Taking time to make our home a more prayerful place can impact our family culture and make life much less stressful. For example, many of us need to reduce the stress of returning to school and the unrealistic expectations we place on ourselves from our current culture. As I prepare to send two children off to college,  another off to high school, and two more off to Catholic grade school, I can see that I can easily get worried if I have gotten them all the right “stuff”. I forget that I need to keep it all in perspective. 

Most of us are used to having faith experiences on retreats, at conferences, or away from our homes. Instead, we must reconsider giving our home back to Jesus when focusing on a spiritual makeover in our homes. 

• Attitude Check: 

 If you are preparing children to head back to school, let’s do it with faith in our hearts, peace in our homes, and welcome the joy of the Kingdom. Gratitude to the Lord is the first and most important attitude. St. Margaret Mary said, “Above all, I beg you to be always lighthearted, joyful, and happy, for this is the true mark of the Spirit of God… Do not be uneasy or anxious but do all things with liberty of mind and in the presence of God”. 

• Take Spiritual Baby Steps in Prayer:

Think of it like this, Jesus wants to rearrange the furniture of our home spiritually. He wants to reveal to us the areas we need to change. He wants us as a family to grow closer to Him by encountering the love of Christ, right in our home. Some of us need to step back and prayerfully consider how we are parenting and witnessing God’s love to our family. 

For example, I can still recall when my parents made family prayer and our Catholic faith a new priority outside of Sunday Mass; from that decision, our family changed. That was over 40 years ago, but I still, to this day, remember the transformation. 

*If you are not attending Holy Mass consistently, that is a great place to start!

Now that I am a parent, my husband and I play a critical role in helping our children encounter the faith and have a peaceful, joyful, and welcoming home. Every one of us has areas we need to give to Christ to experience the freedom of the Gospel. I recall kneeling well over ten years ago and asking God for new graces to live out my vocation. Through prayer and humility, He can really work. In my book Holy Habits from the Sacred Heart, I share a significant moment many years ago when I “gave Jesus back my marriage, children, and future” and realized that I had to let go of control and allow Him to work. 

• Take an inner glance- at what is going on in your heart.

    Do you feel burned out and exhausted? Jesus tells us, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,  and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden light.” (Matthew 11: 28-30). Ask for help, assess your heart, and allow Jesus to be the source of your joy and love. Allow Him to remove the counterfeits to love. 

• Have Holy Stop Signs in Your House: I suggest you place an image of the Sacred Heart in your home. Allow Jesus to be the king of your heart and home.

   Display the Sacred Heart in your home, for His love is the key to living out a vibrant faith. Welcome the reign of God into your dwelling place. It is a powerful way to bring spiritual awakening to a family and impact others. You can learn more about enthroning the Sacred Heart in your home and building a convent of love with Christ by visiting www.welcomeHisHeart.com.Let us recall the words God shared to the Israelites in Det. 6:, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength. We are invited to place this message in on our doorposts, in our house as a reminder.  We can have holy images right in our homes to serve as reminders.

• Jesus loves you!

  Remind the children and your family that God loves them! They are sons and daughters of God, and they are wonderfully made. I do a simple cross on their forehead before they head off to school and share how I love them and how much the Lord loves them as well. “If we are who we are supposed to be, we will set the world on fire with the Love of Christ”. – St. Catherine of Siena.

Lastly, Let’s remember that sin is ugly; sin leads to pain and suffering. Take those baby steps to grow closer to Jesus and rediscover the significance of our Catholic faith. Our faith in Christ should permeate every aspect of our life.