As Catholic homeschool moms, we take great pains to ensure that our children are well-catechized and formed in the faith. We fill our homes with seen and unseen devotions to Christ and His Church. Yet there is an important piece of this home catechesis that we often (unintentionally) underplay: catechesis and the liturgy.
Catechesis and the Liturgy
As the primary catechists of our children, we are called to teach from and toward the liturgy. All of our catechetical efforts derive from sacramental grace and the lived teaching of the Church.
Catechesis is intrinsically connected to the liturgy because the liturgy is "the privileged place for catechizing the People of God. 'Catechesis is intrinsically linked with the whole of liturgical and sacramental activity, for it is in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist, that Christ Jesus works in fullness for the transformation of men.'" (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1074, emphasis added).
If the end goal of catechesis is communion with Christ, and the sacraments makes that union a reality, then every bit of our catechesis must be aimed at cultivating, expanding, and deepening that union.
In His characteristic generosity, the Lord also supplies in abundance the grace we need to catechize our children through our own participation in the Sacraments.
"...the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows." -Sacrosanctum Concilium 10
So what does this teaching from and toward the liturgy look like in our Catholic home education?
How to Teach From and Toward the Liturgy
So what does this teaching from and toward the liturgy look like in our Catholic home education?
Live Sacramentally
First, by virtue of simply going to Mass with your children and taking them to Confession. You are bringing them close to the Heart of God in His Church, and that will bear fruit into their entire lives.
Celebrate Sacramental Grace
You can extend the first step by celebrating Baptismal feast days, Confirmation anniversaries, patron Saint feast days, and the liturgical seasons of the Church. Living in rhythm with the Church year allows the child to see that their days and the work of their hands flow from and toward the Mysteries of their Faith.
Our Catholic Student Liturgical Planner is a terrific way for them to anchor the activity of their day with prayer and weave feast days and facts through their weeks!
Teach them about the Liturgy
Finally, you can help them understand the liturgy and Sacraments more and more as they mature. Teach them what we believe about the Sacraments and sacramental grace. Talk to them about how that's lived practically in our lives as Catholics. Remind them that Sunday Mass is what will feed and fuel them for the week ahead, every week of their lives.
Our study on the Mass is perfect for this, as it walks through the what and why of each part of the Mass. We also deep dive the Sacraments in each of our full-year resources.
An Abundance of Grace for the Work
Our work as primary catechists of our children is inextricably connected to the liturgy. All of our teaching must direct our children to Christ and the grace He offers us in the Sacraments. All the good work we do for the Lord must be offered back to Him at Mass (remember the Offertory!).
Simultaneously, we simply cannot do this apart from the grace we receive through the Sacraments. As we receive Holy Communion each Sunday, let us beg God within us for the graces necessary to do the work He has called us to in the coming week.
As we teach toward and from the liturgy, watch what fruit grows in your soul!
Ready to dive deeper?
Here are 4 ways to fill your nets...
1. Memorize Bible verses with your children easily with our FREE guide: Stocking the Storehouses
2. Make your dreams of family prayer a reality with The Daily Feast framework, making it possible in just a few minutes a day. This free guide shows you how.
3. Want to steward your own prayer life? Check out this Scripture prayer journal we made just for you.
4. Looking to level-up in your family faith formation? Join over 10,000 families that use our resources. We make open-and-go, family-style resources to make your role as primary catechist easy AND delightful. Click here to browse!
