Connect What Happens at Sunday Mass to Everyday Life in the Home
PRINTABLE VERSION
He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’”
Be sure to allow plenty of time for each family member to participate and be heard before moving onto the next question.
Reminder to: *use and recognize the sacrifices of your family members with the sacrifice jar *say the family prayer *make it to Confession once during Lent
A Rosy Feast!
Laetare (lay-TAR-ay) Sunday is a special little day of rejoicing in the middle of Lent. Although it may feel odd to do so, it is a day to feast and rejoice! On Laetare Sunday, enjoy a real feast with your family for one meal. Plan ahead, allowing each family member to contribute ideas when possible to make it extra special.
It is an old tradition on Laetare Sunday to visit or talk about one’s “mother church,” the church at which one was baptized. During this feast, display your family’s baptismal candles and reminisce about any memories from their baptisms. *Bonus: Visit the church(es) of each/some of the family member’s baptisms!
It is also traditional to adorn the altar at Mass with roses on Laetare Sunday. Prior to your Sunday feast, create roses to adorn your kitchen table or baptismal candles. Here are a variety of ways to create roses that may serve children of a variety of ages and abilities.
Freehand Rose - Draw and design a rose yourself, using whatever art supplies you have at home.
Playdough Rose - Create a rose out of playdough or clay.
Purchase real roses and allow child(ren) to pull apart the pedals and decorate the table or glue them to a paper however they would like.
Mosaic Rose – Video | Instructions
Pipe Cleaner Rose Ring – Video | Instructions
Rolled Paper Rose – Video | Instructions
Once these roses are created, using whatever method(s) you chose, use them to adorn, or decorate, your kitchen table for your Laetare Sunday feast. During your family prayer today, each child will choose a rose to move to your sacred space. This will help you to remember to rejoice in your heart that Lent is coming to a close, and all that Jesus has to offer when we reach Easter Sunday!
Light a candle, and gather near your sacred space, if possible.
Father, we remember to rejoice together today. Each of us will share a way that we rejoice with You today, as we place one of our special roses in this sacred space.
Place a rose in your sacred space and say: Father, I rejoice with You because __________.
Allow each family member to do the same.
Amen.
3501 South Lake Drive St. Francis, WI 53235