DREAM of heaven in your home…
Dear Friend,
“There are no shortcuts in the spiritual life,” we once heard, “except suffering and miracles.” Since few choose suffering and miracles are out of our control, our family’s spiritual life is more similar to the long, patient way a tree grows. Grace builds on nature, and nature can’t be fast-forwarded. Well, except maybe in one instance.
When it comes to building Level 1—Faith Life—of our Trinity Houses, there may be just one additional shortcut for our families: regular confession.
It’s so easy for us as a family to slip into a patchwork approach to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The weeks rush past, our consciences become clouded by our busyness and sins, and pretty soon we’re asking, “When was our last confession?”
On our way out of the parking lot from a recent weeknight confession, we asked the kids, “Ice cream, anyone?” The chorus of voices was unanimous. Buoyed by the grace of the sacrament and yes, by the sugar, the kids were soon laughing as they vied to share funny stories.
And the spiritual momentum lasted longer than the sugar high. Every Catholic parent should remember how there’s a freshness in the air in the days following confession. Family prayer and little acts of kindness are easier. Good things happen.
If only we could back up and be more disciplined over the years! Because the fact is, we so often missed this chance to encounter God’s mercy for months at a time, and everything became harder as a result. Now, with a monthly schedule, we regularly experience this divine gift that lightens all our burdens.
The sacramental graces of Eucharist and Confession fuel the very life of our Trinity House. When we prioritize regular confession, the family members have a near-simultaneous encounter with Christ’s mercy that blesses them in unmistakable ways.
With lighter schedules this summer, perhaps it’s the perfect time for our families to build or rebuild this spiritual discipline. Yes, grace builds on nature. And maybe we shouldn’t be looking for spiritual shortcuts. But when it comes to you as a parent taking the spiritual lead and inviting your entire family to confession, look out.
As you’ll see in the hours and days after that confession, a big influx of grace is building on a whole lot of nature
BUILD your own Trinity House…
> In “Celebrating Reconciliation with Kids: 9 Ways to Get Into the Habit” (Teaching Catholic Kids), Jerry Windley-Daoust offers helpful tips and talking points for common objections.
> Solid examinations of conscience are so important. Here are 6 various examinations compiled by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, a “Confession Guide for Children” (National Catholic Register), and an examination (PDF here) for adults from the Knights of Columbus.
> In “The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation” (USCCB.org), Fr. Joseph White, O.P. offers a basic overview of the sacrament as well as a good “family examination of conscience.” [More Faith Life Tools…]
SHARE heaven, spread renewal…
> On July 4th, we hosted Ever’s parents, John and Ever Horan. Thankfully, her dad kept up his tradition of reading the Declaration of Independence aloud (as we described in a recent post)—this time to nearly 20 of his grandchildren. True to form, he *almost* made it to the end without choking up. Here’s the voice recording we made:
> In “The Abyss and the Gift” in the current issue of the Arlington Catholic Herald, Soren reflects on two remarkable questions that the actor Anthony Hopkins heard 45 years ago — and how they can touch us today.
> Stay tuned! We’re getting closer to our launch of the Heaven in Your Home Workshop online. We can’t wait to share this transformative workshop with you in a video format that will allow you to access it on your own time.
What People Say…
— Rob B, Yelp Review for Trinity House Cafe
