The other day we reorganized our junk drawer. We were forced into it by the fact that it no longer closed. Or if it did, it wouldn’t open again! In that fertile breeding ground, commonly used household tools and office supplies seem to proliferate at will. Where do they all come from?
What a funny and appropriate image to contemplate during Lent, this time of spiritual decluttering, of tending to the messy, jammed-up junk drawers of our soul. And as we contemplate our Household Economy in the third week of the month, we are noticing how appropriate it is that this time of spiritual housecleaning arrives just as we begin to contemplate spring cleaning of our home.
The days are noticeably lengthening and we are starting to make plans to come out of hibernation and move towards Easter, spring and summer events and vacations. And we must clear away the dead or cluttered parts of our lives to prepare for new growth!
How wonderful then that, as we begin to tend more to our household environment, it doesn’t have to be separate from our Lenten resolutions. In fact, these little jobs around the house can be prayerful and practical ways to have a Lenten win-win: by both improving our family’s Level 3 “communion,” and by reminding ourselves of what Lent can be doing for us spiritually.
If you get “stuck” this Lent (yes, less than a week in and we’ve already been there), try getting unstuck by cleaning a junk drawer or tackling a decluttering project. But don’t do it just to do it. Do it with a spiritual intention and a prayer, such as:
“Lord, even as I attempt to organize this simple drawer, please give me the grace to reorder my life in you anew and draw closer to you this Lent. Help me to put first things first. Help me to invite the order and tranquility of your love into the messiness and seeming chaos of my life. Lord, prepare me for Easter, for new life, and allow me to surrender to you.”
When our junk drawer project was finished an hour later, everyone commented. “The drawer doesn’t jam!” “It’s so nice!” It lightened the entire household. In a seemingly trivial yet substantive way, our care for one another took a step forward.
This Lent, resolve to find real-life places in your physical household where you can make a small dent…and in the process, recharge your key Lenten resolutions.
> Our newly-released Heaven in Your Home Letters & Guide ($24.99 on Amazon) can inspire you any time of the year…but if you get it before next Monday, you can still read one of the 5 chapters for each week of Lent from Feb. 26 to Easter Sunday. This Lenten companion can inspire and equip you to lead your family spiritually.
> To get a first-hand glimpse of how Heaven in Your Home Letters & Guide can inspire your family, read Caitlin Bootsma’s review in Aleteia, “Yes, You Really Can Have Heaven in Your Home.”
> “Raising Catholic Kids: New Study Suggests What Successful Parents Have in Common” (Catholic News Agency) includes this great point by Dr. Greg Popcak, “Family dinners are an opportunity to create communion through communication.”
> “Wanted: Empathic Witness” is our currently featured blog piece at the U.S. Conference of Catholics Bishops’ For Your Marriage site.
> Book signing this Saturday in Ashburn, VA! Soren and Ever are looking forward to visiting the St. Theresa’s Trinity House Community Group this Saturday and to signing copies of their newly-released Heaven in Your Home Letters & Guide! They’ll sign books during the 6:30-7 pm dinner part of the evening in the school cafeteria. The regularly-scheduled Heaven in Your Home Gathering at St. Theresa’s is from 6:30-8:30. You can learn more and RSVP here.
> Mark your calendars and bring your entire family to enjoy one of the many upcoming Trinity House Community Gatherings, including: Sacred Heart in Manassas on Sat., March 9th, 6:30 pm (learn more here); St. Veronica in Chantilly on Sat., March 9th, 6:00 pm; St. John the Apostle in Leesburg on Sat., March 16th, 6:30 pm; Christ the Redeemer in Sterling on Sat., March 16, 11:15 am (Spanish) and 6:45 pm (English).
> We are honored to be giving the upcoming “Full of Faith: Your Marriage Is Hallowed Ground” day-long retreat for married couples on Apr. 13th at St. Bridget’s in Berryville, VA. Invest in your marriage by setting this time aside to grow closer to one another and to our Lord! Reserve your spot here.
> Curious about starting a Trinity House Community Group in your parish this fall? Learn more here and schedule a 15-minute call/zoom with our team here. For just $499, your parish can access all the tools needed to host 5 transformative Gatherings for families, including videos, discussion questions, marketing templates, catechetical resources, ongoing support, and more.
“I think every parent can benefit from this book… And if you’re worried that you’re ‘too late’ to live out the Trinity House in your own family, the Johnsons know from experience that it’s possible to ‘retrofit’ your family life. At the end of the book, you’ll find a toolkit that enables the wisdom of this book to really come alive in your own marriage and family.”
– Caitlin Bootsma, Author of Detective Thomas and the Biggest Question
