Promises, promises

Do you have special ways to symbolize/remember promises that you make to each other?

A handshake or pinkie-swear, wedding rings, or some other symbol?

At mass this Sunday, we celebrate another big feast - such an important feast that we call it a 'solemnity'- the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. In other words, we celebrate the gift of the Eucharist.

You might think of the Eucharist as an important reminder of the promises Jesus made to us: to always be with us, to love us so much that he'd offer his own life for ours, to give us the strength to be just like him (serving and loving others). And we know that Jesus always keeps his promises.

This week, you might talk with your child(ren) about Jesus' real presence- both in this wonderful gift of the Eucharist and in them (and you) through their baptism. How does it feel to know that Jesus is always there for us, and loves us more than ANYbody? What's going on in your child's life that they might want to ask for Jesus to help them with? Do they know about the tabernacle in the church , that Jesus is present there in a special way- AND that Jesus is present everywhere, all the time, ready to help us be good?

Book discussion in Holly Springs

How about an evening out?

Next Tuesday, June 5, author and WRAL-TV reporter Amanda Lamb will be at Holly Springs Library to discuss her book "I Love You to God and Back".

This is a book that  celebrates and explores the spiritual bond between a parent and child following a yearlong journey through faith and parenting between a mother and her six-year-old as they share their love through prayer.

 If you'd like to attend this 7-8pm event, you need to register, and you may do that (and get more information by clicking on this Holly Springs Library Event link.

Pentecost in Two Minutes

Would you like to understand Pentecost (the feast we'll celebrate this Sunday) better, and be able to explain it to your child(ren)? Got two minutes to spare?  Please check out this video!

Pentecost in Two Minutes - Busted Halo

Oh- and how about wearing red to Mass this week, in honor of the Holy Spirit?!

Sign of the Cross

Ever wonder about making the sign of the cross? Read this brief article!

Here's a helpful article

Looking for some ideas for helping your children grow in their faith? Please read this article -- and then maybe you could leave a comment sharing something you found helpful in it?

Candles at your throat?!?!

You may see something unusual at the end of masses this weekend..... please click here to read about the Feast of St. Blase and the Blessing of Throats!

Epiphany

Please forgive me for being so absent on this blog these past few months... it's been a busy year so far!

Today is the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord, bringing us to the end of the Christmas Season.
The Gospel today is Matthew's familiar account of the magi (kings? wise men? astrologers?  It doesn't make too much difference what words you use; the point of the feast is that Jesus came for people all over the earth- and the ones 'wise' enough to recognize this and seek him out can't help but respond in worship, and leave a changed person). The gifts they bring- gold, frankincense and myrrh are symbolic: gold for Jesus' divinity, frankincense in recognition of his priestly mission of sacrifice and healing and myrrh for his mortality.

Do you have a manger scene in your home during the Christmas Season? When I was little, we'd start the kings out on the other side of the room from the creche, and move them closer each day until the big arrival on Epiphany! If you don't already, is there some way next year that you can celebrate the entire Christmas Season in your family?

For today, maybe you and your child(ren) could read the Gospel story and talk about what gifts each of YOU would bring to Jesus. Perhaps it's something tangible.. a toy they're willing to share, or a blanket to keep him warm, but I wonder if they have a 'gift' -- something they are good at, or some positive behavior, that can be connected to making Jesus happy by our good use of what God has given us in the first place?