the Cross Booklet
Catholic Playground

And here is a simple video Stations of the Cross, perfect for kids.

3.  Celebrate the Lord's Passion at church.

Interestingly enough, I just learned that the Celebration of the Lord's Passion service on Good Friday is technically not a mass.  It is unique in that the Eucharist is not celebrated (although Hosts consecrated on Holy Thursday are received), and it has a very solemn overtone, as Jesus' death is mourned.  The service begins and ends in silence, and also includes the Veneration of the Cross.  These are important details that I'll be sure to explain to Grace beforehand, so that she will understand what's happening and be more engaged.

4.  Focus on the cross.

Good Friday is a great time to focus on making the sign of the cross with young children.  Ada and Lucas (both 2) are starting to try to do it on their own.  Which is super cute.  Here's a very short little video from the Brother Francis series:



There are also some simple crucifix crafts that can be used as decorations throughout the year. 

Easter Cross Decoration
Sister-Dipity

Easy Foil Cross Craft
Mumma Made It

And Allison at Learn Play Imagine made my life easier by compiling a bunch of other cross crafts:

10 Cross Crafts for Kids
Learn Play Imagine

4.  Eat special foods.

Good Friday is a day of fasting and abstinence from meat for adults.  But there are also some special foods that could be eaten on this day.  

Hot Cross Buns are a European tradition, supposedly started by monks who gave them to the poor.  They have a cross on them to remind us of Jesus' Crucifixion.  There are plenty of more complicated recipes, but I'm going with this one from Pillsbury!  Because that's how I roll.

Crescent Hot Cross Buns
Pillsbury

I also like this idea for a symbolic lunch or snack from Catholic Icing.  It would be great to read the gospel reading for Good Friday as you explain each item.

Easter Story Lunch
Catholic Icing

 I hope that you and your family have a blessed Good Friday!

A simple and holy Holy Thursday!

So far this Holy Week I have been doing a lot of spring cleaning and working on my Lenten goals, as Easter is this Sunday!  Even though Grace has been home from school this week, I have to admit I don't feel like I've done enough with the kids for Holy Week, so I'm going to do the Easter Triduum right!  (That being Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday).  

Holy Thursday commemorates The Last Supper, where Jesus instituted the Eucharist and celebrated Passover with His disciples, on the day before His death.  Read more about Holy Thursday here. 

Here are some simple ideas I found for celebrated Holy Thursday with your family:

1.  Learn about the Last Supper.  

We will read about the Last Supper from our various Children's bibles.  There is also a simple reading here.  As Catholics, it is  important that any telling of the Last Supper is true to the bible and doesn't use phrasing, like "this is like my body"when discussing the Eucharist.  This wording leads the reader to believe Jesus was merely speaking of the bread and wine as symbols, and not His actual body and blood.

I also reviewed many Last Supper videos from YouTube before deciding on the one posted below.  Most of the videos exclude important parts of the story, like Jesus washing the disciples' feet or the institution of the Eucharist.  The whole thing is about 24 minutes long, but if you want the shortened version you can start around 14 minutes.

 

2.  Attend the Evening Mass of The Lord's Supper

Before mass, we will read the readings aloud as a family and discuss what we will see at mass.  It helps to explain in advance the ritual washing of the feet that takes place at mass and relate it to the gospel reading from John 13:1-15.

3.  Bake unleavened bread.

As He celebrated Passover, Jesus and His disciples would have eaten unleavened bread.  Here is a simple recipe that I plan to make tomorrow with the kids:

Unleavened Bread Recipe
Catholic Icing

4.  Color scenes from the Last Supper.

Print and color.  That is all!

Jesus Washes Feet Coloring Page
Coloring Book 4 Kids

Last Supper Coloring Page
Holy Bible Coloring

5.  Create a Holy Thursday craft.

I'm not going to lie, I probably won't get as far as crafts this year, but here are a couple that I might come back to next year!

Chalice and Eucharist Craft
Roses for Mommy

P.S. - Roses for Mommy looks like a pretty great little blog that I hadn't seen before.

Last Supper Craft
Catholic Icing

This one would be better for older kids, as it requires a lot of fine motor skills and cutting.  And if you haven't noticed already, Catholic Icing is pretty much awesome, and I should pretty much just forward everything she does there.  

Well I now feel a little more organized for Holy Thursday, and hopefully you have a few ideas, as well!

Lenten Planner for Adults

If you saw my post last week, Preparing for Lent With Kids, you may have seen this Lent planner designed for children ages 4 and up:

Lenten Planner for Kids
Click to print

After using it to plan Lent for Grace, my 4 year old, I decided that I liked it so much, I would make one for myself!  I actually prefer a checklist, so I made a modified one for adults, below.  I'm hoping that writing down my plans will help me stick to them!

CLICK HERE TO PRINT

If you would rather write in all your ideas, here is a blank Lenten plan:

CLICK HERE TO PRINT

I hope you and your family are grower closer to God this Lenten season.

Jessica

Preparing for Lent with Kids

Lent is actually one of my favorite parts of the year.  It sounds strange because we often think of Lent as a time of discomfort and sacrifice, as we give up vices and fast.  But I find Lent to be a great time to refocus my life on the Lord and become holier. 

Catholic Culture has this very informative Lenten Workshop, with links to information, activities, and prayers. 

As the girls are still so young, I haven't included them in many Lenten practices in the past.  But this year I want to start some traditions for our family that emphasize the importance of these 40 days before the joy and celebration of Easter.  

Lenten Calendar

Printable Lent Calendar
Catholic Icing

We used this printable Lent calendar from Catholic Icing last year, and it was a great way for Grace, who was 3, to track the 40 days and special feast days, like Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, etc.  All you have to do is print it out.  Pretty easy!  There is also this one from Holy Family Classical Academy.

Below are some other ideas for including kids in practicing Lent.  They are organized under the 6 principle works of Lent.

Principle Works of Lent

1.  Fasting

Children aren't obligated to fast during Lent, but they can fast in very minimal ways.  For example, they could give up special treats or drinks or not have dessert.  They could also focus on not complaining about meals.  This is one that Grace could definitely try!

2.  Prayer

Lenten Prayer Chain
Reasons to Praise God

As a family, we have prayer time before meals and bedtime, but Lent is a good time to add to those traditions.  We can add special Lenten intentions during our nightly prayers. 

Another idea, that I'm sure my kids will love, is to create a Lenten prayer chain, like the one to the right.  Simply cut out 40 strips and write a person to pray for on each one.  Then, staple into a circle and create a chain.  Each day, take off one link and say a special prayer for that person.  Mary from Reasons to Praise God also adds an Our Father and a Hail Mary for each petition.  Such a great idea!

As I was making our Lenten chain, I created this header using graphics from We Lived Happily Ever After.  

 CLICK HERE to print the 40 Days of Lent chain header.

Part of my own Lenten plan is to pray a rosary everyday.  Grace can pray the rosary with me using her own children's rosary, and it can be beneficial for the toddlers to hear prayers, even if they can't say them just yet. 

3.  Almsgiving

Almsgiving means charity, or giving of our money, time, or goods to others.  

As a family, we are starting an Almsgiving box to collect food, household items, toys, etc. to donate.  

As Pope Francis said in his Lenten message, "I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not hurt."  That means not just donating food we don't like or old happy meal toys.  Our acts of charity should require sacrifice and be a challenge.  

We also have a jar to save money as a family for a special charity.  If you want to do the same, Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities, and Heifer International are a few of my favorites.

If you'd like to print and use my Lenten Almsgiving labels, just click below:

Small label (for jars)
Large label (for boxes)

4.  Good Works

Good works can include charity, like helping someone or doing a good deed.  According to Catholic Culture, it also involves doing our regular duties to the best of our abilities.  As a mother, that means striving to be patient and calm with the children, and going about housework with a positive attitude, serving God through serving my family. 

For the children, this could mean not complaining, doing chores without being asked, or being kind to siblings.  It would probably be good for them to focus on just one, so that this does not become overwhelming.  

5.  Education

What better time than Lent to learn more about our faith?    

Lenten Adventure
Holy Heroes

We plan on reading bible stories from the Gospel that will culminate with Jesus' death and resurrection on Good Friday and Easter.  

Another fun, easy way for kids to learn during Lent is through Holy Heroes Lenten Adventure.  It is free!  All you have to do is sign up with your email, and you will receive 3 emails each week that provide activities and learning for each day of Lent.  I'm excited to try it this year. 

6.  Self-denial

Giving up something can test us, but it should also help purify our soul.  Keeping this in mind helps me stick to it, and get back on board if I happen to falter. 

For kids, self-denial could mean putting away a favorite toy for the period of Lent.  It could also be limiting or eliminating TV, video games, or time on the tablet or computer.  Kids could also choose to give up desserts or treats.  

It might be easier to hold everyone accountable by displaying their sacrifices, like the Lenten Sacrifice Garland below by Karen's Adventures in Mommyland.

Lenten Sacrifice Garland
Karen's Adventures in Mommyland

I always find it easier to stick to a plan if I write it down.  If you'd like to use the printable Lenten Plan worksheet I created

CLICK HERE

Have a peaceful and fruitful Lenten season!