This is what it's all about

Some years, simply being a family takes priority over being extra liturgically-minded. There are babies and young children who need to go to bed at predictable, early hours. The long church services are simply too much for them.

Dying eggs on Holy Thursday morning

But isn't our faith learned first and foremost in the domestic church anyway?

Lamb chops and grape juice for Holy Thursday dinner

Around the kitchen table, where food is prepared lovingly and conversations take place?

Especially at so young an age,

Making paschal candles

the faith must be "caught", not taught.

So we spruce up our homes, as best as we can

Our new "little oratory" in the living room

And don our most handsome attire for the one Mass we can all attend together.

(Although this almost-six-year-old made it to the 2.5 hour long Vigil {which he slept through in its entirety}. He was so proud to go out just with Daddy.)

The chocolate and fancy food and make-do decor from the non-crafty mom hopefully tell them something wonderful has happened.

When your sweet children tell you during Holy Week that they are so happy Lent is almost over, and you wince, because maybe they have caught on to your own attitude of slogging-through, you pause. Because maybe, just maybe, in the next breath they will tell you "because I can't wait to sing my favourite Easter hymns!"

Because that's what it's all about, for me:

Having confidence that something really is being communicated to them.

Instead of worrying about how best to teach them their faith,

I need to remember that they are my most sincere catechists. 

As I have said before, we may be busy now that we are outnumbered,

but at least we are outnumbered by saints.