What is Liturgical Living? 🌟
Have you ever heard the term "liturgical living" and wondered what it actually means? Well, you're in the right place! Let's dive into the wonderful world of liturgical living and see how it can bring your family's faith to life in everyday moments.
What is Liturgical Living? 🤔
Liturgical living is all about aligning your daily life with the rhythm of the Church's liturgical calendar. It means celebrating the feasts, fasts, and seasons of the Church year in your home, making your faith a vibrant part of your everyday routine. Think of it as syncing your family's life with the heartbeat of the Church!
Why Live Liturgically? 🌿
- Deepens Faith: By marking the special days and seasons of the Church, you help your family (especially the kiddos!) understand and live out their faith more fully.
- Builds Community: Liturgical living isn't just for your immediate family. It can bring you closer to your parish and Catholic community as you share and celebrate together.
- Creates Joyful Memories: Imagine the joy of family traditions that align with the Church calendar – like making a special treat for a saint's feast day or creating an Advent wreath together. These moments become cherished memories.
How to Start Living Liturgically 🏠
1. Mark the Big Seasons:
- Advent Christmas: Countdown to Christmas with an Advent calendar or wreath.
- Christmas: Celebrate all 12 days of Christmas with special prayers and activities.
- Lent: Participate in Lent by giving something up or adding a new prayer practice.
- Triduum: Pray the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday or attend services at your church.
- Easter: Celebrate Easter with a festive meal and joyful activities for the 50 days of the Easter season.
- Ordinary Time: Don't forget about Ordinary Time! It's the longest season in the church for a reason. 😉
2. Celebrate Feast Days:
- Saints' Feast Days: Learn about the saint of the day and do something fun to celebrate a few special days throughout the year. For example, bake pretzels on St. Joseph's Day or have a French-themed dinner for St. Thérèse of Lisieux.
- Marian Feasts: Honor Our Lady with flowers, special prayers, or by making a Marian-themed craft.
3. Incorporate Daily Prayer:
- Morning and Evening Prayers: Start and end your day with a simple prayer routine.
- Angelus or Regina Caeli (prayed during the Easter season): These short prayers at noon can be a beautiful way to pause and remember God in the middle of your day.
4. Decorate According to the Liturgical Seasons:
- Colors: Use the liturgical colors in your home décor – purple for Advent and Lent, white for Christmas and Easter, green for Ordinary Time, etc.
- Symbols: Display symbols that reflect the liturgical season, like an Advent wreath, a nativity scene, or Easter eggs.
Make It Fun and Personal! 🎨
Liturgical living isn't about being perfect – it's about making faith a joyful and natural part of your family's life. Get creative and make it your own! If your family loves music, incorporate liturgical hymns. If you enjoy crafts, make DIY decorations for feast days. The key is to find what resonates with your family and run with it.
How Catholic Family Crate Can Help 📦
Check out our amazing, FREE resource called "Building a Catholic Culture at Home". It's a step-by-step guide that breaks down how to start (or add more) liturgical living to your family's life in simple and actionable ways!
At Catholic Family Crate, we're all about making liturgical living easy and fun. Our crates are packed with activities, crafts, prayers, and goodies that help your family dive into the liturgical calendar. Each month, you'll find everything you need to celebrate the Church's rich traditions right at your doorstep.
Liturgical living transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary, bringing your family's faith to life in new and exciting ways. So, why not give it a try? Let's journey through the liturgical year together and discover the beauty of living our faith day by day.
Happy liturgical living, friends! 🌟
Until next time,
The Catholic Family Crate Team