Lent is a time of spiritual reflection and sacrifice for many Christians around the world. It is a time to reflect on one's relationship with God and to make changes in one's life that bring them closer to Him. As an interfaith family, my husband and I have found that celebrating Lent together has been an enriching experience for our family.

Although I am not Catholic, I have come to appreciate the significance of this season and have found ways to participate in Lenten traditions with my husband and our children. Here are some of the ways that our family celebrates Lent together:

Attend Ash Wednesday services:

The season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of a 40-day period of fasting and repentance. Our family attend Mass on this day, and we receive ashes on our foreheads as a symbol of our mortality and our need for God's grace. I can’t believe how big Hen is, she participated and listened to the message. Lena rubbed her ashes off before she got back to her seat and James rocked his ashes all the way until bedtime.

Give up something for Lent:

One of the most well-known traditions of Lent is giving up something that you enjoy as a form of sacrifice. Our family has made a commitment to give up something that we enjoy as a family, fast food. We also encourage our children to give up something that they enjoy individually. It’s been a struggle and we aren’t even a week in!!

Attend Stations of the Cross:

The Stations of the Cross are a series of 14 images or sculptures that depict Jesus' journey to his crucifixion. In the past our family attended these services together, which are held on Fridays during Lent. It is a solemn and reflective experience that helps us to better understand the sacrifices that Jesus made for us. With the wild card in our family we haven’t attended in years.

Donate to charity:

Lent is also a time to give to those in need. Our family chooses a organization to support during Lent and makes a donation. We also encourage our children to donate some of their allowance money to charity as well. Lena wants to make pictures in lieu of donations.

Read Bible stories together:

During Lent, we make an effort to read Bible stories together as a family. We choose a book or chapter to read and discuss its meaning and relevance to our lives. The Shining Light Dolls has the best FREE printable for Catholic Children they even have a podcast. You can check them out here.

Celebrating Lent as a family has brought us closer together and has helped us to deepen our faith as individuals and as a family unit. It has also taught our children the importance of sacrifice, giving, and reflection. Whether you are Catholic or not, there are many ways to participate in Lenten traditions as a family and to make this season a meaningful and enriching experience for everyone.

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