Making Lent Meaningful for Older Children

My children are teens now - though my youngest is developmentally much younger than her years tell us. She is also a very visual learner so symbols and actions are very important to her experience. The Anglican Church is rich in symbols and tradition - an important tool in teaching to her learning style.

We will follow our usual path for Lent - attending church and special Masses and programs that will enrich our spiritual lives, pray together, learn together - this is what homeschooling families do! I am going to add a program based on a wonderful book called To God Be the Glory, Growing Towards a Healthy Church by the Rt. Rev. Keith Ackerman and Mrs. Joann Ackerman, called "Why Do What We Do at Church" beginning with the Lenten season. My girls have always gone to church. Much of what we do is rote for them. During this time of reflection in Lent, I think this will deepen their appreciation for what we do and why we do it - and grow them spiritually.

One of the ideas I found in the above book is to make a Paschal Candle for use at home during devotion or prayer times. Take a beeswax candle and wrap some colored (blue, red or gold)vinyl hobby tape around it. Then with a nail or hobby pick make five holes in the candle in the form of a cross. Place five whole cloves in the holes to symbolize the five wounds of Christ. Add the numerals from the present year - the first two above the cross and the second two below the cross. On Wednesday and Friday evenings we will burn our candle and say the Lenten Litany as found in The Anglican Family Prayer Book by Anne E. Kitch:

"Create in us a clean heart, O God.
and renew a right spirit within us.

Create in us a clean heart, Oh God
and renew a right spirit within me.

Have mercy on me, Oh God,
according to your loving kindness
in your great compassion blot out my offenses.

Renew a right spirit within me.

Wash me through and through from my wickedness
and cleanse me from my sin.

Renew a right spirit within me.

For I know my transgressions
and my sin is ever before me.


Renew a right spirit within me.

Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure;
wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.

Renew a right spirit within me.

Give me the joy of your saving help again
and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.

Renew a right spirit within me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.


Create in me a clean heart, O God
and renew a right spirit within me."

I am looking forward to the Ship of Fools 40 Ideas for Lent 2008. It usually has excellent daily exercises for Lent that we can usually do as a family with older children.