LENT - Following Jesus
Faithful Families
Resources for Lent
Lent is a time to engage with God at a new level and to stretch our spiritual wings, to try out new ways of praying and to serve others in Jesus’ name. One way to do this is to commit ourselves to keeping one or more Lenten disciplines. The most familiar is giving something up for lent (often a favorite food). However, success tends to breed smugness and failure a sense of worthlessness. There are also disciplines that help us build up – like practicing a musical instrument. It is more in keeping with the spirit of Lent to give ourselves up to something for Lent. We can commit to reading the bible or trying out new prayer practices. The goal is to do something that will remind us of what God values and make us more the people God created us to be. Here are some ideas:
Lent is a time to engage with God at a new level and to stretch our spiritual wings, to try out new ways of praying and to serve others in Jesus’ name. One way to do this is to commit ourselves to keeping one or more Lenten disciplines. The most familiar is giving something up for lent (often a favorite food). However, success tends to breed smugness and failure a sense of worthlessness. There are also disciplines that help us build up – like practicing a musical instrument. It is more in keeping with the spirit of Lent to give ourselves up to something for Lent. We can commit to reading the bible or trying out new prayer practices. The goal is to do something that will remind us of what God values and make us more the people God created us to be. Here are some ideas:
- Add a new dimension to your family’s prayer life - learn a new prayer (some ideas here)
- At bedtime, talk about things that were “glad” and “sad” and offer them to God
- Create a Lenten Prayer Space at home (ideas here)
- Spend time reading together (list of books here)
- Read the psalm or gospel appointed for the week (find links here)
- Give up dessert for a week and donate the money you would have spent to a food bank
- Take care of creation by creating less trash or picking up trash in a park
- Invite a lonely person so do something with your family
- Share what you have – clean up toys no longer used and donate them
- Surprise someone with a card or a homemade treat
Having regular faith practices, that families do together at home, is one of the most important gifts that parents can give their children. Mealtime prayers, bedtime prayers, special Advent and Lenten programs, reading books together and talking about where you see God in the story - any or all of these "count." Our friends at Building Faith (Virginia Theological Seminary) have published an outstanding collection of faith practices for home; experiment, to find the one that comes most naturally to your family. Any of these may seem awkward at first, but will be less so with practice.