Kids and Holiness: Making Lent Meaningful to Children

Catholic Educator's Resource Center/CERC ^ | 2001 | Cyndi Montanaro

[Salvation]

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Kids and Holiness: Making Lent Meaningful to Children    CYNDI MONTANARO

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How might we apply the three penitential principles of Lent (fasting, almsgiving, and prayer) to our school-age children's lives? What can we do to teach them (not force them) to do penance for the love of Christ?

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On Ash Wednesday, we heard Christ teaching his disciples how to do penance (Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18). He focused on three traditional areas for penance in Jewish life. These are fasting, almsgiving and prayer.

How to apply these principles to our school-age children's lives? What can we do to teach them (not force them) to do penance for the love of Christ?

FASTING

C. S. Lewis makes a very interesting point about gluttony in The Screwtape Letters. He points out other types of gluttony besides overeating.

These include being overly concerned about what, when and how we eat. For our children, this translates into refusing to eat anything but pizza and doughnuts, or, in the less extreme cases, into a strong dislike for vegetables.

Let's encourage our children, instead of doing the obvious, giving up sweets, to try to overcome one of their food aversions. Make sure they understand that this change should be from the heart, and should not be done grudgingly. If it is done well, it will be a true penance which will have a lasting benefit. Be sure they understand that it's not necessary to like the food, only to overcome their dislike of it enough to eat it. Because of our fallen human nature, we can't always control our likes and dislikes, and God doesn't expect this superhuman ability from us. He does expect us to bring obedience to the table.

ALMSIVING (Earning Money for the Poor)

All good Christians know that we must give money to the poor. But children don't earn any money. We may give them a few coins to put in the collection basket at church. But does this truly help them to understand the concept of almsgiving, or do they view it as just a game?

During Lent, most Catholic churches participate in Operation Rice Bowl. At the beginning of Lent, you probably received a small cardboard box with various scenes of third world destitution on it. You were asked to make little offerings on behalf of the hungry throughout the season.

This year, instead of simply giving your children money to put in the box, let them earn that money. Get several rolls of nickels, dimes or quarters from your local bank. Post a chart on your refrigerator listing amounts they will be "paid" if they do certain household chores. They might earn a nickel for emptying the dishwasher, or a dime if they do so before they are asked to. The older child, who has a paper route, or mows the neighbor's lawn each week should be encouraged to share his earnings with those less fortunate than himself.

PRAYER

Nearly every canonized saint who did not undergo a deathbed conversion, had an intimate prayer relationship with God. But how did they achieve it? Many saints, from their earliest years, were taught by their parents to pray. The prayers themselves may have been simple ones such as our "Angel of God" prayer, or the "Hail Mary." But the faith and attention with which these prayers are said make a tremendous difference to a child.

As parents, we encourage the development of our children's prayer life first and foremost through example. Let them see us praying often and with outward signs of piety. Don't assume that if you are slouched over in the pew your child will get the message that you are truly in love with Our Lord. The child is a very concrete person. Outward actions help him understand interior disposition (which he cannot see).

In addition to vocal prayer, the saints reached great heights of intimacy in mental prayer. While this may not have happened when they were children, the groundwork was often laid at an early age. Catholic meditation is based upon a mental picture. For example, one who is meditating on the crucifixion, forms a mental picture of that event, and then, striving to empty his mind of all distraction, concentrates the imagination.

This is a tall order for a third grader. A child often is not able to paint that mental picture. Here is where you, the parent, come in.

Take some time with your child, perhaps 15 minutes on a Sunday afternoon, and choose a mystery of the rosary. Take the child in your arms (your touch will help to focus his whole being on what you are saying), and describe to him a scene from the life of Christ. Then ask him what he thinks about when he puts this picture in his mind. Try and guide him toward a dialogue with Christ rather than simply with you. You might say to him, "What would you say to baby Jesus and his mother Mary if you saw them in Bethlehem?" If you can help your child to develop the habit of interior conversation, you will have gotten him on the road to sanctity.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Cyndi Montanaro. "Kids and Holiness: Making Lent Meaningful to Children." National Catholic Register (February 25 - March 3, 2001).

Reprinted by permission of the National Catholic Register. To subscribe to the National Catholic Register call 1-800-421-3230.

THE AUTHOR

Cyndi Montanaro is a free-lance writer from Stafford, Virginia.

[Salvation]

For your information................and pass the message on to your children!!!!!

[Salvation]

Lenten Family Ping!

Please notify me via Freepmail if you would like to be added to or removed from the Lenten Family Ping list.

[Salvation]

I have a hard copy of children's activities and will type in for each day.

Day 1 (March 5) -- I will try to be cheerful in school today.

[Gerish]

Great read with some very good ideas. At this time I am teaching my children the mysteries of the Rosary which gives new meaning to the word PATIENCE!

[Salvation]

**new meaning to the word PATIENCE!**

Being a parent has its blessings, doesn't it? LOL!

[nickcarraway]

BUMP

[SunnyUsa]

thanks so much for your post...and I'll look forward to your daily thoughts for lent to pass on to my CCD kids.

I did a presentation to my class early this week, and I have to say the kids seem to have a better appreciation of the meaning and tradition of Lent.

[Salvation]

Could you repost the article about pretzels over here?

[nickcarraway]

Lenten Pretzels

Fr. William Saunders

The pretzel has its origins as an official food of Lent. However, much of the information available is based on tradition that has been handed down through the ages. Nevertheless, the Vatican library actually has a manuscript illustrating one of the earliest pictures and descriptions of the pretzel (Manuscript Code no. 3867).

In the early Church, the Lenten abstinence and fasting laws were more strict than what the faithful practice today. Many areas of the Church abstained from all forms of meat and animal products, while others made exceptions for food like fish. For example, Pope St. Gregory (d. 604), writing to St. Augustine of Canterbury, issued the following rule: "We abstain from flesh, meat, and from all things that come from flesh, as milk, cheese and eggs." Second, the general rule was for a person to have one meal a day, in the evening or at three o’clock in the afternoon, and smaller snacks to maintain strength. So a need arose for a very simple food which would fulfill the abstinence and fasting laws.

According to pretzel maker Snyder’s of Hanover, a young monk in the early 600s in Italy was preparing a special Lenten bread of water, flour and salt. To remind his brother monks that Lent was a time of prayer, he rolled the bread dough in strips and then shaped each strip in the form of crossed arms, mimicking the then popular prayer position of folding one’s arms over each other on the chest. The bread was then baked as a soft bread, just like the big soft pretzels one can find today. (To be fair, some traditions date the story to even the 300s.)

Because these breads were shaped into the form of crossed arms, they were called bracellae, the Latin word for "little arms." From this word, the Germans derived the word bretzel which has since mutated to the familiar word pretzel.

Another possibility for the origins of the word pretzel is that the young monk gave these breads to children as a reward when they could recite their prayers. The Latin word pretiola means "little reward," from which pretzel could also be reasonably derived.

Apparently, this simple Lenten food became very popular. Pretzels were enjoyed by all people. They became a symbol of good luck, long life and prosperity. Interestingly, they were also a common food given to the poor and hungry. Not only were pretzels easy to give to someone in need, but also they were both a substantial food to satisfy the hunger and a spiritual reminder of God knowing a person’s needs and answering our prayers.

Another interesting story involving pretzels arises in the late 1500s, when the Ottoman Moslem Turks were besieging the city of Vienna, Austria. The Turks could not break the city’s defenses, so they began to tunnel below ground. The monks in the basement of the monastery were baking pretzels and heard the sound of digging. They alerted the guard and saved the city.

The soft pretzels eventually evolved into hard baked pretzels. Another story is that a young apprentice baker dozed off while tending to the oven where the pretzels were baking. The oven fire began to die out, he awoke, and then stoked up the oven. In the end, he over-baked the pretzels. At first the master baker was upset, but soon discovered that the hard pretzels were also delicious. These hard pretzels were less perishable than the soft, and thereby easy to have available to give to the poor and hungry.

Here we find another "fun" tradition of our faith, just like Easter eggs or hot cross buns. Actually, a good Lenten family activity would be to make pretzels, explaining to the children their significance. The real challenge for this author is to find some justification for adding beer to the Lenten pretzel tradition.

Lenten Pretzels

[SuziQ]

The prayers themselves may have been simple ones such as our "Angel of God" prayer, or the "Hail Mary."

We began saying a different one with our kids several years ago. Sir SuziQ got it from the Liturgy of the Hours. It is beautiful:

"Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake, and watch over us as we sleep. That awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in His Peace."

Our kids get an allowance, and in return are expected to do different chores around the house. We are having them tithe from that money.

[Dajjal]

Great story! Bumpus ad summum!

[SuziQ]

The real challenge for this author is to find some justification for adding beer to the Lenten pretzel tradition.

Well, monks along the route to the Holy Land sold beer to the Pilgrims when they stopped for food. There's your connection!

[SuziQ]

At this time I am teaching my children the mysteries of the Rosary which gives new meaning to the word PATIENCE!

We're doing one decade every night with our prayers. We're going to add the Luminous Mysteries this year.

[Salvation]

Thanks, Nick.

[Salvation]

**Our kids get an allowance, and in return are expected to do different chores around the house. We are having them tithe from that money.**

This is the way to teach Catholics tithing! If only all families would do it and follow through!

Unfortunately, it is an area in which I failed miserably as a parent.

[Salvation]

**Day 1 (March 5) -- I will try to be cheerful in school today.**

Day 2 (March 6) -- I will pray for someone in class whom I find hard to like.

[Salvation]

**Day 1 (March 5) -- I will try to be cheerful in school today.**

Day 2 (March 6) -- I will pray for someone in class whom I find hard to like.**

Day 3 (March 7) -- I will set the table (or help with dinner) tonight.

[Salvation]

**Day 1 (March 5) -- I will try to be cheerful in school today.**

Day 2 (March 6) -- I will pray for someone in class whom I find hard to like.

Day 3 (March 7) -- I will set the table (or help with dinner) tonight.**

Day 4 (March 8) -- I will help clean up my room today.

Catholic Family Ping!

Please notify me via Freepmail if you would like to be added to or removed from the Catholic Family Ping list.

[Salvation]

**Day 1 (March 5) -- I will try to be cheerful in school today.**

Day 2 (March 6) -- I will pray for someone in class whom I find hard to like.

Day 3 (March 7) -- I will set the table (or help with dinner) tonight.

Day 4 (March 8) -- I will help clean up my room today.**

First Sundayof Lent (March 9) -- Encourage each member of your family to bring a can of food for _____name of church_____ food pantry when you come to Mass today.

Catholic Family Ping!

Please notify me via Freepmail if you would like to be added to or removed from the Catholic Family Ping list.

[SunnyUsa]

Thanks so much for the ping (just got to reading all my posts)

I am going to use this with my CCD class - we had made a class chart, but I'm going to make them a weekly calendar to keep during Lent.