I’ve had some pretty stellar mom years, if I do say so myself. There were years when most of my time and energy could be spent focusing on the Liturgical Seasons, including Lent. We’ve made special table center pieces, baked homemade pretzels each week, said special Lenten family prayers, attended daily Mass and added Scripture reading. One year we made meatless dinners based on peasant food around the world while saving money for the missions. Another year, we ate only pre-prepared casseroles that I made prior to Lent.
Well, not this year. Five months into a slightly complicated pregnancy, I find running a business, teaching 3 times a week and homeschooling children who are requiring more chauffeuring than ever, leaves me little time for homemaking. Dragging my nauseous self out of bed for morning Mass seems like an impossibility, and once everyone is in bed and my work is done, I usually fall asleep before I get through the first mystery of a Rosary.
Some very compassionate confessors have kept me from getting weighed down with guilt. Instead, I must find ways to make Lent meaningful without spending extra time or energy. And so, we are practicing a Lent of substitutions. Instead of adding activities, we transform our existing activities in the Lenten spirit. In addition to the individual family members pledging sacrifices according to their age and ability, and extra giving to the poor, we go meatless 2-3 dinners a week, replace desserts with pretzels, and stick with simple, inexpensive foods. We keep protein bars and water bottles in the car to help avoid the drive-through.
Following the Holy Heroes suggestion, we have a bean jar where children can add beans to represent small sacrifices through the day. This is a simple way to encourage a spirit of sacrifice without a lot of time on Mom’s part. Occasional participation in special Lenten services like Stations of the Cross, daily Mass, and Penance Services along with pasta dinners, fish fries, and soup suppers at the parish round out our efforts.
Of course, our music program includes songs focusing on repentance and the Passion of the Lord. So, a simple change of CDs keeps our ears, minds, and souls in Lent.
No, it is not the most we’ve ever done, but the small daily changes help us to remember to offer up the busyness and discomforts of our daily life in the spirit of Lent. If you can do more, please do. I’m not trying to discourage you from stepping above and beyond. But if you can’t this year, don’t be discouraged either. There are many simple, little ways to make Lent meaningful and it is not too late to start!
“Time-less” ways to make Lent special:
Groceries: Skip desserts and grab a bag of pretzels. Go meatless 2-3 times a week (Some give up meat for all of Lent). It takes no extra time to throw a can of cannellini beans into your pasta instead of hamburger or sausage.
Simple, inexpensive meatless dinners:
- Meatless perogies bought in bulk
- Nachos with black beans and salsa
- Salad with beans, cheese and croutons
- Quesadillas
- Semi-homemade pizza on store-bought crust. Also good with carmelized onions and goat cheese.
- Quinoa with almonds and craisins, cooked in chicken broth (Broths are allowed.)
- Cuban or Mexican style beans and rice
- Pancakes, french toast, or eggs
- Vegetarian Chili or meatless soup with crackers, bread or grilled cheese
Music: Change out your home and car CDs or the radio for
- an audio rosary
- Gregorian Chant
- St. Matthew Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach
- Lamentations of Jeremiah by Thomas Tallis
- Music for Holy Week by the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge
- For younger children, of course, we have a Lenten CD which entwines Lenten-themed music with the fun children’s songs.
Additional resources:
- Holy Heroes offers a free online Lenten Adventure where children can watch short daily videos to help them learn and grow in Lent. That’s where we got the bean jar idea. The Easter Bunny replaces the beans with jelly beans! Shhh.
- Catholic Foodie is a great resource for simple Lenten recipes and ideas.
- Catholic Icing has wonderful crafts if you or the children have the time!
- Catholic Relief Services Operation Rice Bowl – international meatless recipes for Lent to help us save on groceries, build awareness and give to the poor.
- Catholic Mom is chock full of links to use with children of all ages during Lent.
- Making Music Praying Twice has Lenten activities that coordinate with our music curriculum.
