Don’t you find the summer months a wonderful time to catch up on your reading? I once stumbled upon a book written by St. Alphonsus Liguori, who is a Doctor of a Church. It had me on the edge of my seat. I know summer can get busy with trips to the waterpark, cottage and zoo, but try to create some spiritual time for your kids. There are many ways to make faith a dynamic and fun experience.
For instance, why not take your kids to a weekday Mass at the closest cathedral or basilica? We like to go to St. Michael’s Cathedral in downtown Toronto and then to the nearby Eaton’s Centre for ice cream.
Or how about renting a saints’ movie and inviting a few friends over for popcorn and goodies? Or stock up on some good spiritual books for the family. Summer is also a great time to visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament with your children. Short visits are better than no visits at all.
We live in a time that seems to focus on meeting selfish needs, but it’s a paradox that we often become obsessed with every need except our real need to abide in Christ, to beg Him for graces, to discern His will. We should take time each summer to ensure we are meeting the spiritual needs of our children.
A place to start is by picking up the catechism or Bible and reading it to them. Or perhaps you could gather up toys and, with your children, take them to a charity that can distribute them to the poor. Every effort we make to live the faith, to give our children real examples of how we ourselves are the real deal, will leave us blessed beyond belief.
Dorothy Pilarski is the founder of Dynamic Women of Faith, author, Catholic radio host, motivational speaker, blogger, guest columnist with the Catholic Register and a facilitator on Salt + Light TV. www.dorothypilarski.com
