By Susan Ciancio
May is the month of Mary—a month dedicated to building our relationship with our spiritual mother and allowing our devotion to her to bring us closer to her Son.
Mary’s yes—her fiat—changed the world. Not only did she say yes to God at the Annunciation, but she said yes to God throughout her life. This is why she is the model of a perfect mother. When Christ gave Mary to St. John, He gave her to all of us. And so we look to her for strength, for compassion, for guidance, and for her intercession.
We have countless opportunities throughout our days to follow Mary’s example and say yes to God. Whether that yes answers something as minor as holding our tongues when we could say something unkind, whether it’s something major like adopting a child, or whether it’s anything in between, God cherishes every yes we give Him, as they are all signs of our love.
As we learn to say yes in our own lives, we must also teach our children to say yes. We do this through our daily examples. To help you with ideas, we have seven helpful suggestions for how you can say yes to God in your home so you can build that foundation of faith for your children and serve as the example they so desperately need.
1. Say yes to family prayer time.
As Fr. Patrick Peyton used to say, “The family that prays together stays together.” Make prayer time a part of your family’s night. Turn off the TV, put away the phones, and find a cozy place to gather the family. You could pray the rosary, a decade of the rosary, or simply say some prayers for special intentions. Make sure that you add in prayers of thanksgiving and praise, as it’s vital for children to understand that prayer isn’t just about asking for things. Have your children list blessings from their day, even small ones. Talk about answered prayers and explain that sometimes God says “no” or “not yet” and that these answers don’t mean He doesn’t love us.
2. Say yes to learning about Christ and His Church together.
No one is ever too old to learn something new about the Church that Christ founded. Grab a new book or some CLSP lessons (they are easily done at home!) and learn as a family.
3. Say yes to acts of kindness.
It’s very easy to tell children to be kind to others. But they internalize this lesson when you live that kindness as a family. Let them help you help others by buying groceries for a food drive or pantry, by purchasing gifts for the needy at Christmastime, by serving meals in a shelter, or by helping the single mom or elderly neighbor who lives nearby. These acts of kindness will teach children that they can make a difference in the world and that their actions matter to others.
4. Say yes to Adoration.
Teaching children to sit quietly and pray, even for just 10 minutes when they are young, is an important practice to instill. But sitting quietly in Adoration on a regular basis offers peace and builds a relationship with God. Explain to your children that the Eucharist in the monstrance is truly Jesus and that they get to gaze upon Him. What a gift! Showing your excitement for this form of prayer will allow them to get excited as well.
5. Say yes to the saints.
It’s hard to keep kids from wanting to emulate pop stars or TV personalities. But the more positive influences we introduce into their lives, the more they will be able to build their moral courage. Reading stories of saints aloud and then discussing them will help kids learn how to act in varied situations.
6. Say yes to prioritizing Mass.
Make Mass an integral part of your week. Teach your children to become excited by going so that they eventually learn to think “I get to go to Mass” rather than “I have to go to Mass.” There are plenty of online videos explaining the parts of the Mass and why we do certain things. Sit down and watch together so they know. This will help them feel more of a part of the Mass. Make it a point to never skip Mass, even when you’re out of town.
7. Say yes to confession.
Take your children to confession regularly. Let them see you go. Help them do an examination of conscience. This is a good time to review the Ten Commandments and to explain how to follow each one. This is also a good time to review the Act of Contrition.
Our most important job as parents is to teach our children the faith and to help them get to heaven. What they do with the foundation we provide is ultimately up to them, but we must provide that foundation. Giving daily yeses to God is a crucial place to start.
